Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge for Tenor and Orchestra

Edition Zeza
$585.00
SKU EZ-3232
Weight 4.80 LBS
Stock
Difficulty Intermediate
Instrumentation 2Fl 1dPicc, Ob, CA, 2Cl 1dBCl, 2Bsn, 4Hn, 2Tpt, 3Tbn, Timp, Perc, Cel, Hp, Strings
Duration 23 minutes
Set of Parts Includes Strings count 4.4.3.3.2
Extra Strings Only available with the purchase of the Set of Parts
Product Type REPRINT SERIES
Score Type

REPRINT SERIES

 On Wenlock Edge is a song cycle originally composed for tenor, piano, and string quartet in 1909, which Vaughan Williams later orchestrated for tenor and full orchestra. Based on six poems from A. E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad, the work captures the pastoral beauty and melancholic themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. Vaughan Williams’ deep connection to English folk traditions and Impressionist influences from Ravel—under whom he studied—are evident throughout the piece.

The orchestral version enhances the atmospheric quality of the music, with expanded textures and richer harmonic depth. The strings create sweeping, windswept landscapes, while woodwinds and brass add dramatic intensity to moments of turmoil and sorrow. The orchestration allows for greater contrasts in tone and dynamics, particularly in pieces like Bredon Hill, where the idyllic opening gives way to a powerful, almost funereal climax.

With the orchestra supporting the voice, the tenor’s role remains central, conveying the deep emotion of Housman’s poetry. Vaughan Williams’ setting maintains a delicate balance between lyrical expressiveness and dramatic storytelling. The orchestral colors heighten the emotional weight of the cycle, making it a vivid and moving interpretation of the original chamber work.

Difficulty:
Intermediate
Instrumentation:
2Fl 1dPicc, Ob, CA, 2Cl 1dBCl, 2Bsn, 4Hn, 2Tpt, 3Tbn, Timp, Perc, Cel, Hp, Strings
Duration:
23 minutes
Set of Parts:
Includes Strings count 4.4.3.3.2
Extra Strings:
Only available with the purchase of the Set of Parts
Product Type:
REPRINT SERIES