O Thou Transcendant

The Life of Ralph Vaughan Williams

Directed and Edited by Tony Palmer

Produced in 2008 to mark the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams' death.

Tony Palmer writes: "...My intention is not a hagiography. it is simply this: to explode for ever the image of a cuddly old Uncle, endlessly recycling English folk songs, and to awaken the audience to a central figure in our musical heritage who did more for us all than Greensleeves and The Lark Ascending, who deserves his place among the greatest of British composers, the equal of Benjamin Britten and Elgar. Curiously Vaughan Williams was the only fellow musician whom Elgar held in such high esteem that Elgar insisted Vaughan Williams addressed him as 'Teddie'!"