Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): Symphony No. 6 in E minor [1944-47, rev. 1950] I. Allegro 02:14 II. Moderato 09:21 III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace 18:37 IV. Epilogue: Moderato 24:24 BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Andrew Manze, conductor With the lyrical Symphony No. 5 (1938-1943), many figured that Vaughan Williams—who was, after all, in his early seventies by this time—was in essence saying farewell to the symphonic idiom. So the surprise and interest was that much greater when the Symphony No. 6 was announced in 1947. Beginning with some sketches from the score for the film The Flemish Farm (1943), Vaughan Williams worked on the Symphony No. 6 over the years 1944-1947. It was given its first performance at the Royal Albert Hall on April 21, 1948, by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. The work was received with tremendous acclaim, and in its first year of existence it was performed nearly 100 times. The unusual tone of the work,