Vaughan Williams's Veranda

Started by karlhenning, April 12, 2007, 06:03:44 AM

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Mirror Image

Quote from: Biffo on December 20, 2020, 02:37:27 AM
I also vaguely remember this review, certainly I bought the Slatkin cycle as a result of a discussion in this thread. I found nothing to complain about from Slatkin; several posters thought his Sea Symphony to be the finest of all, I thought it was OK but not exceptional.

I bought the Haitink cycle as it was issued and didn't find it anywhere near as bad as Hurwitz makes out - Sinfonia antartica was the highlight.

I don't think any one cycle contains the best of each symphony though Previn comes closest.

This is the first time for ages I have listened to a complete review from Hurwitz and it reminded me how much his voice irritates me and the silly voices and stupid comments even more so; at least a third of the review could be removed to good effect.

I'm rather surprised I sat through as much of that Hurwitz video as I did, because, like you, his voice is so annoying and grates on my nerves. And yes, the stupid comments he makes, which are quite frequent make him almost unbearable to watch.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 20, 2020, 06:18:30 AM
Interesting, Jeffrey. I bought the Elder Job because the sound samples sounded quite nice and I did read many positive reviews about. I think you'll end up buying it sooner or later. ;)

I've pretty much closed the door on Handley's RVW --- it's not for me and I just haven't responded to any of his performances so far and I've owned his cycle for years and years. I hang onto it hoping I'll have one of those 'lightbulb' moments with it, but it hasn't happened yet. The same with Haitink who is a composer I generally like a lot, but just find him unmoving in RVW. I'll have to re-listen to some of Andrew Davis' performances as I own his Teldec cycle.
I'm sure you are right about Elder John, especially as I like the coupling and I think that Roasted Swan liked it as well. The Andrew Davis No.6 was rated very highly (it was the first release in the cycle) but none of the others appeared to live up to expectations. I agree that Thomson's No.8 is very good.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Christo

Quote from: vandermolen on December 20, 2020, 07:48:28 AMThe Andrew Davis No.6 was rated very highly (it was the first release in the cycle) but none of the others appeared to live up to expectations.
I'm very surprised that Hurwitz rates it so high: I found much of the Davis cycle disappointing, even No. 6 isn't that good IMHO.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

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Quote from: Christo on December 20, 2020, 09:58:42 AM
I'm very surprised that Hurwitz rates it so high: I found much of the Davis cycle disappointing, even No. 6 isn't that good IMHO.

Davis is much more convincing in Elgar, IMHO.

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Quote from: vandermolen on December 20, 2020, 07:48:28 AM
I'm sure you are right about Elder John, especially as I like the coupling and I think that Roasted Swan liked it as well. The Andrew Davis No.6 was rated very highly (it was the first release in the cycle) but none of the others appeared to live up to expectations. I agree that Thomson's No.8 is very good.

My problem with Davis in RVW is he doesn't quite reach the same excitement as so many others. As I told Johan, I like his Elgar, especially those later Philharmonia live recordings he made for Signum Classics. His 2nd from this particular series is off-the-chain spectacular.

relm1

Andrew Davis was consistently a let down for me.  Tel me this who is your reference, the one you compare others to?  He might not be your favorite but how you compare the others when assessing if a recording excels or not?  For me, Boult is the reference but probably never my first choice.  All of them are excellent and respectable, I just find better versions of each symphonies by individual conductors. 

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Quote from: relm1 on December 20, 2020, 03:24:32 PM
Andrew Davis was consistently a let down for me.  Tel me this who is your reference, the one you compare others to?  He might not be your favorite but how you compare the others when assessing if a recording excels or not?  For me, Boult is the reference but probably never my first choice.  All of them are excellent and respectable, I just find better versions of each symphonies by individual conductors.

Boult and Previn are in a tie for first-choice and I'm not about to decide between them. As I've stated, the Boult was first exposure to RVW's symphonies and they have remained a strong favorite until I got the Previn cycle, which was another revelation. My first recording of anything of RVW's music was the Marriner recording with The Lark Ascending and other works on Decca. I haven't heard this recording in years, so it might be interesting to revisit it.

