Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) collected more than 800 folk songs between 1903 and 1913 mainly from Norfolk, Surrey and Sussex. In the Fen country, a symphonic impression, influences from folk songs are clearly audible as well as in the Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1. Vaughan Williams also used the themes of these folk tunes as cantus firmus in his settings for The English Hymnal. A theme from this is the
… basis of Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis. Like his friend Gustav Holst, he enjoyed and contributed to the renewed interest in works by Byrd, Tallis, Morley and Weelkes. The variations on "Dives and Lazarus" for strings and harp are based on a melody from the collection 'English County Songs'. He already knew the melody and collected variations that he used for his final composition. One of the variations was found in 1905 with the title: The murder of Maria Martin in the Red Barn. The works on this CD are performed by The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Neville Marriner. (LW) _more
