Dona Nobis Pacem

for soprano and baritone soloists, SATB, and orchestra Drawing upon the Bible, sections from the Mass, and poems by Walt Whitman, this is a powerful musical evocation of the destruction and death brought about through war and violence, with an overarching message of peace and reconciliation. It was composed in 1936, a time when war was threatening to engulf Europe once again, and the title, which translates as 'Give us peace', is as relevant now as it was when the work was premiered in 1936. Featuring some of the composer's most potent music (both serene and violent), it makes an affecting plea. Materials for the full orchestral version and an accompaniment for strings and piano are available on hire.

Ralph Vaughan Williams, born in Gloucestershire on 12 October 1872, read History at Cambridge and went to the Royal College of Music where his teachers were Parry, Wood, and Stanford. Vaughan Williams believed in the value of music education and wrote practical competition pieces, serviceable church music, and with the 49th Parallel (1940-41) he found a new outlet in writing for film. His profoundly disturbing Symphony No.6 (1948) received international acclaim with more than a hundred performances in a little over two years. His great sensitivity to the 20th-century human condition, his flexibility in writing for all levels of music making, and his unquestionably great imagination combine to make him one of the key figures in 20th century music. Ralph Vaughan Williams had a long association with Oxford University Press; over 200 publications are available in the Oxford catalogue.