# Ralph Vaughan Williams vs. Gustav Holst **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ralph-vaughan-williams-vs-gustav-holst/787444 "2017-05-25T21:51:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ralph-vaughan-williams-vs-gustav-holst/787444/21 "2017-05-30T22:56:29Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > **Ulf:**. Thank you for the tip! I’ve never heard of Howells, and I’m going to check out some of his compositions! > > (90 minutes later) > > I agree with you completely; that is some seriously gormless music. Does it remain popular in Anglican circles? _Hymnus Paradisi_ is probably worth a listen if you like your harmonies lush; it was an intensely personal work for Howells. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ralph-vaughan-williams-vs-gustav-holst/787444/22 "2017-05-31T04:06:26Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > **Ulf:**. Thank you for the tip! I’ve never heard of Howells, and I’m going to check out some of his compositions! > > (90 minutes later) > > I agree with you completely; that is some seriously gormless music. Does it remain popular in Anglican circles? You’re not including “A Spotless Rose” in that group, are you? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfAlAz-zFlU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfAlAz-zFlU) ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2017, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ralph-vaughan-williams-vs-gustav-holst/787444/23 "2017-05-31T05:58:15Z")
Just a few days ago I heard one of my favorite Vaughn Williams pieces, Down Ampney / “Come Down O Love Divine”, which is a joy to sing. My other favorite of his is “The Lark Ascending.” In contrast, while I like Holst well enough, I don’t like him enough to have a favorite Holst piece. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2017, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ralph-vaughan-williams-vs-gustav-holst/787444/24 "2017-05-31T11:48:06Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Just a few days ago I heard one of my favorite Vaughn Williams pieces, Down Ampney / “Come Down O Love Divine”, which is a joy to sing. My other favorite of his is “The Lark Ascending.” > > In contrast, while I like Holst well enough, I don’t like him enough to have a favorite Holst piece. Off topic, but every time we sing that hymn I think the title of the hymn tune is a directive to a dog: “Down, Ampney!” ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ralph-vaughan-williams-vs-gustav-holst/787444/25 "2017-05-31T13:42:48Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Off topic, but every time we sing that hymn I think the title of the hymn tune is a directive to a dog: “Down, Ampney!” LOL, I looked it up and saw that Down Ampney is the town in Gloucestershire where Vaughn Williams was born. And “Down, Ampney!” reminds me of a line in _Macbeth_ that’s also been taken as a dog command, “Out, damned Spot!” Here are a few cartoons, one from 1901 [http://punch.photoshelter.com/image/I0000T4KLYAZbQRw](http://punch.photoshelter.com/image/I0000T4KLYAZbQRw) , one with Lady Macbeth [macbeth "out damned spot" dog - Google Search](https://www.google.ca/search?q=macbeth+%22out+damned+spot%22+dog&rlz=1CAACAT_enUS702US703&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj4u-SUn5rUAhXh6YMKHYgWCtIQsAQIKw&biw=931&bih=398#imgrc=701Wd4bFfypB1M:) and another with Shakespeare supposedly inspired by his wife yelling at the dog [https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/l/lady\_macbeth.asp](https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/l/lady_macbeth.asp) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ralph-vaughan-williams-vs-gustav-holst/787444.md?page=1)