The term ‘folk song’ was first coined in the mid-nineteenth century to describe songs that were widely known and sung for entertainment, pleasure, and communal sharing. Their origins were diverse: some came from professional or amateur songwriters, others from plays, song sheets, or printed collections, but the majority survived through oral tradition, passed from singer to singer across generations. The poignant song Bushes and briars is here arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams. During this tale of love and longing, the speaker reflects on lost affection amid the beauty of the natural world. Vaughan Williams enhances the emotional resonance by shifting textures: from rich four-part harmony through to subtle duetting lines, allowing the story to be sometimes declaimed to a crowded room, and at others gently whispered in your ear. The music flows with the natural pulse of the countryside, its ebb and swell reflecting the cycles of life and memory.

from notes by Owain Park © 2026