Few pieces in classical music have captured the public imagination quite like The Lark Ascending.
Time and again, this ethereal work by the British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams tops listener polls as Britain’s most beloved piece—an enduring symbol of peace, beauty, and quiet transcendence.
Written in 1914 and revised in 1920, The Lark Ascending is an evocative, 15-minute work for solo violin and orchestra (also available in a violin and piano version), inspired by George Meredith’s poem of the same name. The poem's imagery—of a lark soaring effortlessly through the sky—finds vivid expression in Vaughan Williams’s music, with the solo violin’s delicate, flight-like phrases floating above a soft orchestral landscape.
Far more than a pastoral sketch, The Lark Ascending is one of the most eloquent musical portrayals of nature ever written. Its serene, flowing melodies and subtle harmonies evoke a timeless English countryside, but also something universal: a yearning for stillness, freedom, and spiritual uplift. Whether heard in concert or through recordings, this 15-minute masterpiece continues to offer a moment of pause in a noisy world—making it not just a national favourite, but a global treasure.
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Written for a violinist from humble beginnings
The Lark Ascending got its first performance at London’s Queen’s Hall in June 1921. The violinist was Marie Hall, and she was accompanied by the British Symphony Orchestra with Adrian Boult conducting. Boult became a key advocate of Vaughan Williams's music: he conducted the first performance of his 'Pastoral' Symphony in 1922, and thereafter his championing of Vaughan Williams’s music never faltered.
There's an interesting story to that first soloist, Marie Hall (1884–1956). Known for her expressive tone, technical brilliance, and emotional depth, Hall was one of the most acclaimed violinists of her generation.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Hall came from modest means. Her talent was evident early, and she received scholarships to study at prestigious institutions. Hall began touring internationally while still young, performing across Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. She was widely admired for her interpretations of both Romantic and Classical repertoire, and her performances drew large audiences and critical acclaim.
Vaughan Williams was a huge fan, and composed The Lark Ascending for Hall. Or, more accurately, he composed the work in 1914, and after World War I, revised it with Hall’s technical abilities and lyrical style in mind. Her playing deeply influenced the piece's delicate, soaring character.
Though not as widely remembered today as some of her contemporaries, Hall was a trailblazer—a female soloist of international stature at a time when the classical world was still male-dominated. Her artistry and her role in premiering The Lark Ascending secure her an enduring place in British musical history.
The first commercial recording
The first commercial recording of the Lark featured the English violinist Isolde Menges. Released on HMV in 1928 with an unnamed orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent, this is a vigorous, direct rendering likely affected by time constraints on 78rpm discs. Sussex-born Menges had German roots: she performed widely in the UK, but the international dimension to her career was mainly focused on the celebrated Menges String Quartet. Menges also gave an early performance of The Lark Ascending outside the UK – in Switzerland, in 1933.
The Lark Ascending for violin and piano
Have a listen, below, to what The Lark Ascending sounds like in its pared-back arrangement for violin and piano duo. What do you think?
Five great recordings of The Lark Ascending
Tasmin Little (violin); BBC Philharmonic/Andrew Davis Chandos CHAN10796 (2013)
The second of Tasmin Little’s recordings of Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending captures the wistfully melancholic dimensions to the English composer's score in the most natural, unsentimental way. Beautifully sympathetic accompaniment from the BBC Philharmonic and the late, lamented Sir Andrew Davis, with works by Moeran, Holst, Delius and Elgar. Read our review.
Hugh Bean (violin); Philharmonia Orchestra/Adrian Boult Warner Classics 680 5262 (1967)
This classic performance of The Lark Ascending remains a perennial favourite. Famously learned by Hugh Bean in a matter of hours to fill spare studio time, this is an unforced yet radiant recording of Vaughan Williams's great work for violin and orchestra.
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Iona Brown (violin); The Academy of St Martin in the Fields/Neville Marriner Decca 478 5692 (1971)
The Lark Ascending was a work Iona Brown adored and spoke about with passion and eloquence. Her performance here fully reflects that affection without ever being over-indulgent. She also performs beautifully here on another Vaughan Williams masterpiece, the Tallis Fantasia.
James Ehnes (violin); Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Andrew Manze Onyx ONYX4212 (2019)
A moving, lyrical account of the Lark from Canadian violinist James Ehnes and the Liverpool Phil under violinist and conductor Andrew Manze. ‘The music sounds as rapturously beautiful as ever,' said our review.
Jennifer Pike (violin); Martin Roscoe (piano) Chandos CHAN20156 (2020)
And now for something a little different. In The Lark Ascending’s early days, it was regularly heard in Vaughan Williams's violin-and-piano arrangement mentioned above, yet this is barely available in recordings. Thankfully, Jennifer Pike’s performance is bewitchingly immaculate. Read our full review of this recording.
Read more reviews of the latest Vaughan Williams recordings
All pics: Getty Images