VaughanWilliams Festival Down Ampney 24--27 August 2018 W W W. VA U G H A N W I L L I A M S F E S T I VA L. C O M
Welcome to thevaughanwilliams Festival 2018 This year marks the 60th anniversary of the death of one of England s finest composers,. To commemorate and celebrate the life of this extraordinary musician the Vaughan Williams Festival presents a series of ten concerts, lectures and events over the course of the August bank holiday weekend, 24 27 inclusive. The Festival will take place in the beautiful Cotswold village of Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, Vaughan Williams birthplace in 1872, and all concerts will be performed in the picturesque church of All Saints Down Ampney which was completed in 1245 by the Knights Templar. I am profoundly grateful to all those who have so generously supported and sponsored the Festival to date with particular reference to our lead sponsors The Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust and the Big Lottery Fund. Interest in the Festival is high and with limited seating in the church, early booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment. The Festival is also delighted to announce partnerships with Classic FM, Tierra & Mar Restaurant in Cirencester (fine Spanish cuisine using local Cotswold produce), Poulton Hill Estate (multi-award winning local English wine), and Ramsbury Brewery and Distillery who, in addition to providing fabulous gin and vodka tasting throughout the Festival will also create a specially commissioned ale for the Festival entitled Vaughan Williams Festival Ale. I hope you will feel inspired and excited by the prospect of this Festival, and I very much hope you can join us for what I believe will be a fitting and worthy occasion in memory of a man who contributed an astonishing amount to English music. Philip Dukes FGSM, HonARAM, Artistic Director
RalphVaughanWilliams The EarlyYears Friday 24 August,7pm Presented by Julian Lloyd Webber The Vaughan Williams Ensemble with James Gilchrist, tenor Rita Manning, violin Philip Dukes, viola Justin Pearson, cello Christopher Laurence, double bass Anna Tilbrook, piano Four Hymns Early Songs (including Silent Noon, Three Shakespeare Songs) Rhosymedre (arr. Richard Morrison) Piano Quintet in C minor Our festival begins with a concert dedicated exclusively to the music of RVW, with specific focus on some of his early compositions. Renowned tenor, James Gilchrist, is joined by members of The Vaughan Williams Ensemble and the programme concludes with RVW s magnificent (Brahms inspired) early Piano Quintet which, although completed in 1903 and premiered in 1905 fell silent until it s re-emergence in 1999. RalphVaughanWilliams Contemporaries and Disciples Saturday 25 August,12noon The Vaughan Williams Ensemble Rita Manning, violin Philip Dukes, viola Justin Pearson, cello Anna Tilbrook, piano Herbert Howells David Bednall Rebecca Clarke Elegy for Viola & Piano (Composer-in-Association) Sonata for Viola & Piano RVW In Memoriam (World Première) Piano Trio Rebecca Clarke and Herbert Howells were both contemporaries of RVW and both, like RVW, studied with Stanford. For Clarke composing was something of a hobby, but it was also a passion. Arguably, her two greatest works were her Viola Sonata and the stunning Piano Trio which is heard in this programme. In addition, Festival Composer-in-Association, David Bednall, fulfils a lifelong dream in composing a work dedicated to the memory of Vaughan Williams which will receive its world première in this concert.
