Solemn Melody was originally scored for Organ and Strings and later adapted by the composer for full Orchestra. There also exists a concert band arrangement and one for solo Organ.

H. Walford Davies was a composer and musical director at the University of Wales as well as Organist at, among others, Temple Church where his student Leopold Stokowski (later one of the leading conductors of the 20th century) assisted him. Davies is best remembered for this work and for the march ‘RAF March Past’. Davies also did much to educate the public about serious music through radio programmes and his writings.