Ralph Vaughan Williams
(12 October 1872 -- 26 August 1958)
Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus
Dives and Lazarus is Child ballad 56, and a Christmas carol.
- Orchestra: Jacques Orchestra
- Conductor: Sir David Willcocks
- Year of recording: 1970
"Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus" for harp(s) and string orchestra, written in 1939.
00:00 - Introduction and Theme: Adagio, B modal minor
03:40 - Variant I: B modal minor
04:52 - Variant II: Allegro moderato, B modal minor
06:38 - Variant III: D modal minor
08:05 - Variant IV: L'istesso tempo
09:08 - Variant V: Adagio, B modal minor
Vaughan Williams composed the work on commission from the British Council to be played at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City. The first performance was by the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall on 10 June 1939, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. Boult remembered that on this first performance New York was hit by a heat wave, while there was no air conditioning in the Carnegie Hall. The temperature in the room was 89 degrees Fahrenheit (which is about 32 degrees Celsius), so the public used the program booklets to fan themselves.
About the music Vaughan Williams remarked: "These variants are not exact replicas of traditional tunes, but rather reminiscences of various versions in my own collection and those of others." However, the piece is made up of five variants on the famous 16th century folk melody "Dives and Lazarus", which was one of Vaughan Williams' favourite melodies, and is featured in his "English Folk Song Suite". Music critic Michael Kennedy added to this: "It seemed as if the fury of the F minor [4th symphony], the rumbustiouness of the Tudor Portraits and the vigour of Dona Nobis Pacem had left him [Vaughan Williams] temporarily content to recall an earlier and simpler style, matured by years of experience."
Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus was also played during the interment of the ashes of Ralph Vaughan Williams in Westminster Abbey on 19 September 1958.
Skaila Kanga, Harp
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Bryden Thomson