The music of Ralph Vaughan Williams is deeply rooted in his English heritage, mainly Old English folk music. It was his love of folk music, especially of the Tudor period, that helped define his compositions and give feeling to his music. A highly personal style, rich in harmony and visionary in nature, emerged from his musical adaptations.

The English composer was born in Down Ampney, Gloucestershire in 1872, and wrote his first piece of music, a four-measure composition for the piano, at the age of six. He made his first public appearance as a violinist in 1882, and also studied the organ and the viola.

Williams studied at the Royal College of Music in London and Trinity College, where he focused on music composition and organ. In 1901 he earned his doctorate in music from Cambridge University. Although he displayed craftsmanship in his music, his music still lacked an individual creative touch.

The turning point in his career came when he joined the English Folk Song Society. Research in folk songs led to the completion of three works embodying Old English folk melodies. He published his first edition of folk songs in 1903. Works that followed flowed with a lyrical freshness, creating a new sound of English visionary traditions.

In 1934, after the death of Sir Edward Elgar, England’s foremost composer, Williams became the successor to the honorary position. In 1935, he received the Order of Merit.

Some of Williams’ works include A Sea Symphony; Fantasia on a Theme, his first masterwork; the opera, The Pilgrim’s Progress; his first orchestral symphony, A London Symphony; and the pastoral, The Lark Ascending for violin and orchestra. His major works included chamber and choral music, operas, orchestral, nine symphonies, piano and vocal music.