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Vaughan-Williams was very progressive and open minded with regard to the role of the film composer and the merit of the film score. He was keen to \u201ctry his hand\u201d at composing for film in the 1940s not least because he thought it would fulfil his need to play a \u201cuseful role\u201d during the war years. He wrote his first score for Powell and Pressburger\u2019s propaganda 1941 film \u2018The 49th Parallel\u2019 and went on to score another ten films, including the celebrated and ambitious \u2018Scott of the Antarctic\u2019. At a time when writing music for film was regarded merely a serviceable and functional undertaking, Vaughan-Williams maintained a characteristic open mind. He considered the comparatively new art form to be rich with potential and could foresee a time when perhaps the symbiotic relationship between music and picture might be creatively and artistically enhanced. His score for Scott of the Antarctic went on to form the basis of his seventh symphony.

In this special edition of Sound of Cinema marking this year\u2019s Vaughan Williams anniversary, Matthew Sweet examines the composer\u2019s personal philosophy on music for film. He features key music moments from the rich legacy the composer left the cinema, considers VW\u2019s decision making when matching music to image, and puts him in context with the work of his British contemporaries. The programme is rich in examples from the composer\u2019s music for the cinema.