Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[cilgwyn]

The 2 cd emi set of Barbirolli conducting VW and Elgar arrived today. I loved the Tuba concerto. That's a very enjoyable work. I did like it. It's obviously a cracking performance. I'm listening to his recording of the Sinfonia Antartica right now. First impression. The mono recording by Boult has,I think,more of a feeling of foreboding and menace;but I like this,and it's too early to say. I'll need to absorb this recording over a period of time. I do think the Boult recording scores more in the doom laden and desolation department,though?!

[Biffo]

I've just listened to last night's Prom on the BBC iPlayer. An excellent concert all round with some fine singing and playing. For me, the highlight was the Pastoral Symphony, beautifully played by the BBC NOW. Brabbins has recorded the London Symphony, I hope he will now record the Pastoral.

[relm1]

I've just listened to last night's Prom on the BBC iPlayer. An excellent concert all round with some fine singing and playing. For me, the highlight was the Pastoral Symphony, beautifully played by the BBC NOW. Brabbins has recorded the London Symphony, I hope he will now record the Pastoral.

He has a new recording of the Sea Symphony coming out.  It is this one: http://elizabethwattssoprano.com/?event=vaughan-williams-sea-symphony-with-bbc-scottish-orchestra-brabbins-at-edinburgh-festival

[Biffo]

He has a new recording of the Sea Symphony coming out.  It is this one: http://elizabethwattssoprano.com/?event=vaughan-williams-sea-symphony-with-bbc-scottish-orchestra-brabbins-at-edinburgh-festival

Many thanks for tip off, I will keep an eye for it.

[Augustus]

Brabbins is recording a complete VW symphony cycle with the BBC SO for Hyperion.  The fillers are going to be a good number of VW rarities, as with the first CD of the London Symphony.

[vandermolen]

I've always been rather hung up on Boult's 1950s recording of Symphony 6 on Decca/Belart which had such a profound effect on me when I first heard it, whilst still at school. However, today I listened to the even earlier EMI recording (1949-1950) and had never before been as impressed with it. In fact the relentless second movement is possibly more effectively intimidating here than on any other recording. I think that the transfer here is even more effective than on Dutton. It is with the LSO rather than the LPO in the Decca recording. I like the box as you get more than one recording of works like Job, the Tallis Fantasia and the 6th Symphony which Boult recorded more than once for EMI:
[asin]B00B2GYJ3U[/asin]

[André]

World premiere recording of these works on the SOMM label:





What is this VW fantasia ? I didn't know it existed...

[North Star]

World premiere recording of these works on the SOMM label:





What is this VW fantasia ? I didn't know it existed...

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/fantasia-for-piano-and-orchestra-9780193388253?cc=fi&lang=en&#
Forces or Category: Piano & orchestra/2 pianos
Orchestration: pno - 2 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bsn - 4 hn, 2 tpt, 3 tbn, tba - timp - perc - str

Vaughan Williams began this work - his earliest known piece for a solo instrument with orchestra - in 1896, shortly after returning to the Royal College of Music to study composition with Stanford, and completed it in 1904. After his death, the manuscript was donated to the British Library, and it was here that the pianist Mark Bebbington rediscovered it in 2010, subsequently recording it for Somm Records. The work shows influences of late nineteenth-century composers, but also hallmarks of Vaughan Williams's later style and maturity. As such, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the composer's development, as well as being a powerful work in its own right. This is its first publication; a reduction for two pianos is also available on sale. Orchestral material is available on hire/rental.

[André]

Super, thanks ! In the cart it goes...

[vandermolen]

Super, thanks ! In the cart it goes...

It's a fine and very enjoyable disc Andre.

[André]

I should have known you were familiar with it, Jeffrey !   

[Biffo]

For anyone just interested in the RVW Fantasia for piano etc it is available on Spotify.

[Mirror Image]

I've just listened to last night's Prom on the BBC iPlayer. An excellent concert all round with some fine singing and playing. For me, the highlight was the Pastoral Symphony, beautifully played by the BBC NOW. Brabbins has recorded the London Symphony, I hope he will now record the Pastoral.

Coincidently, the Pastoral with Brabbins is due out for release on Hyperion in a few months. I saw a photo of the cover via a Hyperion email. I'll have to see if I can find it.

[Christo]

For anyone just interested in the RVW Fantasia for piano etc it is available on Spotify.

Even at YouTube, for those doing without Spotify: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l9vC4GaM8QU
It's 'very early RVW' though, composed in 1896-99, and was later discarded together with all other major compositions from this stage. Not characteristic of his later style, but still well worth hearing.

[relm1]

Even at YouTube, for those doing without Spotify: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l9vC4GaM8QU
It's 'very early RVW' though, composed in 1896-99, and was later discarded together with all other major compositions from this stage. Not characteristic of his later style, but still well worth hearing.

I love hearing early works by composers as notable as RVW.  Even early juvenilia has something to say and inform of the genius to come. 

[vandermolen]

I love hearing early works by composers as notable as RVW.  Even early juvenilia has something to say and inform of the genius to come.

+1 and his early Piano Quintet has been a lovely discovery for me.

[Biffo]

Coincidently, the Pastoral with Brabbins is due out for release on Hyperion in a few months. I saw a photo of the cover via a Hyperion email. I'll have to see if I can find it.

The Sea Symphony conducted by Brabbins is due for release by Hyperion on September 28 - can't find any mention of the Pastoral

[vandermolen]

The Sea Symphony conducted by Brabbins is due for release by Hyperion on September 28 - can't find any mention of the Pastoral

I really liked the 1920 (my favourite version) of A London Symphony by Brabbins with interesting additional works. However, I'm not sure if I will collect the rest of the series. In retrospect I wish I hadn't started collecting the Elder and Manze cycles. Good as they are (Elder's 'A Pastoral Symphony' for example) I don't consider either cycle to be superior to the classic cycles by Boult and Previn, not to mention Bryden Thompson or Haitink. I probably won't be able to resist Symphony 9 when it comes out however.

[Biffo]

I really liked the 1920 (my favourite version) of A London Symphony by Brabbins with interesting additional works. However, I'm not sure if I will collect the rest of the series. In retrospect I wish I hadn't started collecting the Elder and Manze cycles. Good as they are (Elder's 'A Pastoral Symphony' for example) I don't consider either cycle to be superior to the classic cycles by Boult and Previn, not to mention Bryden Thompson or Haitink. I probably won't be able to resist Symphony 9 when it comes out however.

I just can't resist any new recording of the symphonies. The Elder series was outstanding but then came down to earth with a crash in Nos 4 & 6. The earlier cycles probably have their weaknesses too if we were honest and Boult needs remastering though I am not sure I would buy it again even then............well perhaps No 5 and the Pastoral and the London....

[relm1]

I just can't resist any new recording of the symphonies. The Elder series was outstanding but then came down to earth with a crash in Nos 4 & 6. The earlier cycles probably have their weaknesses too if we were honest and Boult needs remastering though I am not sure I would buy it again even then............well perhaps No 5 and the Pastoral and the London....

Remind me why Elder's 4 & 6 was bad.   Was it sleepy?