Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[vandermolen]

Nice images. Two discarded themes from the film were used in the 6th Symphony. 'Dead Man's Kit' and 'The Major Goes to Face his Fate' were highlights of the score for me. I have never seen the movie.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JZvxUpnQ4vI

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b9iZSRzCAbw

Goodness, there is a DVD of the film  . £3.99 on Amazon UK - have just ordered a copy. 

[Oates]

I've just purchased a copy of this book by Keith Alldritt but not read it yet. Has anyone else read it? It seems a long time since there was a RVW biography (not sure if the effort by Simon Heffer counts?)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaughan-Williams-Composer-Patriot-Biography/dp/0719809371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449583749&sr=1-1&keywords=Vaughan+Williams

[vandermolen]

I've just purchased a copy of this book by Keith Alldritt but not read it yet. Has anyone else read it? It seems a long time since there was a RVW biography (not sure if the effort by Simon Heffer counts?)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaughan-Williams-Composer-Patriot-Biography/dp/0719809371/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449583749&sr=1-1&keywords=Vaughan+Williams

I have this too and have only browsed through it as it's officially a Christmas present. It looks good and at least deals with his long affair with Ursula which was largely ignored in the earlier 'court' biographies, both of which by Ursula herself and Michael Kennedy, in particular, are invaluable. The Kennedy one is about the music and is excellent but he was a friend of the composer's too. Ursula's was interesting but read a bit like Vaughan Williams's desk diary. The two TV documentaries which came out a few years ago dealt much more directly with his romantic attachments and relationship with his first wife Adeline who gets a bit ignored, despite the fact that they were married for over 50 years! The Heffer book is ok as a basic introduction but told me nothing that I did not already know about Vaughan Williams.

PS Welcome to the forum. 

[Christo]

I've been playing for some weeks now the 1938 'masque for dancing' The Bridal Day, referring back to the sensuality of Flos Campi (1925) - about the only other piece in his oeuvre referring doing that, in fact - and also foreshadowing the nostalgia to come of An Oxford Elegy (1952). Did anyone hear it in the meantime?

[vandermolen]

Epithalamion is a beautiful and underrated work - one of my favourites.

[Christo]

I see now that Martin Yates repeated the same trick with Vaughan Williams he did before with i.a. Moeran's Second and Arnell's Seventh. Did anyone hear the results already?

[vandermolen]

Still waiting for it to arrive. I'm looking forward to hearing the Henry V music which I like very much in the version for brass band. I think that VW advised Walton in the latter's film music for Henry V which is one of my all time favourite scores.

[vandermolen]

I see now that Martin Yates repeated the same trick with Vaughan Williams he did before with i.a. Moeran's Second and Arnell's Seventh. Did anyone hear the results already?

The new CD is pleasant enough but, in my opinion, nothing special. The orchestral excerpts from 'Sir John in Love' are a bit too 'hey-nonny-no' for my liking although the later movements are more interesting and one even reminded me momentarily of 'The Swan of Tuonela' by Sibelius. I think this music would appeal to anyone who (unlike myself) enjoys the incidental music to 'The Wasps' and it also includes the ubiquitous 'Greensleeves'. The orchestral version of 'Henry V' was my favourite track on the CD but even this didn't add to the brass only version on Chandos. Unlike nearly all other admirers of the composer I have never liked the 'Serenade to Music' which I have always found rather cloying and, in its vocal version' uncharacteristically self-congratulatory. I actually prefer the orchestral only version recorded here.

[Mirror Image]

I was wondering about that disc, Jeffrey. IMHO there's too many "realizations or orchestrated by Martin Yates" and not enough RVW meat. Serenade To Music aside, this disc doesn't seem worthwhile. Thanks for taking one for the team.

[vandermolen]

I was wondering about that disc, Jeffrey. IMHO there's too many "realizations or orchestrated by Martin Yates" and not enough RVW meat. Serenade To Music aside, this disc doesn't seem worthwhile. Thanks for taking one for the team.

Always my pleasure John although others may enjoy this more that I did. 

[Oates]

I see now that Martin Yates repeated the same trick with Vaughan Williams he did before with i.a. Moeran's Second and Arnell's Seventh. Did anyone hear the results already?

