This piece, based on a hymn tune (Song 13) written by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), was originally written for piano solo. Vaughan Williams was an intimate life long friend of the famous British pianist Harriet Cohen. He was a regular visitor to her home and often attended parties there. Cohen premiered the "Hymn Tune Prelude" in 1930, which he dedicated to her. She later introduced the piece throughout Europe during her concert tours.
This arrangement for string orchestra was made by Helen Glatz with the permission of Vaughan Williams and was originally published in 1953 by Oxford University Press. This new edition has been re-typeset but is otherwise unchanged.
- ISMN: 9790222282520 (M222282520)
