On Lark Ascending

Posted: 6/20/2018

In my endeavors into classical music, I have come across the beautiful The Lark Ascending by composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Not long ago, I saw a documentary about Francis of Assisi and I was stunned to learn that it was reported that larks gathered and ascended at Francis of Assisi’s death. It appears that this saint, during his lifetime, was very fond of larks and other birds.

Then I learnt that the author of the eponymous poem, i.e. George Meredith, attended a very special school, i.e. a Moravian School in Neuwied, Germany, where he remained for two years. One may speculate that Meredith could have learnt about the larks attending to Francis of Assisi’s final hours at the Moravian school.

Sources:

1. https://www.franciscanmedia.org/7-key-moments-in-the-life-of-saint-francis/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lark_Ascending
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Meredith
4. https://catholicsaints.info/the-life-and-legends-of-saint-francis-of-assisi-conclusion/