Both of the cycles by Ralph Vaughan Williams recorded here were first published in 1904.

The Songs of Travel, beginning with The Vagabond, are based on words written by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). With their saucy praise of the life on the road and the freedom of nature, they are reminders of the ancient traditions of the wanderer. But the musical elaboration is far from being just simple and popular : Ralph Vaughan Williams employs refined means of composition, in order to realise varied colours and moods ; and he offers the voice the possibility to sing magnificent phrasing and to evoke strong emotional impact.

Ralph Vaughan Williams' House of Life is inspired by the allegoric love poetry of the painter-poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) and unveils his inclination to mysticism. Also in these songs the melodies are embedded and elaborated with contrasting elements, the full range of the voice is used and dramatic upswings are followed by sweet passages. The piano sometimes takes on an orchestral function, sometimes it is reduced to a very simple line. These romantic songs are full of beautiful surprises ; they are composed as little operas. Their rich nuances show the detached mastery of the composer over his subject (Love's Last Gift).