Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams (pronounced
"rafe") was a leading English composer of the first half of the
20th century. Many of his works showed the influence of
traditional English folk songs, and he was a prolific composer
of religious music for the Church of England. He is primarily
remembered for his symphonies, operas, and chamber music, though
he also composed a number of film scores. His best-known works
include the opera Pilgrim's Progress, based on the book by John
Bunyan of the same name, and orchestral works including the
Sinfonia Antarctica and his second symphony "A London Symphony".
Vaughan Williams was profoundly influenced by his experiences
fighting in World War I, where he worked as a stretcher-bearer
and then in an artillery company, leading to his ultimate
deafness. His later works took on a somewhat mystical tone.