- Written between 1949-52, Sinfonia antartica (“Antarctic Symphony”) evokes Antarctica’s frozen, unyielding landscape. The symphony is written for soprano soloist, female chorus, and full orchestra and received its nickname, “Sinfonia antartica,” because Vaughan Williams used music from his 1948 film score for Scott of the Antarctic.
- The film portrays British explorer Robert Falcon Scott’s 1912 expedition and his ill-fated quest to be the first to reach the South Pole.
- Vaughan Williams’s seventh symphony is comprised of five movements, each prefaced with an epigraph. In some performances of the work, these epigraphs are recited before each movement is played:
- Prelude. Andante maestoso
- “To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite; To forgive wrongs darker than death or night; To defy Power, which seems omnipotent… Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent; This… is to be Good, great, and joyous, beautiful and free; This is alone Life, Joy, Empire and Victory.” – Percy Shelley, Prometheus Unbound
- Scherzo. Moderato
- “There go the ships, and there is that Leviathan: whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein.” – Psalm 104
- Landscape. Lento
- “Ye Ice-falls! ye that from the mountain’s brow Adown enormous ravines slope amain – Torrents, methinks, that heard a mighty voice, And stopped at once amid their maddest plunge! Motionless torrents! silent cataracts!” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Hymn before Sunrise, in the Vale of the Chamouni
- Intermezzo. Andante sostenuto
- “Love, all alike, no season knows, nor clime, Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.” John Donne, The Sun Rising
- Epilogue. Alla marcia, moderato (non troppo allegro)
- “I do not regret this journey… We took risks, we knew we took them; things have come out against us, and therefore we have no cause for complaint.” – Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Last Journal
- Prelude. Andante maestoso
- Sinfonia antartica premiered in Manchester in 1953 conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. Vaughan Williams dedicated the work to Ernest Irving, the music director of Ealing Film Studios who commissioned the film score.1 The piece is highly original and exposes Vaughan William’s bourgeoning creative drive even at the age of 80.
- Fun fact – Vaughan William’s massive orchestration for the symphony includes organ, celesta, and wind machine.2
Sources
- Stephen Connock, “Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7)” in accompanying booklet, Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Complete Symphonies performed by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, CHAN 5303, 2022, compact disc.
- Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sinfonia antartica (No. 7) (London: Oxford University Press, 1953), 3.
Cut IDs
24790 24791