Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[vandermolen]

Cross-posted from 'New Releases' thread:

I'll be very interested to hear your views on this John. I rather regret buying nearly all of the Manze cycle releases and the Elder too (other than 'A Pastoral Symphony') but I've really thought very highly of the Brabbins releases so far (A Sea Symphony and the 1920 A London Symphony).

[Roasted Swan]

I'll be very interested to hear your views on this John. I rather regret buying nearly all of the Manze cycle releases and the Elder too (other than 'A Pastoral Symphony') but I've really thought very highly of the Brabbins releases so far (A Sea Symphony and the 1920 A London Symphony).

Vandermolen - I tend to agree with you about Elder and Manze.  But wearing my "glass-half-full-hat" (which I accept is quite an unusual piece of headwear!) how good that RVW is still valued to the degree that 3 new/recent cycles are competing for attention on top of all the previous much-loved versions.

[Biffo]

The Elder cycle was generally excellent with the Sea Symphony one of my favourite versions and the 8th my favourite among modern recordings. Then it crashed horribly with the album of Nos 4 & 6,  lacklustre performances made worse by the idiotic layout of the disc  (No 6 first). I have since partially re-evaluated No 6 but can't bring myself to listen to No 4 again yet.

[vandermolen]

Thanks RS and Biffo. I'm going to hold fire on Brabbins's nos. 3 and 4 until I've read some reviews, not that these are always very reliable.

[Mirror Image]

I'll be very interested to hear your views on this John. I rather regret buying nearly all of the Manze cycle releases and the Elder too (other than 'A Pastoral Symphony') but I've really thought very highly of the Brabbins releases so far (A Sea Symphony and the 1920 A London Symphony).

Well, I think a part of the problem is we all have a certain bias towards performances that we know and love and nothing can really challenge them. It's almost like a mental block that keeps us from appreciating a different approach. This said, I still don't think much of Manze's RVW performances. I just don't hear anything special in the interpretations. Brabbins, on the other hand, made me rethink some things --- his London Symphony was absolutely spectacular, IMHO. I thought A Sea Symphony was quite good, but I'm not a fan of this symphony anyway, except for that glorious last movement --- that's enough to listen on its' own and enjoy. Brabbins does wonders with it. I'll definitely let you know about Brabbins in the Pastoral and Symphony No. 4, but it'll be awhile as this recording doesn't come out until January, which, I suppose, is creeping up faster than must of us realize --- time files by for sure. I'm with you on Elder's Pastoral. That particular recording, for me, is the best RVW he has done.

[Mirror Image]

Vandermolen - I tend to agree with you about Elder and Manze.  But wearing my "glass-half-full-hat" (which I accept is quite an unusual piece of headwear!) how good that RVW is still valued to the degree that 3 new/recent cycles are competing for attention on top of all the previous much-loved versions.

Certainly a fair point indeed.

[vandermolen]

Well, I think a part of the problem is we all have a certain bias towards performances that we know and love and nothing can really challenge them. It's almost like a mental block that keeps us from appreciating a different approach. This said, I still don't think much of Manze's RVW performances. I just don't hear anything special in the interpretations. Brabbins, on the other hand, made me rethink some things --- his London Symphony was absolutely spectacular, IMHO. I thought A Sea Symphony was quite good, but I'm not a fan of this symphony anyway, except for that glorious last movement --- that's enough to listen on its' own and enjoy. Brabbins does wonders with it. I'll definitely let you know about Brabbins in the Pastoral and Symphony No. 4, but it'll be awhile as this recording doesn't come out until January, which, I suppose, is creeping up faster than must of us realize --- time files by for sure. I'm with you on Elder's Pastoral. That particular recording, for me, is the best RVW he has done.

Yes, I'll definitely want to hear your view John.

[aligreto]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 [Berglund]





Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 4 is a work that I have great difficulty in analysing for some reason but this does not detract from my enjoyment of the work. This, however, is a gripping and an intense version by Berglund and I really like it.

[Mirror Image]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 [Berglund]





Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 4 is a work that I have great difficulty in analysing for some reason but this does not detract from my enjoyment of the work. This, however, is a gripping and an intense version by Berglund and I really like it.

Yes, indeed. All of Berglund's RVW and Shostakovich are worth hearing. Of course, his Sibelius was a revelation to me (and still is). Have you heard Bernstein's performance of RVW's 4th. Another towering performance, IMHO.

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 [Berglund]





Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 4 is a work that I have great difficulty in analysing for some reason but this does not detract from my enjoyment of the work. This, however, is a gripping and an intense version by Berglund and I really like it.

