Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Sergeant Rock]

I seriously doubt that Hindemith was a influence.

That may well be but at least Michael Kennedy seems to hear a similarity between Hindemith and VW in the Scherzo:

"The Scherzo for winds has a pawky wit[...]The penguins from the Antarctic have taken a course with Hindemith, or so it might seem until the gentle mockery of a folk-song inflection betrays the true composer."

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.

True enough about Mahler but he did love Wagner.

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

That may well be but at least Michael Kennedy seems to hear a similarity between Hindemith and VW in the Scherzo:

"The Scherzo for winds has a pawky wit[...]The penguins from the Antarctic have taken a course with Hindemith, or so it might seem until the gentle mockery of a folk-song inflection betrays the true composer."

True enough about Mahler but he did love Wagner.

Sarge

Thanks, Sarge.

[Mahlerian]

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.

"A tolerable imitation of a composer," if I recall correctly.

He also said, about Schoenberg, "He didn't mean anything to me, but he seemed to mean a lot to others," or something.

I don't hold those things against him either, though.  Here is my ranking of the symphonies, in line with everyone else here...

3, 5, 6, 8, 4, 9, 2, 7, 1

I haven't heard the original version of the London Symphony, though, so that work's position could improve with familiarity.

[Mirror Image]

"A tolerable imitation of a composer," if I recall correctly.

He also said, about Schoenberg, "He didn't mean anything to me, but he seemed to mean a lot to others," or something.

I don't hold those things against him either, though.  Here is my ranking of the symphonies, in line with everyone else here...

3, 5, 6, 8, 4, 9, 2, 7, 1

I haven't heard the original version of the London Symphony, though, so that work's position could improve with familiarity.

Thanks, Mahlerian. Nice ranking! Looks similar to my own.

[Mirror Image]

Cross-posted from the 'Purchases' thread:

I know I said I wasn't going to buy this but the teaser trailer on YouTube had me grinning from ear-to-ear:

It's all Jeffrey's fault! There! I'll just blame him. It's much easier that way.

Let me say I think the people who believe this notion of Vaughan Williams as this folk-collecting, whimsical elf who danced about in the English countryside would do well to actually listen to his music, especially a work like the Sancta Civitas or the Partita for Double String Orchestra (just to throw out some seldom mentioned examples). Nothing rosy about this music at all.

The teaser from Hyperion:

https://www.youtube.com/v/RSds6-zrpxM

[Christo]

Let me say I think the people who believe this notion of Vaughan Williams as this folk-collecting, whimsical elf who danced about in the English countryside would do well to actually listen to his music, especially a work like the Sancta Civitas or the Partita for Double String Orchestra (just to throw out some seldom mentioned examples). Nothing rosy about this music at all.

Hear hear! Or what about listerning to symphonies 6, 7, 8, 9? Or even 4?

[vandermolen]

Cross-posted from the 'Purchases' thread:

It's all Jeffrey's fault! There! I'll just blame him. It's much easier that way.

Let me say I think the people who believe this notion of Vaughan Williams as this folk-collecting, whimsical elf who danced about in the English countryside would do well to actually listen to his music, especially a work like the Sancta Civitas or the Partita for Double String Orchestra (just to throw out some seldom mentioned examples). Nothing rosy about this music at all.

The teaser from Hyperion:

https://www.youtube.com/v/RSds6-zrpxM

Haha  ('Jeffrey's fault' - I'm quite used to hearing that view expressed at home  )

Just read a very good review of Thomson's recording of VW's 8th Symphony, stating, in a comparative survey, that it was the best version available - must give it another listen to.

[Mirror Image]

Hear hear! Or what about listerning to symphonies 6, 7, 8, 9? Or even 4?

Those would certainly dismantle the 'teddy bear' imagery.

Haha  ('Jeffrey's fault' - I'm quite used to hearing that view expressed at home  )

Just read a very good review of Thomson's recording of VW's 8th Symphony, stating, in a comparative survey, that it was the best version available - must give it another listen to.

