Was Ralph Vaughan Williams influenced by traditional English folk music?

Ralph Vaughan Williams was a hugely important English composer, particularly in the first half of the 20th century, and he was deeply passionate about preserving English musical heritage. At the time, there was a real fear that traditional folk songs were dying out as rural communities changed. Vaughan Williams, along with other composers like Cecil Sharp, actively went out into the countryside to collect and record these songs directly from the people who still sang them. He didn't just archive them, though; he incorporated these melodies and harmonies into his own compositions. Think of it as him taking these old, beautiful tunes and giving them a new life in his orchestral works, operas, and even hymns. He believed these folk songs represented the true voice of the English people, and he wanted to share that with everyone. So, the statement is true because Vaughan Williams actively sought out and used traditional English folk music as a major influence in his own compositions, making it a defining characteristic of his style.