Symphony No. 4

The Symphony No. 4 in F minor by Ralph Vaughan Williams was dedicated by the composer to Arnold Bax. Unlike Vaughan Williams's first three symphonies it was not given a title, the composer stating that it was to be understood as pure music, without any incidental or external inspiration. In contrast to Vaughan Williams's previous compositions, the symphony is characterised by a severity of tone. The British composer William Walton admired the wor... more

The Symphony No. 4 in F minor by Ralph Vaughan Williams was dedicated by the composer to Arnold Bax. Unlike Vaughan Williams's first three symphonies it was not given a title, the composer stating that it was to be understood as pure music, without any incidental or external inspiration. In contrast to Vaughan Williams's previous compositions, the symphony is characterised by a severity of tone. The British composer William Walton admired the work greatly, speaking of it as "the greatest symphony since Beethoven", and the score certainly contains many innovations. Speaking about this work, Vaughan Williams said, "I don't know whether I like it, but it's what I meant." The work was first performed on April 10, 1935 by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult. The work is in four movements (the third and fourth are linked). A typical performance takes about 30 minutes. Jerry Goldsmith, when composing the score to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, took the Scherzo from Vaughan... less