Music Man

The above is - or was - my alter ego, but, as you will have seen if you have visited that blog lately, I have decided that there isn't enough material to warrant continuing it as a separate entity. I will however post anything musical which comes to mind on this blog under the above title. This apparently is to be Vaughan Williams Year - it is the 50th anniversary of his death. I have to say I have never been greatly struck on him. His output was prodigious, and he certainly deserves recognition for his championing of English folk music and the incorporation of it into his work. He is often categorised as "the greatest British composer of modern times" and certainly he and Elgar stand pretty well alone as pretenders to that title. But the difference for me is that Elgar touches me - often deeply - whereas Vaughan Williams, whilst I can appreciate his music, does not. If you will, Elgar speaks to my heart, whereas Vaughan Williams speaks only to my head. You may of course feel differently - therein lies the beauty of music.