This examination of Ralph Vaughan Williams' song cycle to poetry of Alfred Edward Housman, "On Wenlock Edge," will follow primarily two avenues of approach. First, following a brief biographical sketch of Vaughan Williams' career prior to the composition of "On Wenlock Edge," will be a discussion of Vaughan Williams' and Housman's respective aesthetic philosophies. In order to lay the background for certain salient characteristics of this cycle, parallels as well as differences in their artistic thinking will be explained. Secondly, a poetic analysis will precede the musical analysis of each song in order to differentiate between the original intent of the poet and the interpretation of the poetry by Vaughan Williams.

The focus of this study is to provide a clear understanding of Vaughan Williams' Violin Concerto in D Minor. In terms of form and compositional technique, this concerto is particularly challenging, because of Vaughan Williams' use of rhythmic motives and modes. This study is undertaken through an analysis. For a better understanding, a historical background, including overall form of each movement and key relationships, is explored and discussed. Then, Vaughan Williams' use of a ritornello-like motive, melody and modality as unifying elements is also identified and examined. In identifying the major features of Vaughan Williams' compositional style of this violin concerto, musicians will be able to understand better his unique musical expression. This study may serve as an introduction to the music of Vaughan Williams for musicians and society worldwide. It is hoped that it will motivate all violinists to perform this concerto more frequently.

To summarize in general the use of modes by Vaughan Williams, it could be said that the works that have been analyzed are characterized by frequent use of the traditional modes, but in a very free manner. The "Kyrie" of the Mass, "Pretty Bess," "Jolly Rutterkin" and Te Deum are confined somewhat closely to given modes, with some changes of mode, changes of tonality and use of altered chords. The "Gloria," "Credo," "Sanctus," "Osanna I," "Benedictus," "Osanna II" and "Agnus Dei" of the Mass, however, contain many striking chromaticisms. These chromaticisms are the result of use of many altered chords, a good deal of modulation and much combining of modes, often with startling cross-relations. The use of seventh chords in "Pretty Bess," "Jolly Rutterkin" and Te Deum further complicates the picture from that of the sixteenth century.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Julie Yu / Matthew and Mark both conclude their Gospel accounts of the first Mass, the last supper, the same way: “while singing a hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Since the beginning of the Christian tradition the Mass has been accompanied by religious song. The structure of the Roman Mass grew, changed, and took its present form over the course of many years from the Ordo romanus I of ad 700 to the modern rite. The movements of the Mass Ordinary were all present in the Roman Mass as early as the 8th century, while the sections of the Mass Proper took longer to develop. Though early settings of the Ordinary were sung to modal chants, the introduction of organum and polyphony in the 14th century gave rise to inventions in compositions that continue to influence music history. Numerous composers have composed Mass settings for liturgical use. Through their work, these composers shaped compositional techniques and paved the way for additional settings of the Mass. Many other composers’ works have outgrown their liturgical use. Composers have used every form from a cappella missa brevis’, large-scale cori spezatti compositions, to orchestral works rarely intended for liturgical use. Following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) the liturgy could be spoken and set musically in the vernacular creating a new collection of compositions in a variety of languages. Movements from five compositions are the subject of this paper. Each piece was selected to for its compositional techniques from its respective time period and region of the world. The composers represent England, Brazil, Germany, France, and the United States.

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was one of the most prolific British composers of the twentieth century, yet his operas are virtually unknown in the standard operatic repertoire. Singers and teachers of singing are often challenged in finding operatic arias composed in the English language, because the standard operatic repertoire simply does not have as many works originally written in English as are found in Italian, German, or French. If there are arias from Vaughan Williams’ operas that are accessible to the young singing voice, they should not remain unknown. This study was executed in hopes of identifying for singers and teachers of singing, the arias, duets and scenes for male voice that can stand alone outside performances of the operas. The implications of this research project are that singers and teachers of singing have a newly found wealth of repertoire to utilize in performance as well as in the learning environment. Not only are these findings beautiful music from one of the twentieth century’s most prominent composers, but they are perhaps more importantly, accessible to the young and developing singer.

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Bristol, 1993. / BLDSC reference no.: DX181689.

The main body of this document includes discussion of the background, analysis, and significance of eight compositions by Ralph Vaughan Williams which feature the viola. These works were selected from those which give the viola unusual prominence. Solo works include Flos Campi, Suite for viola and small orchestra, and Romance for viola and piano. Two transcriptions for viola and piano, Six Studies in English Folk Song and Fantasia on Greensleeves, are also discussed. The remaining works are Four Hymns for tenor, string orchestra or piano, and viola obbligato, the String Quartet in A Minor in which the viola leads, and the Phantasy Ouintet which uses two violas and evolves from a viola melody.Chapters two through eight discuss each work. Chapters two through four cover Flos Campi, the Suite, and the quartet. Chapter two includes additional sections about problems resulting from the extra-musical associations in Flos Campi and various theories as to how they are reflected in the music. The next three chapters discuss Romance, Four Hymns, and the quintet. Chapter eight discusses the transcriptions.Musical analyses were completed for each composition by the author. Theirdepth was determined by the overall importance of each work. The most detailed analyses are for Flos Campi, the Suite,and the quartet; the briefest are for the transcriptions.A section discussing pedagogical significance follows the discussion of each composition. This includes information regarding the difficulty of each work and its value as teaching material.The introductory chapter addresses Vaughan Williams' love for the viola, his partiality to it in compositions, and the problem of limited research in light of the seeming significance of this music.The conclusion reviews the significance of each composition. Flos Campi was found to be the most significant historically and musically; the Suite has the most pedagogical value. A need to study a variety of these works was discovered due to their diversity of style and value. The conclusion is followed by an appendix of the author's performance suggestions for selected passages from each composition. / School of Music

Diss.--Berlin, 1995. / Bibliogr. p. 194-207.

Thesis (M.M.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2009. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Discography: leaf 129. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-128). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.