Lecture and CreamTea Saturday 25 August,3pm Guest Lecturer Richard Morrison (Chief Music Critic, The Times) with James Bartlett, bass Anna Tilbrook, piano Richard Morrison traces the fascinating history of Down Ampney including its fame as the birthplace of RVW and the significant part RAF Down Ampney played in World War II. The lecture will be interspersed with some wartime songs. Following the performance and included in the ticket price, celebrated author, preserves and baking tutor, Vivien Lloyd presents a cream tea in the Festival marquee. GalaViolin & Piano Recital Saturday 25 August,7pm Jack Liebeck, violin and Paul Turner, piano Herbert Howells Maurice Ravel Sonata No. 1 in E major Sonata in A minor The Lark Ascending Sonata No. 2 in G major The internationally acclaimed British violinist Jack Liebeck is joined by acclaimed pianist Paul Turner, and the recital includes The Lark Ascending, unquestionably one of RVW s most popular works. We hear this in the original version for violin and piano, alongside RVW s substantial Sonata for Violin and Piano, and Sonatas by Ravel and Howells. Ravel composed his Sonata No.2 between 1923 and 1927 and the music is heavily influenced by American Jazz and Blues. VaughanWilliams Festival Recommended by
RalphVaughanWilliams Inspirations Sunday 26 August,12noon The Vaughan Williams Ensemble Hannah Dawson, violin Jack Liebeck, violin Rita Manning, violin Robin Ashwell, viola Cara Berridge, cello Anna Tilbrook, piano Paul Turner, piano Jean Sibelius String Trio in G minor Six Studies in English Folk Song Herbert Howells Fantasy String Quartet Op. 25 Max Bruch Four Pieces, Op. 83 The music of Sibelius was of enormous inspiration to RVW, so much so in fact, RVW dedicated his fifth symphony to the Finnish composer. In this concert, we hear the single movement String Trio by Sibelius and following RVW s charming Six Studies in English Folksong and the atmospheric Fantasy String Quartet by Howells, the concert concludes with another source of inspiration for RVW, namely Max Bruch, with whom RVW spent a fruitful three-month period of study in Berlin. The delightful Four Pieces by Max Bruch are from the set of Eight Pieces Op 83, and in this concert, we hear them in the version for Violin, Viola and Piano. Choral Evensong Sunday 26 August,3pm Choir of Hendon St. Mary, London DirectedbyRichardMorrison Preacher; The Very Reverend Professor Martyn Percy (Christ Church, Oxford University) Organist, Nicolas Reading John Ireland Hymns Introit: O Taste and See Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in F Anthem: Lord, thou hast been our refuge Come Down O Love Divine (Down Ampney) He Who Would Valiant Be For our Festival Choral Evensong, we welcome the excellent choir of Hendon St. Mary, London, directed by Richard Morrison. The preacher is The Very Reverend Professor Martyn Percy from Christ Church, Oxford University. Once again, the repertoire focuses around that of RVW, together with the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in F by John Ireland (another pupil of Stanford). The service will also include the hymn Come Down O Love Divine the tune of which was named Down Ampney by RVW.
All Saints Down Ampney Vaughan Williams birthplace Down Ampney
RalphVaughanWilliams Mentors andteachers Sunday 26 August,7pm The Vaughan Williams Ensemble James Gilchrist, tenor Rita Manning, violin Hannah Dawson, violin Robin Ashwell, viola Cara Berridge, cello Justin Pearson, cello Anna Tilbrook, piano Paul Turner, piano Maurice Ravel Sonata for Violin & Cello Songs of Travel Max Bruch Romance Op. 85 Charles Villiers Stanford Piano Quartet No. 1 in F major, Op. 15 The list of eminent musicians who studied with the Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford at the Royal College of Music is nothing short of incredible: Vaughan Williams, Holst, Bliss, Bridge, Butterworth and Charles Wood, to name but a few. Whilst Stanford is probably best known for his choral music this concert includes his ravishing Piano Quartet No.1 in F, which is quite a tour de force. Brahms was Stanford s musical god and, in this work, with lush melodies and rich textures it s easy to see why. James Gilchrist returns to sing RVW s sublime Songs of Travel alongside more Ravel and Bruch. Young Artists Platform Monday 27 August,11am Music Scholars from Marlborough College with Super Strings, Wiltshire. Director Hector Scott Admission FREE Marlborough College enjoys a long tradition of musical excellence. Interestingly, George Dyson (also a pupil of Stanford together with RVW) was Director of Music at Marlborough College from 1911 1914. Here a group of the College s most outstanding Music Scholars perform alongside young musicians from the dynamic
organisation Super Strings, a leading musical light for young string players within the County of Wiltshire. The concert is directed by Hector Scott (Head of Strings, Marlborough College). In Conversation with Festival President, DebbieWiseman OBE Monday 27 August,12.30pm - Festival Marquee Debbie Wiseman OBE, is an award-winning TV and film composer and is also Classic FM s Composer-in-Residence. The VW Festival is thrilled that Debbie agreed to be our President, and this will be a fascinating opportunity to Admission hear a little bit more about her incredible life FREE story and musical journey. Debbie s list of soundtracks and scores is extensive, but some highlights include BBC Wolf Hall, BBC Dickensian, Edie, Father Brown, Wilde, A Poet in New York, Flood, The Glorious Garden for Classic FM with Alan Titchmarsh. VaughanWilliams Festival 2018 Grand Finale Monday 27 August,2.30pm A concert of words and music dedicated to the memory of the service men and women of RAF Down Ampney from 1944 to 1947 The Vaughan Williams Ensemble with Anton Lesser Narrator James Gilchrist, tenor Jack Liebeck, violin Rita Manning, violin Hannah Dawson, violin Philip Dukes, viola Cara Berridge, cello Justin Pearson, cello Anna Tilbrook, piano Paul Turner, piano Frank Bridge Maurice Ravel David Bednall Phantasy Piano Quartet Piano Trio in A minor The Mower Two poems by Andrew Marvell On Wenlock Edge AspectacularconclusiontotheFestivalwithTheVaughanWilliams Ensemble interspersed with poetry by Ursula Vaughan Williams, read by the celebrated English actor, Anton Lesser and music from another pupil of Stanford, Frank Bridge to open proceedings. We hear two deeply moving poems by Andrew Marvell set to music by Composer-in- Association David Bednall, Ravel s stunning Piano Trio, and the Festival closes with RVW s magical and haunting Song Cycle On Wenlock Edge. Included in the ticket price is an extended interval with a food and wine tasting session in the Festival marquee hosted and presented by Brett Russell (Chef Patron of Tierra and Mar, Cirencester) in association with the local English Vineyard, Poulton Wines. Not to be missed!
