Dr. Ralph Vaughan Williams was perhaps the most important English composer of the 20th Century. His influence on the development of 20th Century music was immense. Benjamin Britten and numerous film composers , he entered the movies with the score to Michael Powell's '49th Parallel'. He composed 11 motion picture scores. Out of his score to 'Scott of the Antarctic' he developed his majestic 7th Symphony.
His first name is pronounced "Rafe"
He allegedly declined Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the Kings Honours List but later accepted the Order of Merit in the 1935 Kings Honours List for his services to music.
He was awarded the O.M. (Order of Merit) in the 1935 Kings Honours List for his services to music.
He is mentioned in the film The Lady in the Van , in which his real-life widow Ursula is one of the characters.
I think there is no work of art which represents the spirit of a nation more surely than "Die Meister Singer" of Richard Wagner. Here is no plaything with local colour but the raising to its highest power all that is best in the national consciousness of his country.
