In 2013 the National Trust team at Leith Hill Place created an immersive experience that enabled visitors to listen to the story of the composer’s life and works moving through various rooms displaying memorabilia. Designed by Gabrielle Gale, then manager of the house, the Soundscape included the voices of actors describing key stages of RVW’s life mixed with selections of his music.
Although Leith Hill Place has now re-opened following the enforced closure due to Covid, the need for urgent repairs to the fabric of the house means that the Soundscape will not be available to the public in the foreseeable future.
In late 2021 the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society approached the National Trust with a proposal that the Soundscape be repurposed as an online audio/visual experience – Remembering Vaughan Williams. The soundtrack remains unchanged but is now enhanced with images mainly from the archive of Ursula Vaughan Williams, managed by the Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust.
Remembering Vaughan Williams is in three parts:
Aknowledgements
The Ralph Vaughan Williams Society wishes to thank the following organisations and individuals:
- The National Trust for providing access to the original Soundscape files.
- Gabrielle Gale for providing background on the development of the original audio Soundscape and contact details for the speakers who contributed to the Soundscape.
- The six speakers who all supported the repurposing of the Soundscape: Virginia McKenna, Sir Richard Stilgoe, Patrick Newberry, Brian Kay, Alison Jermyn, Lindy Alexander.
- The Vaughan Williams Foundation for providing access to the images in the Ursula Vaughan Williams Archive.
- ©Courtesy of the Karsh family