Daverz

Quote from: vandermolen on December 20, 2020, 12:44:50 AM
l. I rather like Handley's earlier LPO/EMI recording of 'A London Symphony' which I prefer to the Liverpool performance, in a nice two disc set:

Listened to that Handley/LPO No. 2 last night.  It's a very dynamic performance, with a good recording to match.  I think Previn is still my top pick in No. 2.  This is a work that I've always found episodic and difficult to "follow", though I like the tunes.

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Quote from: Daverz on December 20, 2020, 06:28:34 PM
Listened to that Handley/LPO No. 2 last night.  It's a very dynamic performance, with a good recording to match.  I think Previn is still my top pick in No. 2.  This is a work that I've always found episodic and difficult to "follow", though I like the tunes.

Have you heard the newer Brabbins recording of the 1920 version of A London Symphony? It's become my go-to performance and version for this symphony.

Daverz

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 20, 2020, 07:04:30 PM
Have you heard the newer Brabbins recording of the 1920 version of A London Symphony?

I might have.  I can't imagine an earlier version being more coherent.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Daverz on December 20, 2020, 07:09:32 PM
I might have.  I can't imagine an earlier version being more coherent.

Well, it's not one of RVW's strongest works in terms of structure, but...I do love getting lost in it and the way it kind sweeps you along.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 20, 2020, 07:04:30 PM
Have you heard the newer Brabbins recording of the 1920 version of A London Symphony? It's become my go-to performance and version for this symphony.
+1
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 20, 2020, 03:57:14 PM
Boult and Previn are in a tie for first-choice and I'm not about to decide between them. As I've stated, the Boult was first exposure to RVW's symphonies and they have remained a strong favorite until I got the Previn cycle, which was another revelation. My first recording of anything of RVW's music was the Marriner recording with The Lark Ascending and other works on Decca. I haven't heard this recording in years, so it might be interesting to revisit it.
Same here (though mine was on Argo which I know was bought out by Decca)!  ;D

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Biffo

My first RVW recording was also my first ever purchase - Sargent conducting Greensleeves Fantasia, Wasps Overture, Towards the Unknown Region and Serenade to Music. It was bargain price Music for Pleasure LP. It has since been reissued on CD with the Tallis Fantasia thrown in for good measure.

I acquired the Marriner recordings above as part of a box set of LPs entitled Festival of English Music.

vandermolen

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 21, 2020, 02:11:06 AM
Same here (though mine was on Argo which I know was bought out by Decca)!  ;D

PD
These were my first two Vaughan Williams purchases. The Boult Decca Eclipse LP probably made more impression on me than any other recording:

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 21, 2020, 02:11:06 AM
Same here (though mine was on Argo which I know was bought out by Decca)!  ;D



PD

Ah, well that's the one I own! I forgot it was an Argo release. Lovely recording the best I can remember. I wonder if this recording was many others' introduction?

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on December 21, 2020, 06:10:37 AM
These were my first two Vaughan Williams purchases. The Boult Decca Eclipse LP probably made more impression on me than any other recording:

Very nice, Jeffrey. So you solidified your for the 6th quite early on. :)

Oates

This was uploaded onto You Tube two weeks ago, which I think will interest RVW enthusiasts but could irritate the purists. I enjoyed it myself, and the pictures helped!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0UK5Bw89-s

The World How Wide: a choral reimagining of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Sung by Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia, joined by Quay Voices, The World How Wide Community Chorus and a string quartet from Royal Northern Sinfonia. 

Arranged and conducted by Timothy Burke.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Oates on December 21, 2020, 07:05:28 AM
This was uploaded onto You Tube two weeks ago, which I think will interest RVW enthusiasts but could irritate the purists. I enjoyed it myself, and the pictures helped!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0UK5Bw89-s

The World How Wide: a choral reimagining of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Sung by Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia, joined by Quay Voices, The World How Wide Community Chorus and a string quartet from Royal Northern Sinfonia. 

Arranged and conducted by Timothy Burke.

Interesting idea, but not interested enough to watch it. I think the Tallis Fantasia is fine the way it is.

Irons

The first piece I heard was Tallis Fantasia as a teenager when even though I had no interest in classical music what so ever left an impression.

The first recording I actually purchased was Previn's 5th Symphony. Talk about starting high! 8)
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.