The Lark Ascending, a tone poem by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, was first performed in London on June 14, 1921. The piece was scored for solo violin and piano in 1914 and revised by the composer for solo violin and orchestra in 1920.
Vaughan Williams composed The Lark Ascending in the early days of World War I, when a pastoral scene of a singing bird on the wing seemed far removed from reality.
The war so occupied public attention that the premiere of The Lark Ascending was delayed seven years, until the violinist Marie Hall, for whom the piece had been written, gave the first performance of the orchestral version.
Here is violinist Janine Jansen to play this music for you:
