Composer

:

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Genre

:

Concerto

Compose Date

:

1929

Average_duration

:

12:00

Movement_count

:

5

Movement ....

Fantasia on Sussex Folk Tunes, also known as Sussex Rhapsody, is a composition by Ralph Vaughan Williams. It was composed in 1929 and premiered on October 9, 1929, at the Norwich Festival. The piece is a tribute to the folk music of Sussex, a county in the south of England where Vaughan Williams spent much of his childhood. The composition is divided into three movements, each based on a different folk tune from Sussex. The first movement, marked "Poco lento," is based on the tune "Seaford Carol." It begins with a solo clarinet playing the melody, which is then taken up by the full orchestra. The movement is characterized by its gentle, pastoral quality, with the melody passed between different sections of the orchestra. The second movement, marked "Allegro," is based on the tune "The Sweet Sussex Downs." It is a lively, energetic dance, with the melody played by the strings and woodwinds. The movement features frequent changes in tempo and dynamics, with the music building to a frenzied climax before subsiding into a quiet coda. The final movement, marked "Moderato maestoso," is based on the tune "Sussex Mummers' Carol." It begins with a solemn, hymn-like melody played by the brass section. The melody is then taken up by the strings, and the movement gradually builds in intensity, with the full orchestra joining in. The movement ends with a triumphant restatement of the melody by the brass. Overall, Fantasia on Sussex Folk Tunes is characterized by its use of folk melodies and its pastoral, bucolic quality. Vaughan Williams was a champion of English folk music, and this piece is a testament to his love of the genre. The piece is also notable for its use of orchestration, with different sections of the orchestra taking turns playing the melodies and creating a rich, layered sound.

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