26 August is the anniversary of the death of Ralph Vaughan Williams, thought by some the greatest English composer since Henry Purcell. Vaughan Williams, who lived 1872-1958 and whose ashes are interred near Purcell's tomb in Westminster Abbey, in his long and productive life made a major contribution to our musical heritage not only in his own noble compositions, but also in the immense labor he performed in collecting and preserving folk melodies, carols and musical idioms and in his settings for some of our finest hymns.



Vaughan Williams was the musical editor of the great and influential work The English Hymnal 1906 and composed or arranged, among other works, Down Ampney (the music for Come Down, O Love Divine), King's Lynn (for Chesterton's O God of Earth and Altar), Sine Nomine (William How's For All The Saints) and Monks Gate (Percy Dearmer's version of John Bunyan's words He Who Would Valiant Be).



Thought of that last hymn is particularly fitting, since the influence of Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress on Vaughan Williams was profound and his fascination with its language and message lasted through his life. In fact, a very fine program of his music could be put together with the work as an organising theme.



Bertrand Russell spoke of him as "the most frightful atheist" when he was at Cambridge, and others have spoken of his agnosticism, but Vaughan Williams inherited a deep love of Christian imagery and tradition from his Evangelical ancestors and it's difficult, hearing his music and thinking of his work, to believe that the Truth that lies behind those images and traditions was not real to him. We can certainly hope that the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.



He who would valiant be ’gainst all disaster,

Let him in constancy follow the Master.

There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent

His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.



Who so beset him round with dismal stories

Do but themselves confound—his strength the more is.

No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,

He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.



Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,

We know we at the end, shall life inherit.

Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,

I’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.