What are you listening to now?

[Brian]

In general 3 and 5 are the only RVW symphonies that click for me. I know I "should" like 2 and 4 and 6, but....not yet...

[Roasted Swan]

Korngold, Erich (1897-1957) - a 'musical chameleon'

I adore Korngold but the one thing he is NOT is a musical chameleon - taking the definition as meaning " a person who changes their personality depending on who they are with".  The whole point with Korngold is how LITTLE his style changed from his teenage works right through to his death and more over how he wrote film scores that were completely true to his own musical vision.  His consistency can be viewed as both his strength and his weakness.......

[Papy Oli]

Vaughan Williams in general, or this set in particular?

His symphonies in general. I do enjoy some of his others works (Lark ascending, Tallis fantasia, Wasps overture, etc) but the symphonies, bar the second, just don't register.

[vandermolen]

So sorry to hear of your aunt's death.  My condolences to you and your family and relatives.

Best wishes,

Pohjolas Daughter

Very many thanks.

[vandermolen]

Condolences, Jeffrey

Thank you Karl hope you are making continued good progress.

[vandermolen]

That's a good, long innings she had.

All the best to you, vandermolen.

Absolutely and thank you Nik.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

His symphonies in general. I do enjoy some of his others works (Lark ascending, Tallis fantasia, Wasps overture, etc) but the symphonies, bar the second, just don't register.

I see. Reading this site a person might get the impression the V-W is universally beloved, putting Mozart and Beethoven to shame.

I liked the symphonies the last time I listened to them (excepting 1 and 7, which are banished from my listening rotation) that's all I know. I remember liking them, but I have only the vaguest memory of what each symphony is like, excepting 2 and 3, which I listened to very recently.

[JBS]

I see. Reading this site a person might get the impression the V-W is universally beloved, putting Mozart and Beethoven to shame.

I liked the symphonies the last time I listened to them (excepting 1 and 7, which are banished from my listening rotation) that's all I know. I remember liking them, but I have only the vaguest memory of what each symphony is like, excepting 2 and 3, which I listened to very recently.

as a general thing, my relation to RVW's symphonies is similar...only I like them all equally. But aside from the choral symphonies, tney all blend together for me unless I am actually listening to one of them.  It did take two tries for the Antartica, but I can't recall I single thing I have heard from RVW that I don't like. And most of them I like a lot.  I just don't have specific memory of the music.
TD
just started this new arrival

[Papy Oli]

In general 3 and 5 are the only RVW symphonies that click for me. I know I "should" like 2 and 4 and 6, but....not yet...

I see. Reading this site a person might get the impression the V-W is universally beloved, putting Mozart and Beethoven to shame.

I liked the symphonies the last time I listened to them (excepting 1 and 7, which are banished from my listening rotation) that's all I know. I remember liking them, but I have only the vaguest memory of what each symphony is like, excepting 2 and 3, which I listened to very recently.

That's what can be bugging me sometimes, wondering what I am missing in those works, it's not as if they are obtuse and unapproachable...just not memorable somehow or too meandering... Yet, it is part of the fun to re-explore them now and again to see if the perceptions change...

Maybe i should go to the RVW thread and open a can of worms and ask for an idiosyncratic cycle that differs completely from Handley and Davis 

[Papy Oli]

And most of them I like a lot.  I just don't have specific memory of the music.

That's a good halfway point 

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

That's what can be bugging me sometimes, wondering what I am missing in those works, it's not as if they are obtuse and unapproachable...just not memorable somehow or too meandering... Yet, it is part of the fun to re-explore them now and again to see if the perceptions change...

Maybe i should go to the RVW thread and open a can of worms and ask for an idiosyncratic cycle that differs completely from Handley and Davis 

The idiosyncratic cycle is almost universally agreed to be Haitink on Warner (EMI). Not "British" enough, or something to that effect. It is less encumbered by tradition allowing Haitink to re-think the works. It was the first cycle I listened to and it gave me my initial interest in V-W.

Here is my crib sheet

1. Singing
2. Most like a conventional symphony/symphonic poem
3. Spiritual
4. Harsh
5. New-agey
6. Intense
7. Wind machine
8. Idiosyncratic
9. Idiosyncratic Volume II

My general impression is that V-W starts out earnest in the early symphonies, and towards the end it is more and more that he is toying with the orchestra to see what charming effects he can create. You might find that Haitink de-meanderifies the later works to some extent, which may be bad or good, depending on your viewpoint.

[Karl Henning]

Haydn
Symphonies # 55 in E-flat & 56 in C
AAM
Hogwood

[Ken B]

Love the RVW conversation here; I feel like most of the comments... and I've often felt that the amount of Vaughan-Williams Symphony Cycles I own ( is a direct result not of my love but impotent struggle to understand the composer... so that my perception of how great I SHOULD find him and how great I actually find him may  be less at odds with each other.

I like 5 and 4 the most. Especially 5. Pretty common opinion I think. 2 I also like quite a lot, but the others less so. I do like 3 and 6 but I don't have a strong sense of personality from them. Each Mozart Concerto is like a person, distinct. These lack that. The others not so much. 7 is goodish film music. 8 has interesting passages. 9 I have no recollection of despite having heard often. 1 is bad music.

[Ken B]

Haydn
Symphonies # 55 in E-flat & 56 in C
AAM
Hogwood

Good to see you Hogwooding. I recall recommending him to you in the strongest terms. Hoggy Haydn is my favourite orchestral Haydn.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

Good to see you Hogwooding. I recall recommending him to you in the strongest terms. Hoggy Haydn is my favourite orchestral Haydn.

I find it too mild...

[Karl Henning]

Good to see you Hogwooding. I recall recommending him to you in the strongest terms. Hoggy Haydn is my favourite orchestral Haydn.

Cheers!

[Madiel]

Schumann op.102 (streaming)

[asin]B00000JXZ3[/asin]

[Daverz]

Lutoslawski: Cello Concerto, via Qobuz

[asin] B07HSLN2VX[/asin]

Fabulous recording of this work.

[André]

A wonderful, big-hearted symphony.

[bhodges]

Listening to an excellent live webcast of the following. (The concert may be archived on the DSO website.) If the imaginative program is of interest, do take the plunge.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy, violin
Ralph Skiano, clarinet
Jamie Colburn, tenor

KRISTIN KUSTER Dune Acres (world premiere)
CAGE 4'33"
BARBER Violin Concerto
BERNSTEIN Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs
BERNSTEIN Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and additional selections

--Bruce