Vaughan Williams and film

Vaughan-Williams was very progressive and open minded with regard to the role of the film composer and the merit of the film score. He was keen to “try his hand” at composing for film in the 1940s not least because he thought it would fulfil his need to play a “useful role” during the war years. He wrote his first score for Powell and Pressburger’s propaganda 1941 film ‘The 49th Parallel’ and went on to score another ten films, including the celebrated and ambitious ‘Scott of the Antarctic’. At a time when writing music for film was regarded merely a serviceable and functional undertaking, Vaughan-Williams maintained a characteristic open mind. He considered the comparatively new art form to be rich with potential and could foresee a time when perhaps the symbiotic relationship between music and picture might be creatively and artistically enhanced. His score for Scott of the Antarctic went on to form the basis of his seventh symphony. In this special edition of Sound of Cinema marking this year’s Vaughan Williams anniversary, Matthew Sweet examines the composer’s personal philosophy on music for film. He features key music moments from the rich legacy the composer left the cinema, considers VW’s decision making when matching music to image, and puts him in context with the work of his British contemporaries. The programme is rich in examples from the composer’s music for the cinema.