Booking Form Package Tickets are available for the whole festival at 100, or tickets can be purchased for individual concerts. Tickets can also be purchased online. The cost of the Festival is substantially more than the income from ticket sales. If you d like to make a donation to the Festival when ordering tickets, we would be most grateful. CONCERT Ticket Ticket Cost Cost Qty Festival Package 100 RVW: The Early Years 20 RVW: Contemporaries & Disciples 10 Lecture & Cream Tea 15 Gala Violin and Piano Recital 20 RVW: Inspirations 10 RVW: Mentors & Teachers 20 Grand Finale (includes reception) 25 Total ticket cost Donation TOTAL PAYMENT Please make your cheque payable to The Chamber Music Foundation Name Email address Telephone Address Postcode Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope and return to: The Chamber Music Foundation, Old Farm, Clapton, Midsomer Norton, Somerset BA3 4EB Terms And Conditions:TheChamberMusicFoundationwillnotnormallygiverefunds,although this may be possible if The Chamber Music Foundation is given advance notification of non-attendance. Refunds will not be given on the day of the concert. The Chamber Music Foundation cannot be responsible for lost or stolen tickets. While every effort will be made to present the advertised artists and programmes, The Chamber Music Foundation reserves the right to make substitutions in circumstances beyond its control. Data Protection Act: The Chamber Music Foundation will not share personal data with any other organisation. Seating will be unreserved, so we suggest that you aim to be seated at least 10 minutes before the start of each concert, any seats not taken 5 minutes before the start of each concert may be allocated for sale at the door.
Box Office Enquiries Telephone: 01672 519344 email: info@vaughanwilliamsfestival.com www.vaughanwilliamsfestival.com The box office is open from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday and can be contacted regarding ticket availability or any enquiry about access for people with disabilities. Limited tickets can be purchased at Down Ampney Village Shop. Early booking is strongly advised due to limited space at the venue. VENUE We are privileged to use the wonderful church of All Saints, Down Ampney as our Festival venue for all events. Built for worship rather than aconcertvenue,pleasebeawarethatsomeseatsmayhaverestricted view of the stage due to the pillars or the quirks of the building. Also, pews and chairs can be hard; you are welcome to bring a cushion. FOOD AND DRINK The Festival marquee will be open for the duration of the festival offering a fully licensed bar, soft drinks and tea & coffee. Ice creams and simple snacks will also be available. The large and beautiful pasture opposite the church will also be open for audience who will wish to picnic. A good selection of local pubs or the nearby Hotel De Vere offer an excellent opportunity for dining during the Festival. The town of Cirencester is also close by. SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE MARQUEE The Festival marquee will present two exhibitions, one on Vaughan Williams himself and one on the history of RAF Down Ampney. In addition, there will be local beer, wine, gin, cheese, chutney and marmalade tasting sessions throughout the Festival. Food and wine tasting is also included as part of the Grand Finale concert ticket price. It is also anticipated that further supplementary attractions will be secured for the festival in due course. PARKING Free parking is provided. OUR LEAD SPONSORS & PARTNERS