Vaughan Williams: Bushes and Briars

Singers from Gothenburg Symphony Vocal Ensemble in a brittish folk song. British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams was inspired by traditional folksongs and travelled during 1903-1904 to the countryside to make transcriptions of songs. At a tea party organized by the local vicar in Ingrave, Essex, an old shepherd sang Bushes and Briars which particularly attracted the composer’s interest. He had the tune and parts of the text scribbled down and used it later in an arrangement for male choir.