Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[kyjo]

Last night's concert, under the stars on a beautiful summer evening:

Grant Park Orchestra
Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Pablo Ferrández, cellist
Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante
Ives: The Unanswered Question
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4

Finally I got the chance to hear my favorite VW symphony live. And hooray, it was a stunning performance. The general approach was fast and kind of neo-classical, but with a huge amount of energy. Pairing it with the Prokofiev brought out some similarities between the two composers that I wouldn't have normally suspected. I was also struck by how much the scherzo reminded me of Holst's "Jupiter" - something I hadn't thought of before.

Great playing from all sections of the orchestra, but especially the brass. Big ovation from the large audience at the end. I noted with a certain irony the large number of listeners having picnics on the lawn, even though the liner notes for the Previn recording of this (the first one I got) said that the 4th was "not music for picnics."

Sounds like a great program! Ferrández is a terrific cellist - I'm sure he tackled the monstrously difficult Prokofiev with ease - and Kalmar is a fine conductor who is to be commended for often programming lesser-known works. While the RVW 4th may be very familiar fare to us at GMG, it's hardly ever played by American orchestras (none of his symphonies are, for that matter). I happened to be in Chicago last summer when Kalmar and his Grant Park band performed Frank Martin's oratorio In terra pax - a most moving experience.

[TheGSMoeller]

Last night's concert, under the stars on a beautiful summer evening:

Grant Park Orchestra
Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Pablo Ferrández, cellist
Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante
Ives: The Unanswered Question
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4

Finally I got the chance to hear my favorite VW symphony live. And hooray, it was a stunning performance. The general approach was fast and kind of neo-classical, but with a huge amount of energy. Pairing it with the Prokofiev brought out some similarities between the two composers that I wouldn't have normally suspected. I was also struck by how much the scherzo reminded me of Holst's "Jupiter" - something I hadn't thought of before.

Great playing from all sections of the orchestra, but especially the brass. Big ovation from the large audience at the end. I noted with a certain irony the large number of listeners having picnics on the lawn, even though the liner notes for the Previn recording of this (the first one I got) said that the 4th was "not music for picnics."

Awesome! Glad you went, and my brother was on 2nd bone so I'll pass along your kind words to him 
. This was the one GPO concert I really wanted to see this summer but didn't make it this year.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

. While the RVW 4th may be very familiar fare to us at GMG, it's hardly ever played by American orchestras (none of his symphonies are, for that matter).

We're lucky to have Kalmar here - this is the 3rd VW symphony I've heard under his baton in the last few years. The 5th was a few years ago, and last year they did A Sea Symphony (which unfortunately turned into A Rain Symphony so I had to leave before it finished).

Here's another review of last night's concert:

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2018/08/ferrandez-gives-prokofievs-sinfonia-concertante-a-stunning-grant-park-premiere/

Awesome! Glad you went, and my brother was on 2nd bone so I'll pass along your kind words to him 

Yes, I expected him to be there... the piece is really quite a workout for brass! But the whole orchestra sounded good, all the way through.

[kyjo]

last year they did A Sea Symphony (which unfortunately turned into A Rain Symphony so I had to leave before it finished).

[vandermolen]

Well, for me last night's concert (fortunately indoors during a rainy London evening) was:

Lili Boulanger: ' Pour les funerailles d'un soldat'

Elgar: Cello Concerto

Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem

Sophie Bevan: Soprano
Neal Davies: bass-baritone
Jean-Guihen Queyras: cello

BBC Symphony Chorus
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner: conductor

Royal Albert Hall, London (Prom 41)

The Boulanger score was a wonderful work, a deeply moving threnody which references the Dies Ire theme. This year, of course, not only commemorates the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One but also the 100th anniversary of the tragically early death of Lili Boulanger herself (her final writings express her concerns about the war). She was so young - only 24 having suffered with Crohn's disease since she was 3. Nowadays that should have been cured or controlled, such a lost talent. My daughter who came along loved hearing the work as well and Elgar's Cello Concerto is her favourite classical work.

