Albums that influenced me: Symphony No 5 by Ralph Vaughan Williams

The third in this series of albums that influenced me. My local library - so prosaic, yet such a glittering palace of knowledge and experience when I was growing up - facilitated my introduction proper to classical music. Just as with jazz, I started fairly randomly, sifting through the stacks of records available to hire …

The melancholy beauty of Vaughan Williams’ 5th symphony…

I'm looking forward to this Prom concert on 16 August which features three consecutive Ralph Vaughan Williams symphonies, played by the Scottish Symphony Orchestra. For those more familiar with RVW through the pastoral beauty of The Lark Ascending, the concert may come as a shock, beginning as it does with the explosively aggressive opening statement …