THE OLD RAPTURES
‘When on a sudden, “Crickley,” he said. How I started
At that old darling name of home, and turned,
Fell into a torrent of words warm hearted
Till clear above the stars of summer burned
In velvety smooth skies.
We shared memories,
And the old raptures from each other learned.’
CRICKLEY HILL, Ivor Gurney, Lord Derby’s Military Hospital, Warrington, July 1918
Vaughan Williams’ ‘Fantasia on a Theme
by Thomas Tallis’ was first performed
in 1910 at the Three Choirs Festival,
held annually in the cathedrals
of the three great cities of the Welsh Marches,
Worcester, Hereford and, that year, Gloucester.
The composer himself conducted the piece
for double string orchestra. Applause
in church then was unfashionable
so the last long attenuated chord – that
moves from fortissimo to pianissimo,
from slight discord to silent harmony –
hung untroubled in the Nave’s towering air.
In the audience were two close friends, sons
of local tradesmen, musically gifted,
articled pupils of the organist –
who had said of the Fantasia, “a queer,
mad work by an odd fellow from Chelsea.”
Ivor Gurney and Herbert Howells both
became composers, and one a poet.
The friends, so rapt by the music, walked
all night through the city’s gas-lit, summer streets –
north past the Cattle Market’s pens and sheds,
west to the Severn, south to the Docks
and the ship canal, east, as the sun rose,
along the London Road – their young voices
inspired, impervious. Herbert will die
revered in a nursing home, mourning his son.
Ivor will die alone in a madhouse.
Jane Barth
June 24, 2022Good to think of these two as young optimistic men, together as friends, before the mental horrors that Ivor would have to face. Thank you, David.
Whenever I hear RVW’s Fantasia, I always see high banks of summer clouds moving in a blue sky across the South Downs.
David Selzer
June 24, 2022The Fantasia.. is wonderfully evocative of memories. I first heard it in Chester Cathedral, when I was 14 or 15. The concert was performed by the Hallé with Barborolli conducting. Concerts in the Cathedral were rare events. The Dean and Chapter had not then turned into a venue!
Alan Horne
June 27, 2022Thanks for this, David. I need to check out Howells properly, but the other two are great favourites. Funny how every time I listen to Vaughan Williams on YouTube I then get an ad with Nigel Farage trying to sell me his share tip sheet. Good to see these lads rescued from that kind of bogus appropriation and shown in their proper places.
Hugh Powell
June 28, 2022Superb evocation of rapture, and English places. And so clever to protect the magic by not refering directly to the looming elephant in the room.
Mary Clark
July 30, 2022Divergent destinies. All beginning with inspiration. It seems the Great War took its toll on Ivor?
I’ve listened to Vaughan Williams on YouTube and will visit to hear this piece.