Golden Vanity, The

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ralph Vaughan Williams (completed and scored by Douglas E Wagner)

General Info

Year: 1933 / 2007
Duration: c. 4:30
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Publishing
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $65.00; (digital) - $67.00 | Score Only (print) - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

Bass Drum
Bells
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The Golden Vanity by Ralph Vaughan Williams is a military march that remained unfinished at his death. With the permission of his heirs and assistance from RVW Ltd., Douglas E. Wagner has completed it in a manner consistent with Vaughan Williams' characteristic style.

- Program Note from publisher

The Golden Vanity (a march for military band) was begun by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1933 and remained uncompleted at his death. The two pages of the full score that are currently part of the manuscripts catalogue at the British Library (57288) show the following instrumentation:

Flute and C Piccolo, Solo B Clarinet, B Clarinets 1 and 2, E Alto Saxophone, B Tenor Saxophone, Bassoon, Solo B Cornet, B Cornets 1, 2 and 3, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba and Percussion (Snare Drum, Bass Drum and Crash Cymbals).

In setting out to complete this work in the style of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ other march forms, two additional folksongs with similar themes were utilized. Both tunes also exist in arrangements by the composer for voices and piano. The Arethusa is heard in the second strain, with Just as the Tide was Flowing forming the Trio.

The premiere performance of this march was given by the Purdue University Symphonic Band and was conducted by Jay S. Gephart.

- Program Note by arranger

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP III

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Westerville (Ohio) Concert Band (Larry Klabunde, conductor) - 12 October 2022
Thompson Junior High School (Oswego, Ill.) (Dan Harrison, conductor) – 28 April 2016

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Folk Songs from Somerset (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
My Bonny Boy (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
Seventeen Come Sunday (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)

All Wind Works

Concerto for Bass Tuba (arr. Wick and Chambers) (1954/1992)
Concerto Grosso (arr. Grechesky) (1924)
Concerto in F minor for Tuba and Winds (arr. Hare) (1954/1992)
England's Pleasant Land (arr. Noble) (1938/2017)
English Folk Song Suite. See: Folk Song Suite
English Folk Song Suite (arr. Villanueva) (1924/)
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (arr. Bocook) (1910/2006)
Fantasia on Greensleeves (arr. Wagner) (1934/2011)
Five English Folk Songs (arr. Feldman) (1913/2009)
Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" (arr. Gregson) (1939/2004)
Flourish for Glorious John (or. Boyd) (1957/1998)
Flourish for Wind Band (1939)
Folk Song Suite (1924/2008)
Folk Songs from Somerset (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
Golden Vanity, The (arr. Wagner) (1933/2009)
I Vow to Thee, My Country (as setter; ed. Grechesky) (1921/1988)
Lark Ascending, The (tr. Silvester) (1914/1925/2003)
Linden Lea (arr. Wagner) (1902/2013)
Linden Lea (arr. Stout) (1902/1984)
The Lowlands of Scotland (arr. Daehn) (1912/2006)
March Past of the Kitchen Utensils (arr. Erwin) (1909/2010)
My Bonny Boy (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
Norfolk Rhapsody (tr. Robert O'Brien) (1905)
Norfolk Rhapsody No. 2 in D minor (tr. O'Toole) (1906/2014?)
Overture to "The Wasps" (tr. Frank Hudson) (1909)
Prelude, 49th Parallel (arr. van der Beek) (1960/2018)
Prelude: 49th Parallel (arr. Noble) (1941/2014)
Prelude: 49th Parallel (arr. Winkler) (1941/1960)
Prelude from "49th Parallel" (tr. Osmon) (1941/1960/1987/2002)
Prelude on Three Welsh Hymn Tunes (arr. Curnow) (1954/1982)
Prelude: The New Commonwealth (arr. Grauer) (1940/2006)
A Ralph Vaughan Williams Portrait (arr. Wagner) (2018)
Rhosymedre (tr. Beeler) (1920/1972)
Rhosymedre (tr. Johnston) (1920/2011)
Rhosymedre (tr. Baldwin) (1920/)
The Running Set (arr. Daehn) (1933/2007)
Running Set, The (tr. Silvester) (1933)
Scherzo alla Marcia (1956)
Sea Songs (1925)
Sea Songs (arr. Longfield) (1925/2006)
Seventeen Come Sunday (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Huckeby) (1924/2020)
Sine Nomine (arr. Cacavas) (1906/1998)
Sine Nomine (arr. Houseknecht) (1906/1960)
Sine Nomine (arr. Reed) (1906/1976)
Songs of Travel (arr. Patterson) (1901-4)
Three Dorset Songs (arr. Stotter) (1902-1903/2003)
Three Studies in English Folk Song (arr. Harbinson) (1927/1999/2003)
Toccata Marziale (1924)
Toccata Marziale (ed. Battisti) (1924/2005)
Variations for Wind Band (trans. Hunsberger) (1957/1988/1997)
Vaughan Williams Christmas, A (arr. Wagner) (1999)
Wassail (arr. Smith)

Resources

Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Ralph Vaughan Williams." Accessed 25 August 2016.
Perusal score