It was chosen as No.1 choice on BBC Record Review a few years ago. It is indeed a fabulous performance as is his recording of Symphony No.6 - a work which I think is surprisingly difficult to get right on disc. I think that there are very few entirely successful recordings. My favourites are Boult (LPO), Thomson, Berglund, Haitink, Davis and Abravanel.

[aligreto]

Have you heard Bernstein's performance of RVW's 4th. Another towering performance, IMHO.

No I have not. Thank you for the recommendation.

[aligreto]

It was chosen as No.1 choice on BBC Record Review a few years ago. It is indeed a fabulous performance as is his recording of Symphony No.6.

Berglund depicts the sometimes harsh and brutal sound world of Symphony No. 4 very well. However, I feel that he also offers a modicum of lyricism. The Andante Moderato movement seems particularly bleak and poignant to me on first listen. I feel that Berglund tends more towards the Boult version in terms of tone rather than that of Previn.

[vandermolen]

How much time went by before scraps of Sibelius 8 was heard?  What if the same was true with Shosti?  I would want to hear it even if it was in fragments.  I would even more so love to hear a composer who thoroughly understood him attempt to interpret what might have been.  AS LONG AS THEY THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD HIM, HIS STYLE, HIS WISHES.  Those who disagree, ignore the interpretation.  I fundamentally disagree with those who think we shouldn't try to imagine it.

Yes, very much agree with you.

[Christo]

+ 1
BTW, the Elder Pastoral - one of the finest IMHO - is on offer at JPC Germany: https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/williams-pastoral-symphony/hnum/6509792

[Mirror Image]

How much time went by before scraps of Sibelius 8 was heard?  What if the same was true with Shosti?  I would want to hear it even if it was in fragments.  I would even more so love to hear a composer who thoroughly understood him attempt to interpret what might have been.  AS LONG AS THEY THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD HIM, HIS STYLE, HIS WISHES.  Those who disagree, ignore the interpretation.  I fundamentally disagree with those who think we shouldn't try to imagine it.

Sibelius died in 1957 and it wasn't until 2011 before any of these surviving fragments were heard.

[aligreto]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 [Gibson]





The wonderful, singing, pastoral opening is well played here. However, by comparison with my other two versions [Boult and Previn], I felt that there was more restraint here as well as more poignancy. This is not a bad thing as it adds an interesting flavour to the interpretation. I like the treatment of the woodwinds and the brass in particular in this first movement.
I like the sense of levity in the second movement but there is a definite dark undercurrent at play here.
The slow movement, Romanza, is a dark version to my ears. The tempo appears quite slow and the tone is heavy, almost oppressive; not quite disconcerting, more forlorn perhaps. I still like it; it offers a different interpretation to that of both Boult and Previn.
The tone of the final movement is far more upbeat, assertive and vociferous. I particularly like the voice of the brass here. The movement concludes with an air of yearning that is enhanced by both the woodwinds and strings.


I find this to be a lyrical version but with the added sentiment of yearning and poignancy prominent throughout. I find it to be a somewhat brooding and contemplative affair overall but I do like it.

[relm1]

Sibelius died in 1957 and it wasn't until 2011 before any of these surviving fragments were heard.

So?

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 [Gibson]





The wonderful, singing, pastoral opening is well played here. However, by comparison with my other two versions [Boult and Previn], I felt that there was more restraint here as well as more poignancy. This is not a bad thing as it adds an interesting flavour to the interpretation. I like the treatment of the woodwinds and the brass in particular in this first movement.
I like the sense of levity in the second movement but there is a definite dark undercurrent at play here.
The slow movement, Romanza, is a dark version to my ears. The tempo appears quite slow and the tone is heavy, almost oppressive; not quite disconcerting, more forlorn perhaps. I still like it; it offers a different interpretation to that of both Boult and Previn.
The tone of the final movement is far more upbeat, assertive and vociferous. I particularly like the voice of the brass here. The movement concludes with an air of yearning that is enhanced by both the woodwinds and strings.


I find this to be a lyrical version but with the added sentiment of yearning and poignancy prominent throughout. I find it to be a somewhat brooding and contemplative affair overall but I do like it.

Very nice review of a fine performance Fergus.

[aligreto]

Very nice review of a fine performance Fergus.

Cheers Jeffrey. I think that we are mutually partial as far as this one is concerned Jeffrey.

[vandermolen]

Cheers Jeffrey. I think that we are mutually partial as far as this one is concerned Jeffrey.

Indeed Fergus. Here are the two LP releases: