Music

Fantasy on a Hymn by Ralph Vaughan Williams (Reduced Instrumentation)

Difficulty: Medium Difficult | Grade: 4

Order Request Perusal / Pricing Other Questions

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958) was a famous English composer of the 20th Century, and his colorful music comes to life in Fantasy On A Hymn By Ralph Vaughan Williams. The tune from a 17th Century German hymn “Lasst uns erfreuen” was popularized by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906, when he set it for the English Hymnal as “Ye Watchers And Ye Holy Ones.”



CREDITS

Composed by: Key Poulan

Percussion by: Shawn Glyde and Dan Bryan

Originally commissioned by: Northwood H.S., Nappanee, IL - Gordon Couch, Director

Published By: Key Poulan Music

Duration: 8:15 (7:15 + 1:00 Optional Down Ending)

MUSIC SAMPLES

Mvt. 1: Creatures of God is adapted from the modern hymn “All Creatures Of Our God And King,” an English Christian hymn from 1919 by William Henry Draper, which is based on a poem by St. Francis of Assisi.
[ Download ]

Mvt. 2: Childhood Memories is a playful and joyous adaptation of the popular Vaughan Williams hymn. The music sparkles with effervescent scale passages at quick tempos between moments of joyous tutti exclamations.
[ Download ]

Mvt. 3: God and King is a rippling and flowing ballad with lush orchestrations and thick textures. The woodwinds and auxiliary percussion have an opportunity for rich expression and feeling.
[ Download ]

Mvt. 4: Fantasy Finale recalls the effervescent and joyful motifs of earlier before erupting into a passionate chorale. Following a moment of strategic silence, the final musical statement is like a peaceful exhale, bringing all the previous excitement to a satisfying resolution.
[ Download ]