大象传媒

Kate Molleson explores Vaughan Williams鈥檚 early experiences of Christmas at his home, Leith Hill Place, and as a student.

鈥淚鈥檝e always loved carols,鈥� Vaughan Williams wrote to Cecil Sharp in 1911. Despite being called a 鈥渕ost determined atheist鈥� by Bertrand Russell at University, and in later life 鈥渁 cheerful agnostic鈥�, the composer never lost his love for Christmas. It dated back to childhood memories of singing carols from Stainer and Bramley鈥檚 Christmas Carols New and Old at his home at Leith Hill Place, Surrey. As an adult, his lifelong passion for the Christmas period was demonstrated in his music - the Fantasia on Christmas Carols, On Christmas Night based on Dickens鈥檚 A Christmas Carol, the cantata Hodie and the nativity play The First Nowell. His passion for collecting folk tunes in various counties of England 鈥� armed with a trusty pencil and paper, or at times a phonograph - also led to a plethora of carol settings using these folk tunes, as Vaughan Williams himself said 鈥淓very day some old village singer dies, and with him there probably die half-a-dozen beautiful melodies, which are lost to the world forever: if we would preserve what still remains we must set about it at once.鈥� In this special week of programmes, Kate Molleson explores Vaughan Williams鈥檚 experiences of Christmas across his life alongside some of his best loved pieces, and the music he wrote to celebrate the festive period.

In Monday鈥檚 programme, Kate delves into Vaughan Williams鈥檚 early experiences of Christmas at his home, Leith Hill Place, and as a student, exploring how the discovery of carols came to have such a huge impact on him. Kate also explores a trip Vaughan Williams made to Kingsfold, near Leith Hill Place, where he heard a folk singer called Mr Booker sing 鈥渢he Ballad of Maria Marten鈥�, a tune which would remain an inspiration to him throughout his life.

Vaughan Williams (arr.)
Dives and Lazarus
The Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea
William Vann, director

Vaughan Williams
The First Nowell (extract)
Sarah Fox, soprano
Roderick Williams, baritone
Joyful Company of Singers
City of London Sinfonia
Richard Hickox, conductor

Trad.
The Murder of Maria Marten
Joseph Taylor, singer

Vaughan Williams
Five Variants of 鈥楧ives and Lazarus鈥�
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Andrew Manze, conductor

Vaughan Williams
Suite for Viola and Small Orchestra 鈥� Group 1
Helen Callus, viola
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Marc Decio Taddei, conductor

The Wasps - Overture
Hall茅 Orchestra
Mark Elder, conductor

Produced Sam Phillips for 大象传媒 Audio Wales and West