Ye Old English Melodies that Made it Big in the 20th Century

[Opus106]

I have the Tallis Fantasia, Fantasia on Greensleeves, and the theme from Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra in mind. There's something I find very alluring about the tunes from many centuries ago put in a modern orchestral setting.

What else is there? Your favourites? Once we're done with the English, we can go to other cultures.

[Lethevich]

Vaughan Williams' wonderful English Folk Song Suite has its tentacles quite far back. I think that the first and possibly second movement tunes aren't that old (perhaps 200 years or so), but a couple of the tunes quoted in the final movement are veifiably older. More importantly, it's great fun. The orchestration is not by the composer (it was originally scored for military band), but I find that its popularity is justified - it's very well done.

[Opus106]

Vaughan Williams' wonderful English Folk Song Suite has its tentacles quite far back. I think that the first and possibly second movement tunes aren't that old (perhaps 200 years or so), but a couple of the tunes quoted in the final movement are veifiably older. More importantly, it's great fun. The orchestration is not by the composer (it was originally scored for military band), but I find that its popularity is justified - it's very well done.

*Check* Thanks, Lethe. I'll give it a listen.

[jimmosk]

Gordon Jacob's "William Byrd, a Suite": http://www.gordonjacob.org/w_william_byrd_suite.html

And, this doesn't quite fit your category, but it's so well done that I have to mention it: Camille Saint-Saëns' ballet-divertissement from "Henry VIII": http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.553338-39 

-J

[Cato]

One British melody that is still big today, but which made first made it big in the early 1800's, was John Stafford Smith's song The Anacreontic Song.   

[karlhenning]

One British melody that is still big today, but which made first made it big in the early 1800's, was John Stafford Smith's song The Anacreontic Song.   

But he never really had publicity until they started singing it at the start of televised sporting events.

[Sorin Eushayson]

Ye Old English Melodies that Made it Big in the 20th Century

Shouldn't that be "Ye Olde English Melodies"? 

[Cato]

But he never really had publicity until they started singing it at the start of televised sporting events.

And that Act of Congress helped too!  

The famous Cuckoo Song, which I like in an Appalachian banjo version, is also available here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8732591353988999263

[Opus106]

Gordon Jacob's "William Byrd, a Suite": http://www.gordonjacob.org/w_william_byrd_suite.html

And, this doesn't quite fit your category, but it's so well done that I have to mention it: Camille Saint-Saëns' ballet-divertissement from "Henry VIII": http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.553338-39 

-J

Thanks.

Shouldn't that be "Ye Olde English Melodies"? 

Yea. I realised that a little too late.

[canninator]

Britten's Op.70 Nocturnal (based on Come Heavy Sleep by John Dowland)

[Opus106]

Britten's Op.70 Nocturnal (based on Come Heavy Sleep by John Dowland)

Ah, sounds good.