Five Tudor Portraits (1935), by Ralph Vaughan Williams, is a work scored for contralto (or mezzo-soprano), baritone, mixed chorus and orchestra. It sets several poems, or extracts from poems, by the 15th/16th-century poet John Skelton, portraying five characters with a mixture of satire, compassion, acerbity and earthy humour. Though acclaimed by critics, it has not been so frequently performed as some of Vaughan Williams' other works. In its complete form it lasts about 42 minutes,[1] though the composer also sanctioned the performance of individual movements separately.[2]
- ^ Muncy 2021, p. 14.
- ^ Foss, Hubert (1950). Ralph Vaughan Williams: A Study. London: George C. Harrap. p. 161. Retrieved 14 August 2023.