Dona Nobis Pacem was given an outstanding performance (faster and more urgent than some recordings) by Edward Gardner. I have heard it live before but this was the best performance I have ever heard. The excellent soprano was placed behind the choir next to the organ, which I thought worked even better than having her alongside the bass-baritone at the front. Altogether a great concert and do hear the Boulanger work if you don't know it.

Here's a link:

https://youtu.be/kl7UT8F_Y4I

[Karl Henning]

Wonderful program.

[vandermolen]

Wonderful program.

Cheers Karl😀

Actually it's unusual for me to hear three works and like them all and I was at last Friday's Prom as well where I also enjoyed all three works.

Haydn's Creation ( brief extract) interestingly morphed into Bernstein's 'Jeremiah Symphony' ( which was why I was at the concert) and in the second half I heard a fine performance of Mahler's First Symphony.

[Karl Henning]

Nice!  And, a very Lenny concert, so to say.

[vandermolen]

Nice!  And, a very Lenny concert, so to say.

Yes, very Lenny Karl!

[Christo]

Well, for me last night's concert (fortunately indoors during a rainy London evening) was:

Lili Boulanger: ' Pour les funerailles d'un soldat'

Elgar: Cello Concerto

Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem

Sophie Bevan: Soprano
Neal Davies: bass-baritone
Jean-Guihen Queyras: cello

BBC Symphony Chorus
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner: conductor

Royal Albert Hall, London (Prom 41)

The Boulanger score was a wonderful work, a deeply moving threnody which references the Dies Ire theme. This year, of course, not only commemorates the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One but also the 100th anniversary of the tragically early death of Lili Boulanger herself (her final writings express her concerns about the war). She was so young - only 24 having suffered with Crohn's disease since she was 3. Nowadays that should have been cured or controlled, such a lost talent. My daughter who came along loved hearing the work as well and Elgar's Cello Concerto is her favourite classical work.

Dona Nobis Pacem was given an outstanding performance (faster and more urgent than some recordings) by Edward Gardner. I have heard it live before but this was the best performance I have ever heard. The excellent soprano was placed behind the choir next to the organ, which I thought worked even better than having her alongside the bass-baritone at the front. Altogether a great concert and do hear the Boulanger work if you don't know it.

Here's a link:

https://youtu.be/kl7UT8F_Y4I

VERY JEALOUS! (But was happy enough to hear Dona Nobis Pacem performed three times, over the years). 

[vandermolen]

VERY JEALOUS! (But was happy enough to hear Dona Nobis Pacem performed three times, over the years). 

It was a great concert Johan. I think that I've only heard DNP live once before, at the Royal Festival Hall, although I found it more atmospheric in the Albert Hall. The programme notes suggested that VW's large choral works have not fared very well at the proms with only one or two previous outings for DNP and Sancta Civitas. The Lili Boulanger work had never been performed there before.

[knight66]

I heard the RVW 3rd Symphony in concert at the Edinburgh Festival this week. It was played by the Canadian Natiaonal Youth Orchestra. It was far from an obvious work to tour with, but deeply rewarding. Jonathan Darlington was their conductor, a guy to look out for.

Mike

[vandermolen]

I heard the RVW 3rd Symphony in concert at the Edinburgh Festival this week. It was played by the Canadian Natiaonal Youth Orchestra. It was far from an obvious work to tour with, but deeply rewarding. Jonathan Darlington was their conductor, a guy to look out for.

Mike

I'm always pleased to hear of non-British orchestras performing Vaughan Williams. The recent Chandos release of the Piano Concerto and Flos Campi etc. was also by Canadian musicians.

