Review
The first performance of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis took place at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester Cathedral on September 6, 1910. The program was primarily devoted to Sir
Edward Elgar 's oratorio The Dream of Gerontius, which may partly account for its relatively cool reception. But its treatment, unusual for its day, of the unusual source material may also have puzzled the audience.
Vaughan Williams encountered Tallis' hymn while editing
The English Hymnal in 1906; it had first appeared in Archbishop Parker's
Metrical Psalter in 1567, set to the words, "Why fumeth in fight?" The peculiar modal qualities of the tune, with its prominent flatted seventh, not only allowed the composer considerable harmonic freedom from the prevailing strictures of diatonicism and chromaticism, but also made possible the simultaneous sense of the ancient and the modern that is the work's hallmark.
The Tallis Fantasia is scored for two string orchestras, one functioning as a "distant" choir, and a solo string quartet. After five widely spaced chords and a few bars in which the theme is fragmentarily mused upon by pizzicato basses, cellos, and swaying middle strings, arco, Tallis' hymn tune is stated in its original harmony by violas and celli with tremolando accompaniment by the high strings, and is then repeated in a setting that exploits all of the harmonic and contrapuntal facilities of a large string section.
The string choirs then separate for a short section in which fragments of Tallis' theme in the first string orchestra are answered by distant chordal musings from the second orchestra. This serves not only as a brief development section but also introduces the solo string quartet, whose masterly counterpoint demonstrates Vaughan Williams' affinity for stringed instruments. As the rhapsodic meditation increases in intensity, the more modern aspects of the composition come into focus, with vaguely impressionistic harmonies mingling with the modal, leading to an impressive climax in which the two orchestras are unleashed in their full chordal power. The string quartet leads a final, luminous musing on Tallis' tune, and the Fantasia ends with a short coda in which the solo violin pronounces a brief benediction as the orchestra falls away. ~ Mark Satola, All Music Guide
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
A Celebration [includes bonus DVD] 2004
A Portrait of Vaughan Williams 1999
Adagio, Vol. 1 [2CD] 1992
Adagio, Vol. 1: A Special Collection of Orchestral Classics 1991
American Maestros 2003
An English Celebration
Arturo Toscanini conducts Elgar & Vaughan Williams 1990
Barber's Adagio & Other Romantic Favorites for Strings
Barber's Adagio: Romantic Favorites for Strings 2004
Barber, Vaughan Williams, Pachelbel, Tchaikovsky, Granger [Hybrid SACD] 2004
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14; Vaughan Williams: Tallis Fantasia; Debussy: Prèlude à l'apres-midi d'un Faune 2004
Boult Conducts Vaughan Williams, Hadley, Bax & Berg 2009
Boult's Planets 1996
Brainwave Symphony 1999
Brainwave Symphony (Box Set) 2003
Brainwave Symphony: Meditate & Create 2003
Brainwave Symphony: Theta 1999
Brainwave Symphony: Theta - Meditate & Create 2003
Brass Busters! 1995
Britten, Handel, Vaughan Williams 2005
Butterworth, Vaughan Williams, Leigh, Warlock, Finzi
Celebrating 50 Years Devoted to British Music, Set Two
Classic Masterpieces: Edward Elgar
Classical Chillout [Union Square 4 CD] 2003
Classical Chillout, Vol. 4: Popular Classics 2003
Classics for All Seasons (Box Set)
Classics for All Seasons: Autumn 1993
Classics for a Rainy Day
Constantin Silvestri: The Collection, Vol. 7 2001
Cosmic Music: Meeting Angels Through Sound & Music 1997
Desire: Music for Romance 1999
Desire: Music of Romance, Discs 3 & 4 1999
Dvorak: Serenade / Fantasia on a Theme / Dido's Lament 1998
Edward Elgar: Introduction & Allegro; Vaughan Williams: Fantasy on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; etc.
