Today is in fact the 145th birthday of Ralph (pronounced "Rafe") Vaughan Williams, my favorite classical composer. This is the first piece I heard from him, hearing it on an FM classical station in the late 1990s, and instantly falling in love with his work. This is "The Lark Ascending," composed largely before World War I, put away at a time of war, and completed after the war. It is based upon a George Meredith poem of the same name and captures the feel of that then still famous poem.
A somewhat cute and recent story about The Son and this master work. He too has always loved this work, of course. Recently, he joined several friends from his Galapagos trip who agreed to meet up in Oregon back in August to watch the big eclipse. They met and went across to I believe the point in Oregon that had the best viewing of the eclipse. While on the trip, one morning, The Son looked out and saw a scene that brought this work to mind. He stopped his buddies and said, "Guys, you gotta listen to this. This piece of music goes perfectly with what we are seeing all around us." They looked at him, nodded, and decided to hear out what he was about to play.
The Son's Samsung phone rang out with this work and the guys just sat down, listened in almost total silence and enjoyment. When it ended, all wanted to know what this piece was and who wrote it, and when. I believe The Son told me he sent them all a link, hopefully to this marvelous version with the legendary Hugh Bean on violin. And I have little doubt he added at some point, "There's more where that came from," or words to that effect.
For, indeed, there is more where this came from.
Oh, and for us King Crimson fans, Wiki says, in the"The Lark Ascending" entry, that "Larks Tongue in Aspic" (1973) pays some homage to "The Lark Ascending." There is no citation, however, and I cannot find where Fripp acknowledges that or even violinist David Cross. But perhaps....it seems a bit too coincidental in not only name but in some of the violin work Cross performs.