Thomson's cycle, in general, is very good and it used to be my go-to cycle until I heard the Previn in remastered audio and then Thomson sounded quite tame by comparison. Thomson is an excellent conductor of course, but Previn's got more fire in his bite.

[relm1]

Those would certainly dismantle the 'teddy bear' imagery.



Thomson's cycle, in general, is very good and it used to be my go-to cycle until I heard the Previn in remastered audio and then Thomson sounded quite tame by comparison. Thomson is an excellent conductor of course, but Previn's got more fire in his bite.

You should hear my remastering of Previn's No. 9.  It's intense!  I think his tempi are the best of this work allowing the long last movement to have a slow burn with a cumulative wallop at those ending E major chords.

[Mirror Image]

You should hear my remastering of Previn's No. 9.  It's intense!  I think his tempi are the best of this work allowing the long last movement to have a slow burn with a cumulative wallop at those ending E major chords.

Your remastering? You have access to the original source tapes? Yep, Previn's whole cycle is one of my favorites (along with Boult's EMI cycle).

[Mirror Image]

Even thought it's a miniature, which usually are viewed as unsubstantial, I absolutely adore the Two Hymn-Tune Preludes. Does anyone else know this beautiful little gem?

[Karl Henning]

I hear them all the time 

[Mirror Image]

I hear them all the time 

According to the list of RVW's oeuvre on the RVW Society's website, this is the information we have about it:

1936
Two Hymn-Tune Preludes
For small orchestra.
Based on 'Eventide' (W. H. Monk) and 'Dominus regit me' (J. B. Dykes)

[relm1]

Your remastering? You have access to the original source tapes? Yep, Previn's whole cycle is one of my favorites (along with Boult's EMI cycle).

No, I am using the CD which is the highest resolution I have available but it can be improved upon through EQ (some ambient hiss removal plus punchier, tighter bass, slight reduction in mid levels), brightness, balance, stereo separation, etc. 

[Karl Henning]

According to the list of RVW's oeuvre on the RVW Society's website, this is the information we have about it:

1936
Two Hymn-Tune Preludes
For small orchestra.
Based on 'Eventide' (W. H. Monk) and 'Dominus regit me' (J. B. Dykes)

Ah, those I have not heard at all.  What I thought you meant were the Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes, e.g.:

http://www.youtube.com/v/auJz2LmD-9k

[Mirror Image]

Ah, those I have not heard at all.  What I thought you meant were the Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes, e.g.:

http://www.youtube.com/v/auJz2LmD-9k

Ah, okay. Well, that's a great piece, too!

Here's Two Hymn-Tune Preludes:

https://www.youtube.com/v/iEEv-icGdKk

https://www.youtube.com/v/b6leFCOxSdc

[Karl Henning]

The Welsh Hymn Tune Preludes have been a staple of parish organists forever, and justly so.

[Mirror Image]

The Welsh Hymn Tune Preludes have been a staple of parish organists forever, and justly so.

I'm sure I've heard it played by an organist before, especially during my youth as I would attend church every Sunday. Of course, back then, I had no clue as who Vaughan Williams was.

[vandermolen]

I'm sure I've heard it played by an organist before, especially during my youth as I would attend church every Sunday. Of course, back then, I had no clue as who Vaughan Williams was.

I had 'Rhosymedre' (the second of the Welsh Hymn Tune Preludes) played on the organ when I got married. I had to have some VW performed. 

[Christo]

I had 'Rhosymedre' (the second of the Welsh Hymn Tune Preludes) played on the organ when I got married. I had to have some VW performed. 

Exactly the same here: Rhosymedre, at the Garrels/Meere organ of the St. Jacob's Church ("Jacobi') in Utrecht, when I got married, in 2003. (I think we shared this wonderful coincidence before?)