Elgar: Enigma Variations; Serenade for Strings; Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on Greensleeves 2001
Elgar: Introduction and Allegro: Serenade; Elegy; Sospiri 2000
English Masterworks 1988
English Orchestral Works
English String Music
English String Music 1998
English String Music 1993
Essence Of England 1997
Eternal Vaughan Williams 2008
Everybody's Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves 2008
Forever England (Box Set) 1998
Handel, Ravel, Britten, Debussy, Bartók, etc. 1990
Heritage and Legacy: Elgar, His Forebears and Successors
Holst: The Planets 2001
Holst: The Planets
Holst: The Planets 1990
Holst: The Planets / Vaughan Williams: Fantasia 2001
In Paradisum
Ionisation II: Pioneer Orchestral Recordings 1927-1951 2003
KDFC: Islands of Sanity, Vol. 2 2003
Karajan Edition - Britten/Vaughan William/Stravinsky 1998
Leopold Stokowski at the Library of Congress
Love 1998
Lyrita Classics 2007
Meditations for a Quiet Night 1994
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41 "Jupiter"; Vaughan Williams: Tallis Fantasia
Music For Strings
Music for Strings by Vaughan Williams and Elgar 1994
Music for Studying 2008
Music of the Zodiac: Pisces 1996
Pastorale: The Glorious Music of England, Vol. 2 2000
Platinum Vaughan Williams 2002
Radio Classics: Klemperer; Vaughan Williams; Ravel; Brahms
Ralph Vaughan Williams [Hybrid SACD] 1996
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Antartica 1993
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus; etc. 1994
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; In the Fen Country; Norfolk Rhapsody 1995
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasie on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Flos Campi; Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" 1996
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasie on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Flos Campi; Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" 1996
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1; In the Fen Country; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; etc. 1999
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody; In the Fen Country; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis 1987
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6; A Sea Symphony; The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis 2000
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 in F minor; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Oboe Concerto 1997
Relax, Vol. 1: Smooth Classics 2008
Romantic Adagios II 2003
Shadows And Light 1995
Silvestri: The Collection (Box Set) 2001
Simply the Best Classical Passion: Music for Classic Lovers 2003
Sir Adrian Boult conducts English Music 1994
Sir George Martin Presents Holst & Vaughan Williams 2002
Sir John Barbirolli Concucts English String Music 2000
Sir Malcolm Sargent Portrait 1999
Steinberg conducts 20th Century English & French Music 2000
Stokowski Conducts Klemperer, Vaughan Williams, Ravel, Brahms, Novácek 2007
Stokowski conducts Grainger, Sibelius, Vaughan Williams, Rachmaninov, Granados, Debussy, Ibert 2005
String Serenades 2000
Surge 2005
Symphony Hall Centennial Celebration [Box Set] 2001
The Art Of Fritz Reiner, Volume 11
The Art of Dimitri Mitropoulos, Vol. 1 of 2 2008
The Best Of England 1995
The Best of Vaughan Williams 2008
The Complete EMI Recordings 1946-1984, Vol. 1: Orchestral [Box Set] 2008
The English Connection 1984
The Essential Vaughan Williams 2008
The Most Unforgettable Vaughan Williams 1999
The Music of Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Original Jacket Collection: Eugene Ormandy [Box Set] 2008
The Spirit of England 1989
Toscanini Conducts Vaughan Williams, Brahms, Martucci, Tchaikovsky 2002
Total Classics
Toward the Unknown 1992
Ultimate Classical Dreams [Box Set] 2009
Vaughan Williams 1998
Vaughan Williams Greatest Hits 2005
Vaughan Williams, Delius: Orchestral Works 1996
Vaughan Williams, The Complete Symphonies 2000
Vaughan Williams: 8 Folk Dances; 10 Folk Songs & Carols; etc.
Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis 1991
Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis 1991
Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis 1993
Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem and Other Works 2001
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia On Greensleeves/Concerto For Oboe And Strings/The lark Ascending/Fantasia On A Theme By Th 1990
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves; Fantasia on Tallis; The Wasps (Excerpts); The Lark Ascending 1998
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves; Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis [DVD Audio] 2003
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves; Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis [Hybrid SACD] 2003
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves; Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1; Concerto Gr 2003
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Barber: Adagio for Strings; Grainger: Irish Tune from County 1981
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Fantasia on 1988
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Fantasia on 1996
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Flos Campi; etc. [Hybrid SACD] 1996
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Hindemith: Sinfonia Serena
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Martin: Polyptique; Honegger: Symphonie Nr. 2 2003
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis; Symphony No. 5; Previn: Reflections 1995
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Vaughan Williams: Fantasies; The Lark Ascending; Five Variants 1985
Vaughan Williams: Job; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus 2002
Vaughan Williams: Lark Ascending 1997
Vaughan Williams: Oboe Concerto; Ten Blake Songs 2009
Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; etc. 2003
Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Favourites, Vol. 3 1994
Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works 1999
Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works 1994
Vaughan Williams: Partita For Double String Orchestra/Concerto For Oboe & Strings/Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Talli
Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 and Other Orchestral Works [Box Set] 2004
Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 4-6 2008
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis [Hybrid SACD] 2007
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Serenade to Music 2007
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5; Tallis Fantasia 1989
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Lark Ascending 2003
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6; The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Talles 1991
Vaughan Williams: The 9 Symphonies [Box Set] 1993
Vaughan Williams: The Collector's Edition [Box Set] 2008
Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies; Job (Box Set) 2002
Vaughan Williams: The Symphonies (Box Set) 1997
Vaughan Williams: The Wasps; Lark Ascending 1998
Wagner: Siegfrien-Idyll/Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis/Schoenberg: Verlaerte Nacht, Op. 4 1997
Walton: Belshazzar's Feast; Vaughan Williams: Tallis Fantasia 1999
Weekend Favorites
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
