Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ralph Vaughan Williams…composer, collector of old melodies

A composer deeply shaped by history, Ralph Vaughan Williams loved old English melodies, folk songs, hymns, and early church music. He studied medieval and Renaissance music, edited the English Hymnal, and helped preserve ancient melodies by weaving them into new compositions. His music often sounds both old and new at the same time—like an echo carried across centuries.

Influenced by modal scales and Renaissance polyphony, Vaughan Williams wrote music that feels timeless, pastoral, and deeply rooted in the musical traditions of England. Works such as Fantasia on Greensleeves, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, and The Lark Ascending reflect his love for ancient melody, sacred music, and the musical world of the medieval and Renaissance church.

In this study students will:

• Learn about themes and imitative polyphony
• Discover how old melodies and folk songs were preserved in new music
• Experience music that echoes the sound of the medieval world

This guide is designed to be used over one term (12 weeks) with one lesson occurring every week for approximately 20 minutes. I do encourage you to informally listen to various pieces aside from formal lesson times.

Supplies needed:

• computer or listening device (all compositions are linked both in pdf hyperlink and in QR code format)

Recommended contemporary and complimentary studies:

History – The Symphony of History, Vol. 2 Nocturne (Middle Ages)

Geography – Asia “Rising Light”

Composer – Echoes in the Cloister and Echoes in the Courts

Poetry – Geoffrey Chaucer and Gerard Manley Hopkins and Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Picture – Giotto, and John Everett Millais and Albrecht Durer

Folk songs – Minstrels and Troubadours (coming Summer 2026)

*the guide includes QR Codes for easy links, if you choose to print the document.

For printing, we recommend our print partner Humble Heart Press.

** due to the nature of digital products, we are unable to accept returns.