Expert: David Froom - 9/29/2010

Question
In 1988 the BBC aired an episode of the programme QED : The Shape Of The Nation  where a RAF Hawk aircraft flew around the British coast and filmed it. This was an extended version of QED : Round Britain Whizz shown 2 years earlier.
I'm interested in the music from the Scotland part. Some of it sounds classical some music from it contained Ralph Vaughn Williams' Tallia Fantasia. I don't think these are from fantasia but may be from similar composers.
Fortunately the whole thing was posted on Youtube in parts which I've listed with links and approximate time the music is heard
part 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQYNXt_8BHA
0:00 , 2:45
part 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shc9HljMJMM
4:37
part 9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF-p71lM8H8
2:13
part 10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZD2k3Lm4sU
1:18 , 3:25
part 11 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4w9FlYu0ik
0:00

Answer
The only one I recognize is the first.  The melody is attributed to Pergolesi, and I know it because it was used by Stravinsky in his Pulcinella Ballet (the second movement, Serenata).  

Except for the quote in part 9, the others are completely new to me, but then again, I'm don't listen to a lot of late 19th/early 20th century British music, other than the really famous ones (a few pieces by Elgar, Walton, Delius, and Vaughn Williams).  I'm virtually certain these bits are all by one of those.  

I might have a lead on the one from part 9.  It sounds like it is from Vaughn Williams's "Variations on a Theme of Thomas Tallis."  I couldn't swear to this, but I thought I heard that.  I also couldn't tell you where in that piece to find the bit that is quoted.  But you should listen to that whole work if you don't know it.  It is really fine.

I'd encourage you, if you like these bits, to explore those composers.  They all have really beautiful music, and the music sounds like these bits that you like.

David Froom