Vaughan Williams: Garden of Proserpine; Hadley: Fen and Flood

Vaughan Williams completed The Garden of Proserpine, scored for soprano soloist, chorus and full orchestra, in 1899. For the
twenty-something composer, it was a first attempt at a large-scale work. Given that Vaughan Williams had only produced a handful of songs and some chamber pieces by this date, it is an impressive achievement that achieves that combination of radiance and nobility that is characteristic of the composer s later works. In the Fen Country was completed in 1904. The melodic outlines and spirit of folk music are prevalent in this work. Patrick Hadley s Fen and Flood was inspired by the devastating events of the night of January 31, 1953 when a deadly hurricane force wind created a storm tide up to 18 feet above mean sea level. Overall, 2,400 people lost their lives. Vaughan Williams persuaded his friend Hadley to allow him to arrange the work for chorus. The new arrangement was first performed in 1956 and was dedicated to Vaughan Williams. All of the recordings presented here are world premières.