October 12 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams. American admirers of the composer are totally in the wrong country this year. The U.K. has been a nonstop RVW jamboree.

That said, if you’re in New York City or the vicinity tomorrow, organist David Briggs will present his transcription of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5 on the composer’s birthday at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, NYC, 980 Park Avenue, at 7 p.m.

If you can’t be there, the concert will be livestreamed and archived through Friday. For more information, visit the St. Ignatius website and click on the links. If you plan to view the livestream, make sure you make your reservation using the correct tab!

https://ignatius.nyc/music/concerts/

Briggs has also recorded this transcription, at Truro Cathedral in Cornwall. The CD is available for purchase from Albion Records, the official label of the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society.

https://rvwsociety.com/transcriptions/

If our American orchestras can’t be bothered to program any of RVW’s symphonies – and what I wouldn’t give to be able to hear an orchestra play No. 5 tomorrow – at least someone is in a position to pull out all the stops.