Dutton and Albion are really trying to present 'new' RVW material from a variety of sources and I can understand and appreciate their efforts - but there's not likely to be any undiscovered masterpieces at this stage in the game. I personally find a heavily 'edited' or 'reconstructed' score being brought to CD better than nothing at all, and I take it in that spirit. It's either that or this year's star violinist having a crack at The Lark Ascending for its 742nd outing on record...

Talking of which, aren't we due for a name conductor to embark on another cycle of symphony recordings?

[Mirror Image]

Dutton and Albion are really trying to present 'new' RVW material from a variety of sources and I can understand and appreciate their efforts - but there's not likely to be any undiscovered masterpieces at this stage in the game. I personally find a heavily 'edited' or 'reconstructed' score being brought to CD better than nothing at all, and I take it in that spirit. It's either that or this year's star violinist having a crack at The Lark Ascending for its 742nd outing on record...

Talking of which, aren't we due for a name conductor to embark on another cycle of symphony recordings?

I agree. Andrew Manze is actually in the midst of a symphony cycle on the Onyx label.

[Christo]

Dutton and Albion are really trying to present 'new' RVW material from a variety of sources and I can understand and appreciate their efforts - but there's not likely to be any undiscovered masterpieces at this stage in the game. I personally find a heavily 'edited' or 'reconstructed' score being brought to CD better than nothing at all, and I take it in that spirit. It's either that or this year's star violinist having a crack at The Lark Ascending for its 742nd outing on record...

Fully agreed, and I'm happy with any of them. BTW the recent Albion release of The Bridal Day does bring us something new and even partly 'revelationary', as a missing link between Flos Campi (the only other RVW composition to share some of that piece's mysticism) and An Oxford Elegy, yet also an original composition on its own feet and a real addition to the catalogue.

There are a few gaps left for Dutton and Albion to fill in: Some more early compositions: Pan's Anniversary (1905), The Future (1908) and the incidental music to The Merry Wives of Windsor (1913), Richard II (1913), Henry IV (1913), Richard III (1913), Henry V (1913), The Devil's Disciple (1913)

Also, I heard Australian conductor Kynan Johns conduct the Limburg SO in Maastricht (here on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uNexM9PlCI - recommended!) the orchestral version of On Christmas Night (1926), that I like more than the choral version on Chandos; hope Dutton will offer us one too.  And of course I hope for the The Abinger Pageant (1934, a cooperation with E.M. Forster!): http://www.stjameschurchabinger.org/Abinger-Pageant.ashx

[Karl Henning]

Waiting for the sequel:  The Fat Knight Rises

[Mirror Image]

Waiting for the sequel:  The Fat Knight Rises

Zing!

[vandermolen]

Epithalamion is one of VW's most underrated and poetic works. I would like to see a new recording of the late 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' - one of those quirky, craggy VW works which appeal to me. Maybe the unusual combination of orchestra, piano and chorus makes it uneconomical to perform or record. I had an email exchange with Peter Katin, the pianist on the one and only recording (Warner/EMI) who said that the piano part was quite difficult. The CD below is one of my VW favourites:
[asin]B00005Q2X8[/asin]

[calyptorhynchus]

Talking of unusual VW works, I see Radio 3 (UK) has this on its schedule for next Friday

Vaughan Williams: Four Last Songs orch Payne Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins (conductor)

I have never heard of this work, does anyone know anything about it? who are the words by?

[vandermolen]

Talking of unusual VW works, I see Radio 3 (UK) has this on its schedule for next Friday

Vaughan Williams: Four Last Songs orch Payne Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins (conductor)

I have never heard of this work, does anyone know anything about it? who are the words by?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Last_Songs_(Vaughan_Williams)

[calyptorhynchus]

Thanks!

[Mirror Image]

Epithalamion is one of VW's most underrated and poetic works. I would like to see a new recording of the late 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' - one of those quirky, craggy VW works which appeal to me. Maybe the unusual combination of orchestra, piano and chorus makes it uneconomical to perform or record. I had an email exchange with Peter Katin, the pianist on the one and only recording (Warner/EMI) who said that the piano part was quite difficult. The CD below is one of my VW favourites:
[asin]B00005Q2X8[/asin]

That is a great 2-CD set, Jeffrey. Boult was such a master in RVW. Boult's last recording of Job is still one that is very special to me and I've held dear the memory of this unforgettable listening experience.