NAME__________________________________________
PERIOD #____________________
COMPOSER PROFILE REPORT
COMPOSER’S LAST NAME: Vaughan Williams
COMPOSER’S FIRST NAME: Ralph (pronounced “Rafe”)
Ralph Vaughan Williams;
A Short Biography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA4NGeyalPg
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
COMPOSER’S DATES: 1872-1958
NAME 5 FAMOUS COMPOSITIONS WRITTEN BY THIS COMPOSER:
Tallis (1505 - 1585) ENGLAND
2. Greensleeves
“Greensleeves” by Dante Rossetti
3. The Wasps
He drops the silver chain of sound,
Of many links without a break,
In chirrup, whistle, slur and shake.
For singing till his heaven fills
'Tis love of earth that he instils,
And ever winging up and up
Our valley is his golden cup,
And he the wine which overflows
To lift us with him as he goes.
Till lost on his aerial rings
In light, and then the fancy sings”
~George Meredith~
NAME SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO WERE ALSO ALIVE DURING THIS COMPOSER’S LIFETIME:
Original edition 1900
MUSIC:
HISTORY
1. 25th U.S. President: McKinley, William (1843-1901)
2. 26th U.S. President: Roosevelt, Theodore (1858-1919)
4. 28th U.S. President: Wilson, Thomas Woodrow (1856-1924)
ART:
“The Violinist”
2. Picasso, Pablo (1881-1973)
“Self-Portrait” and Photograph
“Starry Night”
NAME SOME FAMOUS HISTORICAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND OR LITERARY HAPPENINGS THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THIS COMPOSER’S LIFETIME:
DESCRIBE WHAT YOU THINK THIS COMPOSER’S OVERALL COMPOSITIONAL STYLE IS AND WHAT IS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT IT.
He uses an old English folksong influence, going back to the times of Tudor England (King Henry 8th), within a 20th Century style modern structure. His music is written for all levels of ability and for varieties of different instrumentations.
WRITE YOUR PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT THE MUSICAL STYLE OF THIS COMPOSER AND EXPLAIN.
This section is to be filled in by each student as it is a personal opinion.
IF POSSIBLE, CAN YOU LIST ANY INTERNET WEB ADDRESSES ABOUT THIS COMPOSER?
MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS:
It was this composer’s hobby to collect, write down into music notation, and research traditional old English folk music to preserve it in history. Many of these melodies he used as the basis for his own compositions; an example being the song “Greensleeves” thought to be written by the English King Henry VIII.
Vaughn Williams: A Short Biography
Passions of Ralph Vaughn Williams
