Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Original Hymn Tunes: Congregational Aesthetics and a Revised Works List

Abstract Despite the recognized importance of hymn tunes to Vaughan Williams’s music and philosophy, and the prominence of specific tunes written by him, there is currently no accurate works list of his original tunes. The reasons for this are varied and inevitably include the notorious elusiveness of a genre that has undergone constant change throughout its history. This essay reviews previous efforts to tabulate Vaughan Williams’s originals, settling on a six-point criteria to guide the analysis. The method provides consistency in a fluid environment in which early twentieth-century hymnody inevitably collides with ‘hymn-adjacent’ genres like the unison song and carol, and with traditions of school and community music. Recognizing such contingencies helps us better understand Vaughan Williams’s place in Anglican musical culture. Ultimately, the analysis sheds light on the composer’s aesthetics, demonstrating the degree to which this advocate of amateur music was laser-focused on encouraging the musically inexperienced church-goer to sing with confidence.