Composer

:

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Genre

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1921

Average_duration

:

2:09

Ralph Vaughan Williams composed "The Farmer's Boy" in 1924, and it premiered in London on March 4th of that year. The piece is a song cycle for voice and piano, with lyrics by the English poet John Clare. The cycle consists of six movements, each of which tells a different story about the life of a farmer's boy. The first movement, "The Ploughboy," is a lively and energetic piece that describes the ploughboy's work in the fields. The second movement, "The Lover's Tasks," is a slower and more contemplative piece that describes the farmer's boy's love for a girl and his efforts to win her over. The third movement, "The New-Mown Hay," is a joyful and celebratory piece that describes the farmer's boy's work in the hayfields. The fourth movement, "The Drovers," is a more somber piece that describes the farmer's boy's encounters with the drovers who pass through his village. The fifth movement, "The Green-Wood Laddie," is a haunting and melancholy piece that describes the farmer's boy's longing for a life beyond the fields. The final movement, "The Cuckoo," is a lively and playful piece that celebrates the arrival of spring. Overall, "The Farmer's Boy" is characterized by its pastoral themes and its use of traditional English folk melodies. Vaughan Williams was known for his interest in English folk music, and he incorporated many traditional melodies into his compositions. "The Farmer's Boy" is a prime example of this approach, and it remains a beloved work in the English art song repertoire.

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