Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[aukhawk]

I find the Hickox recording to be just too diffuse.  Too much fog.  It's a bygone age, there hasn't been a proper London fog since 1963 (I know, I was there).

563172...8...49

[Parsifal]

I find the Hickox recording to be just too diffuse.  Too much fog.

That's my general reaction to Hickox' Vaughan Williams recordings. Maybe I will get the new recording of the 1920 version for an appreciation of V-W's original conception of the A London Symphony.

[vandermolen]

I'm surprised to see A Pastoral Symphony so low on your list, Jeffrey.

I love all the symphonies. Haitink's recording of 'A Sea Symphony' was a revelation to me although the best music is definitely in the last movement. I think that I play No.3 less than the others but it is a great score and, of course, I respect the views of those who consider it to be RVW's greatest. I used to play it more, especially the Boult Decca and Previn RCA versions. The Elder is fine too. I'm fascinated by the 'Scott of the Antarctic' heroic disaster story so I rate Sinfonia Antartica higher than many. No.8 is the most underrated IMHO.

[vandermolen]

I find the Hickox recording to be just too diffuse.  Too much fog.  It's a bygone age, there hasn't been a proper London fog since 1963 (I know, I was there).

563172...8...49

I was there too 

[vandermolen]

That's my general reaction to Hickox' Vaughan Williams recordings. Maybe I will get the new recording of the 1920 version for an appreciation of V-W's original conception of the A London Symphony.

The new Hyperion is a great performance and there are some interesting shorter works.

[SymphonicAddict]

Haha! Mine something like:
3, 6, 9, 5, 8, 4, 7, 2, 1
or, almost mirroring your order. 

Yes, almost a mirror of my preferences. Nothing less than curious 

[Karl Henning]

I love all the symphonies. Haitink's recording of 'A Sea Symphony' was a revelation to me although the best music is definitely in the last movement. I think that I play No.3 less than the others but it is a great score and, of course, I respect the views of those who consider it to be RVW's greatest. I used to play it more, especially the Boult Decca and Previn RCA versions. The Elder is fine too. I'm fascinated by the 'Scott of the Antarctic' heroic disaster story so I rate Sinfonia Antartica higher than many. No.8 is the most underrated IMHO.

I rate the Sinfonia antartica higher than many, too.

[relm1]

I love all the symphonies. Haitink's recording of 'A Sea Symphony' was a revelation to me although the best music is definitely in the last movement. I think that I play No.3 less than the others but it is a great score and, of course, I respect the views of those who consider it to be RVW's greatest. I used to play it more, especially the Boult Decca and Previn RCA versions. The Elder is fine too. I'm fascinated by the 'Scott of the Antarctic' heroic disaster story so I rate Sinfonia Antartica higher than many. No.8 is the most underrated IMHO.

I agree with this.  RVW is one of the greatest symphonists ever because of his consistency in the extremely high quality of each symphony he composed while not repeating himself.  Same with Beethoven, Sibelius, Mahler, etc. Every one was a home run though unique unto themselves.  Unique and distinctive yet characteristic of their creator's unique identity.  I love them all.  I have also found that his symphonies benefit from greater breadth/broader tempo in general.  With RVM, the music is greater than the notes. 

By the way, I just finished listening to Chandos/Bryden Thompson's excellent performance of No. 7 "Sinfonia Antartica" and found it very good but it doesn't displace Andre Previn or Adrian Boult for me.  Those have a special "other worldliness" quality that no one else can match. 

[Mirror Image]

I love all the symphonies. Haitink's recording of 'A Sea Symphony' was a revelation to me although the best music is definitely in the last movement. I think that I play No.3 less than the others but it is a great score and, of course, I respect the views of those who consider it to be RVW's greatest. I used to play it more, especially the Boult Decca and Previn RCA versions. The Elder is fine too. I'm fascinated by the 'Scott of the Antarctic' heroic disaster story so I rate Sinfonia Antartica higher than many. No.8 is the most underrated IMHO.

Ah, I see. I agree that Symphony No. 8 is underrated, but what wonderful, otherworldly textures that make their way into this work. This symphony, at one point, was my number one favorite from RVW, but each time I hear the 5th, it reminds of why it'll always remain my absolute favorite.

[Christo]

I rate the Sinfonia antartica higher than many, too.

The point is not, that we don't admire the Antartica deeply - but that the 'absolute' symphonies are even finer.

[vandermolen]

I agree with this.  RVW is one of the greatest symphonists ever because of his consistency in the extremely high quality of each symphony he composed while not repeating himself.  Same with Beethoven, Sibelius, Mahler, etc. Every one was a home run though unique unto themselves.  Unique and distinctive yet characteristic of their creator's unique identity.  I love them all.  I have also found that his symphonies benefit from greater breadth/broader tempo in general.  With RVM, the music is greater than the notes. 

By the way, I just finished listening to Chandos/Bryden Thompson's excellent performance of No. 7 "Sinfonia Antartica" and found it very good but it doesn't displace Andre Previn or Adrian Boult for me.  Those have a special "other worldliness" quality that no one else can match.

