Product Description

Famed British composer Vaughan Williams was a well known lover of folk music, and 'Vaughan Williams: Folksong Arrangements' features some of the many arrangements he created from dictation of folk singers, passing along their songs to the next generation. By cleaning up the presentation and adding piano accompaniments (and often, violin) Williams crafted superb renderings of these ancient pieces. Conductor and tenor Robert Tear, alongside pianist Philip Ledger, decided in 1976 to craft recordings of these lovely arrangements, and so 'Vaughan Williams: Folksong Arrangements,' a 21 track collection from EMI Classics, was born. Featuring folk songs from Wessex, East Anglia, Herefordshire, France, and even Newfoundland, this collection shines with the simultaneous vigor and fragility of its folk roots. Additionally featuring a 1963 recording of Vaughan Williams' 'Six Studies in English Folk Song' performed on viola by the composer's friend Jean Stewart, and accompanied by pianist Daphne Ibbott. Whether you're a fan of folk, Vaughan Williams beautiful arrangements, or the duo of Tear & Ledger, 'Vaughan Williams: Folksong Arrangements' is a superb addition to your collection.