[vandermolen]

I greatly enjoyed the new recording of A Sea Symphony, finding it gripping throughout and finding the short additional Whitman setting rather moving. Maybe Haitink remains my favourite but this is the best version I have heard in a long time. I found the recording a bit cavernous at first but soon got used to it:
[asin]B07FR35N7J[/asin]
This is more interesting than it looks as The Lark Ascending is prefaced by the actress Niamh Cusack reading the Meredith poem on which the work is based. I found the work following on from the poem to be more effective that usual for this ubiquitous score. Wordsworth's 'Job' is by far the best version since Boult (the dedicatee) in my view:
[asin]B07G1Z1D2R[/asin]

[Christo]

Another disc with nothing but (world) premieres will arrive next week:
[asin]B07FLGJWF7[/asin]

[vandermolen]

Another disc with nothing but (world) premieres will arrive next week:
[asin]B07FLGJWF7[/asin]

Let us know what you think Johan.

[knight66]

During this year's Edinburgh Festival I was in chorus for Martyn Brabbins' performance of the Sea Symphony. The concert is being broadcast on the radio Thur 13th Sept, (tomorrow), in the evening and will then be available of the BBCiPlayer.

_{https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000bpf}



The performance got very good reviews, but perhaps even better is the sensational performance beforehand of Musgrave's Turbulent Landscapes.

The following review gives a vivid account of the Musgrave.

_{https://bachtrack.com/review-vaughan-williams-brabbins-watts-bbc-scottish-symphony-orchestra-usher-hall-edinburgh-august-2018}


Mike

[Biffo]

During this year's Edinburgh Festival I was in chorus for Martyn Brabbins' performance of the Sea Symphony. The concert is being broadcast on the radio Thur 13th Sept, (tomorrow), in the evening and will then be available of the BBCiPlayer.

_{https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000bpf}



The performance got very good reviews, but perhaps even better is the sensational performance beforehand of Musgrave's Turbulent Landscapes.

The following review gives a vivid account of the Musgrave.

_{https://bachtrack.com/review-vaughan-williams-brabbins-watts-bbc-scottish-symphony-orchestra-usher-hall-edinburgh-august-2018}



Mike

Thanks for the info, I will certainly listen to it on iPlayer when it becomes available.

[Karl Henning]

Another disc with nothing but (world) premieres will arrive next week:
[asin]B07FLGJWF7[/asin]

Tobacco's But an Indian Weed!

[Oates]

Blimey, new RVW CDs are coming thick and fast this week! Look at this from Dutton:


https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7351


The Blue Bird (1913)
Orchestrated by Martin Yates (2017)
1. No. 1 Introduction & First Dance (Moderato)
2. No. 2 The Clock Strikes (Più mosso)
3. No. 3 The Dance of the Hours (Andante piacevole)
4. No. 4 The Dance of the Loaves (Allegro giocoso)
5. No. 5 The Dance of the Fire (Allegro ma non troppo)
6. No. 6 The Dance of the Water (Molto moderato)
7. No. 7 The Fight between Fire and Water (Allegro con brio)
8. No. 8 General Dance (Allegro con brio)
9. No. 9 Finale (Molto adagio)

10. Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E minor (1906 rev. 1914)

11. Norfolk Rhapsody No. 2 in D minor (1906)
Edited and completed by Stephen Hogger (2001)

DAVID MATTHEWS

12. Norfolk March (2016)

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Variations for Orchestra (1957) Orchestrated by Gordon Jacob (1959)
13. Introduction (Andante maestoso) – Variation 1 (Poco tranquillo)
14. Variation 2 (Tranquillo cantabile)
15. Variation 3 (Allegro)
16. Variation 4 (Canon: Allegro)
17. Variation 5 (Moderato sostenuto)
18. Variation 6 (Tempo di valse)
19. Variation 7 (Arabesque: Andante sostenuto)
20. Variation 8 (Alla polacca)
21. Variation 9 (Adagio)
22. Variation 10 (Fugato: Allegro moderato)
23. Variation 11 (Chorale: Allegro moderato)

Music for an EFDS Masque (1934)
24. i A Folk Dance Medley Edited by Martin Yates (2017)
25. ii Little March Suite Orchestrated by Martin Yates (2017)

26. Christmas Overture (1934)

Edited and completed by Martin Yates (2017)
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDINGS, EXCEPT [10-11, 13-23]
ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA conducted by MARTIN YATES