The ballet Job is a key work in the oeuvre of Ralph Vaughan Williams. The story is as old as the art of storytelling: God and the devil make a mean bet at the expense of a poor wretch who can do nothing about it. In addition to the bible book of the same name, Vaughan Williams was inspired by a series of illustrations by the British graphic artist and poet William Blake. It has not become a real
… ballet classic, which is no wonder with such an extensive orchestral line-up. Yet the music is beautiful. Everything you can admire in Vaughan Williams can be found here: nostalgia, desire, aggressive eruptions, resignation. Even without any knowledge of the programme (the underlying scenario) the music remains intact. Nevertheless, the booklet contains detailed explanations of the various scenes. (HJ)more