Wikipedia Ascending

Folly, Kings Weston House



Three weeks after first hearing Vaughan-Williams' "The Lark Ascending" for the first time and subsequently asking for a CD of the music as a Christmas present, I learned something more about its composition.

Moonface and I tried to get some exercise today by walking from home to Shirehampton via the Downs and Blaise, about six miles over quiet roads and snowy deserted open spaces. En route we stopped for a very civilised coffee and cake at Kings Weston House. In the potted history of the House which was provided for visitors, we read that it was there in 1920 that Vaughan Williams completed the composition of The Lark Ascending. Later we passed the compact Shirehampton village hall which was where the work was first performed, with the Avonmouth and Shirehampton Choral Society providing the chorus.

When I returned home (in darkness, it's been a short day) I tried to confirm the history and found that though this story is well attested locally, Wikipedia thought that the work was first performed in London. Bloody typical. So I edited Wikipedia to give the real version. This is my first ever edit of Wikipedia. It's so easy that I'll have to do it more.

:o)