Many congratulations to current MPhil student Emily Vaughan-Williams, who was awarded the prize for best paper at the 2024 Society for Music Analysis Oxford Graduate Student Conference (OxTAGS), held earlier this month.
Emily's paper was titled ‘Symmetry and Redemption: A Neo-Riemannian Analysis of Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Symphony’. As Emily explains:
'I used the tools of neo-Riemannian theory to reveal new insights about the tonal structure and narrative of Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Symphony, in particular drawing upon the techniques of Richard Cohn to explore hexatonic and octatonic systems and poles. The application of this theory in its capacity to inform tonal structural analysis is relatively new, with theorists more commonly using it to examine surface level transformations. However, my paper highlighted the benefits of its use in symphonic analysis, focussing on the devices of symmetry and redemption.
Before coming to Cambridge, Emily completed her undergraduate degree at Durham University. Despite not having any relation to the composer, her research concerns the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams. She is currently writing her dissertation which applies neo-Riemannian theory to the analysis of narrative devices in Vaughan Williams’ earlier symphonies.