O Thou Transcendent - The Life Of Ralph Vaughan Williams
2007
The award-winning Tony Palmer directs this feature-length biography of influential English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Features specially recorded extracts from Vaughan Williams work, archive performances by Sir Adrian Boult, interviews and rare footage of the man himself. Read more
| Director | Tony Palmer |
|---|---|
| Genres | Documentary |
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O Thou Transcendent - The Life Of Ralph Vaughan Williams
The award-winning Tony Palmer directs this feature-length biography of influential English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Features specially recorded extracts from Vaughan Williams work, archive performances by Sir Adrian Boult, interviews and rare footage of the man himself.
| Director | Tony Palmer |
|---|---|
| Studio | SELECT MUSIC & VIDEO DISTRIBUTION |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 9 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Documentary |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 31 Dec 2007 Production year: 2007 |
| Format | DVD |
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Most helpful member's review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
A 20th Century Gentleman
With the 50th anniversary of RVW's death it was not unexpected to see a programme about this much neglected British Composer. What was a real treat was the depth of research involved in producing a documentary over 2 hours long.
The contributions by so many people in the musical world reads like a who's who of British Talent and was for me a truly detailed insight into not just the man and his music, but the impact his life has had on others.
I would recommend this to anyone who knows nothing about RVW. Well worth a look and a listen. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Customer Review
Whether or not you are convinced by Tony Palmer's thesis in this documentary film that, far from being the ruminative English pastoralist that audiences of the time felt him to be, Vaughan Williams was in fact a man with a troubled personal life and a philosophical outlook which became increasingly bleak the older he became, all of us are in Palmer's debt for capturing conversations with many people (most of whom are now very old) who knew the composer well. Indeed, some, including Ursula, the composer's widow, have died since the film was made last year.
Moreover, Tony Palmer has created a thorough and comprehensive portrait of the composer, largely through his music, with a helpful spoken commentary, chiefly given by two admirable writers, Michael Kennedy and Stephen Johnson, that will provide valuable insights to new listeners as well as those more familiar with the work.
The documentary has been issued at an interesting moment, namely the fiftieth anniversary of Vaughan Williams' death in 1958. What is especially fascinating is the extent to which this composer's work has grown in public estimation during that time. We need to thank Tony Palmer for the film, and thank Michael Kennedy most warmly for his consistent championship of the music. -
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