Coincidentally I listened to the Bryden Thomson 'Antartica' yesterday and enjoyed it as I enjoy all his VW performances. The Good CD Guide to top 1000 CDs recommended his No.6 as their top choice. I think that Boult (Decca) is in a class of his own for Sinfonia Antartica. After all, he had VW in the studio with him. Boult's objective way with VW really suits the Antartica as it does with No.6.

[vandermolen]

The point is not, that we don't admire the Antartica deeply - but that the 'absolute' symphonies are even finer.

I agree.

[vandermolen]

Ah, I see. I agree that Symphony No. 8 is underrated, but what wonderful, otherworldly textures that make their way into this work. This symphony, at one point, was my number one favorite from RVW, but each time I hear the 5th, it reminds of why it'll always remain my absolute favorite.

No.5 has a strong case to be considered the greatest - the most Sibelian too and dedicated to the great Finn. I like the recently discovered performance conducted by VW, although I know that you are not keen on historic recordings. Barbirolli's EMI version is a wonderfully warm-hearted account.

[Mirror Image]

No.5 has a strong case to be considered the greatest - the most Sibelian too and dedicated to the great Finn. I like the recently discovered performance conducted by VW, although I know that you are not keen on historic recordings. Barbirolli's EMI version is a wonderfully warm-hearted account.

Oh yes, there is a strong Sibelian influence in this symphony, but it's obviously filtered through RVW's own musical sensibility and, most importantly, his heart. My favorite performance is Previn's on RCA. I think he gets all of the elements 'right' in this symphony, which, sometimes, doesn't always happen in many other performances I've heard.

[vandermolen]

Oh yes, there is a strong Sibelian influence in this symphony, but it's obviously filtered through RVW's own musical sensibility and, most importantly, his heart. My favorite performance is Previn's on RCA. I think he gets all of the elements 'right' in this symphony, which, sometimes, doesn't always happen in many other performances I've heard.

Previn's RCA recording is a great one. I think there is an argument that his recordings of symphonies 2 (1936), 3, 5 and 8 are the best available. I do not know of a better version of 3 or 8 and rank his version of A London Symphony alongside Boult and Barbirolli's EMI versions.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

. No.8 is the most underrated IMHO.

I love the 8th too - the 80+ years old VW making a holiday for himself. One of the best "lite" symphonies of the century, IMHO.

BTW I think I mentioned this before, but the structure and instrumentation of the 8th is very similar to Hindemith's Symphonia Serena, which had been composed a few years before. I wonder if it was an influence on VW, whether consciously or not.

There was a local performance of the 8th a few years ago, but sadly I missed it.

[Sergeant Rock]

Previn's RCA recording is a great one. I do not know of a better version of 3 or 8

While I agree that Previn's Third is a great one, the last time I did a comparative listening of the versions of 8 that I own, Previn and Rozh came out dead last. I think the problem with Previn, to my ears. was the quality of the recording more than the performance  In any case, I'll give it another try to see if I can understand why you rate it so highly.

Edit: Listening to it now. The sound, which is fine, is not the problem.

My current faves are Thomson, Haitink and Boult (EMI). They all have a relatively slow first movement.

Stokowski/BBC SO       12:46    2:59   9:39   4:51
Thomson/LSO              12:22    4:00   8:08   5:39
Haitink/LPO                 11:22    3:39   9:45   5:45
Boult/LPO EMI             11:09    3:55   8:35   4:44
Boult/LPO Decca          11:06    3:54   8:04   5:01
Bakels                         10:51    3:47   8:45   5:02
Davis/BBC                   10:46    3:36   8:27   5:16
Handley/RLPO              10:39    4:07   7:50   4:46
Previn/LSO                  10:15    3:42   9:22   5:15   
Barbirolli/Halle             10:10    3:37   7:43   4:59
Slatkin/Philharmonia     10:10    3:31   7:59   4:47   
Rozhdestvensky MofC     9:58    3:30   8:49   5:55

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

The point is not, that we don't admire the Antartica deeply - but that the 'absolute' symphonies are even finer.

Fair enough.

[Mirror Image]

I love the 8th too - the 80+ years old VW making a holiday for himself. One of the best "lite" symphonies of the century, IMHO.

BTW I think I mentioned this before, but the structure and instrumentation of the 8th is very similar to Hindemith's Symphonia Serena, which had been composed a few years before. I wonder if it was an influence on VW, whether consciously or not.

There was a local performance of the 8th a few years ago, but sadly I missed it.

I seriously doubt that Hindemith was a influence. I mean RVW wasn't exactly smitten with the Germans the best to my memory. I seem to recall he had some negative things to say about Mahler. But this doesn't bother me nor should it bother anyone else, there are a lot of composers who say negative things about other composers all through history.

[vandermolen]

I seriously doubt that Hindemith was a influence. I mean RVW wasn't exactly smitten with the Germans the best to my memory. I seem to recall he had some negative things to say about Mahler. But this doesn't bother me nor should it bother anyone else, there are a lot of composers who say negative things about other composers all through history.

I have a feeling that I read somewhere that VW liked Hindemith's music but I might be quite wrong about this.