David Willison

Celebrated as the musical poet of the English landscape, Vaughan Williams was also a visionary composer of enormous range: from the pastoral lyricism of The Lark Ascending and the still melancholy of Silent Noon to the violence of the Fourth Symphony and the grand ceremonial of All people that on earth do dwell, he assumed the mantle of Elgar as our national composer. This edition, released to mark the 50th anniversary of his death, presents all the major orchestral, chamber, vocal and stage works, as well as many lesser pieces and rarities, in the finest interpretations. All your favourite Vaughan Williams is here, in over 34 hours of music on 30 CDs.

The generous recording, with over 80 minutes of music, also features four superb soloists who have appeared at the Festival several times; fabulous Australian saxophonist Amy Dickson, richly-voiced Welsh mezzo Rebecca Afonwy-Jones and the brilliant flute and harp duo of Katherine Baker and Suzy Willison-Kawalec. Founded in 1982 in the former county town of Radnorshire, the Presteigne Festival has become a significant part of the Welsh cultural calendar and is internationally renowned for its commissioning of new work, support of living composers and with a long tradition for the encouragement of young artists.