Richard II: A Concert Fantasy

FOREWORD
Introduction to the series
Discussions between the Vaughan Williams estate and Promethean Editions began in 2004
about the possibility of the New Zealand company issuing hitherto unpublished works by
Ralph Vaughan Williams in a series based at Massey University, Wellington, and under the
general editorship of Robert Hoskins. The first fruit of this co-operation was Nathaniel Lew’s
edition of music written by Vaughan Williams for a drama based on John Bunyan’s The
Pilgrim’s Progress, which was performed at Reigate in 1906. Since then, incidental music has
become the keynote of the series, which went on to make available the composer’s scores
for radio productions of The Mayor of Casterbridge, Richard II (in the event never broadcast)
and, most recently, three Greek plays: Electra, The Bacchae and Iphigenia in Tauris.
All these works are not only mature in themselves but also signposts to aspects of the
composer’s future development. Pilgrim’s Progress became a sort of leitmotif throughout
his life, for his Reigate music led to the Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, The Shepherds
of the Delectable Mountains, the Fifth Symphony, music for a radio production in 1942, and
finally his great opera The Pilgrim’s Progress of 1951. His adeptness at writing incidental
music for plays led eventually, in the later part of his long life, to his exploring music for
cinema, a new and enriching creative experience exemplified in his film-score for Scott of
the Antarctic and its elaboration as the Sinfonia Antartica.
The Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust is immensely grateful to Promethean Editions for
establishing this important series, and to the editors who have been involved, Nathaniel
Lew and Alan Tongue. We will watch the further growth of the series with close interest.
Hugh Cobbe, Director, March 2019
Publisher’s note
The Publisher gratefully acknowledges the assistance from the Vaughan Williams Charitable
Trust, Dr Robert Hoskins and Dr Allan Badley in the publication of this edition. We are also
very grateful to the executors of the Evelyn Page Estate who have granted us permission to
use Page’s wonderful 1950 portrait of RVW.
Promethean Editions, Wellington, 2019
PEV04S – iv