Orchestra of the Swan perform 'Dives and Lazarus'

Watch the Orchestra of the Swan perform Vaughan Williams’ Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus for string orchestra and harp. This work features in the orchestra’s upcoming digital concert Labyrinths, which will feature music by Schubert, Mozart, Trish Clowes, Purcell, Syd Barrett and Bartok.

Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus was composed as a commission from the British Council to be played at the World’s Fair in New York City. It was first performed on 10 June 1939 by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. The melody is based on the folk tune Dives and Lazarus, which features in Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite.

Labyrinths will be available to stream on 17 January 2022 here