Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[vandermolen]

Thank Johan, I'll sample that too.

Oxford Elegy and Sancta Civitas didn't work for me (not a fan of narration, like in the former). Flos Campi had some gorgeous moments but too uneven. I remember to have liked it more than I did today. maybe I am having an off day.

Not sure what to make of Five Tudor Portraits right now... 

This CD has always meant a lot to me. I think that it probably features in your boxed set Olivier:

The original LP was a revelation to me. It was probably one of the last new LPs that I bought in the 1980s:

[Papy Oli]

This CD has always meant a lot to me. I think that it probably features in your boxed set Olivier:

The original LP was a revelation to me. It was probably one of the last new LPs that I bought in the 1980s:

Yes I have Ephitalamion and Riders to the sea in the boxset with the same forces (yet to be listened to).  I have already listened to 4 Hymns and Merciless beauty but they went in the reject list.

I did enjoy the Variants on Dives & Lazarus today. Quality music.

From the Five Tudor portraits, I only enjoyed My Pretty Bess and the Romanza Jane Scroop. I have limited appetite for the Cantata/Oratorio formats in general and even less for Opera. I'll still try those in the RVW box though just in case...

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Excellent! Quite happy to read that. Vaughan Williams is one of my top 10 composers. I'm glad he's made a positive impact on you too.
+2!
Sarge

[Pohjolas Daughter]

+1
I wonder what Olivier will make of 'Riders to the Sea' and Pilgrim's Progress.

Other works I didn't notice on Olivier's list are:

Sancta Civitas (perhaps his greatest choral work)
Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus (which VW chose to have performed at his funeral)
Job: A Masque for Dancing
I like the fill-ups on Hickox's CD of Symphony No.5 such as The Pilgrim's Pavement.

As for books, if you can find a copy I'd recommend Roy Douglas's short book 'Working with RVW'. I had the pleasure of having tea with Roy Douglas (who lived to be over 100) as he lived locally.

I hadn't heard of Roy Douglas before now Jeffrey.  Thank you so much for mentioning his book!  I'll have to look through my Kennedy book to read more about his work with and interactions with RVW.     I have been wanting to get ahold of a book of photos which Ursula and Moore put out.  Do you (or anyone else here) own it and/or have looked at a copy of it?

Best wishes,

PD

[vandermolen]

I hadn't heard of Roy Douglas before now Jeffrey.  Thank you so much for mentioning his book!  I'll have to look through my Kennedy book to read more about his work with and interactions with RVW.     I have been wanting to get ahold of a book of photos which Ursula and Moore put out.  Do you (or anyone else here) own it and/or have looked at a copy of it?

Best wishes,

PD

Hello PD,
I have these three:
[/img][/img]
The top two are more or less the same book in different editions (the earlier one is Ursula/Lunn and the later one is Ursula/Moore), the more recent bottom book is now being sold for an absurd price £541! The middle one is available on Amazon UK for about £11.00

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Hello PD,
I have these three:
[/img][/img]

So, I see the original one (had seen copies for sale...should have grabbed/purchased online one then!).  When did the other two versions come out?  Top one is the original one, non?

[vandermolen]

So, I see the original one (had seen copies for sale...should have grabbed/purchased online one then!).  When did the other two versions come out?  Top one is the original one, non?

The top one must be about the time of the VW Centenary in 1972 I think and the other ones about ten and twenty years later I'd guess. You can pick up the Ursula/Lunn one for about £15.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The top one must be about the time of the VW Centenary in 1972 I think and the other ones about ten and twenty years later I'd guess. You can pick up the Ursula/Lunn one for about £15.

Does the pricey one have a lot more photos and/or descriptions/history?  Just curious as to how it is different and/or so *special (pricey)?

*or just limited pressings?   

[vandermolen]

Does the pricey one have a lot more photos and/or descriptions/history?  Just curious as to how it is different and/or so *special (pricey)?

*or just limited pressings?   

They all have loads of photos PD.
Just scarcity value I guess.
The original Lunn/Ursula book was at one time very pricey second hand but had come right down in price.
I've sent you a PM about it.

[vandermolen]

A very belated though welcome review of Bryden Thompson fine recording of Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs from the Musicweb:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2020/Feb/VW_dona_CHAN8590.htm

[Pohjolas Daughter]

They all have loads of photos PD.
Just scarcity value I guess.
The original Lunn/Ursula book was at one time very pricey second hand but had come right down in price.
I've sent you a PM about it.

Thank you.   

PD

[relm1]

A very belated though welcome review of Bryden Thompson fine recording of Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs from the Musicweb:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2020/Feb/VW_dona_CHAN8590.htm

Damn, what a fantastic disc this was.  I don't know if it displaces Hickox/LSO as my favorite version but this was certainly an exuberant and very fine recording.  I just felt the soloists for Hickox were better and the nuance in the performance was there plus the organ was more prominent.  There was more dynamic range in the Hickox which I think is very important in RVW and he said so!  When he wanted pianissimo in his symphony No. 6, he really meant that and commented when conductors obeyed his wish.  I felt as fine as the Bryden Thompson recording was, he was very loud rather than having a wide dynamic range the way Hickox did on his recording of the same work and the results are more dramatic range.  Hickox was an excellent RVW conductor.  He did a splendid job on the symphonies too even No. 9 which I hope gets released.  It was a radio broadcast but a very fine interpretation covering many of the important aspects of why Previn is so damn good in that Symphony.

[Biffo]

Damn, what a fantastic disc this was.  I don't know if it displaces Hickox/LSO as my favorite version but this was certainly an exuberant and very fine recording.  I just felt the soloists for Hickox were better and the nuance in the performance was there plus the organ was more prominent.  There was more dynamic range in the Hickox which I think is very important in RVW and he said so!  When he wanted pianissimo in his symphony No. 6, he really meant that and commented when conductors obeyed his wish. I felt as fine as the Bryden Thompson recording was, he was very loud rather than having a wide dynamic range the way Hickox did on his recording of the same work and the results are more dramatic range.  Hickox was an excellent RVW conductor.  He did a splendid job on the symphonies too even No. 9 which I hope gets released.  It was a radio broadcast but a very fine interpretation covering many of the important aspects of why Previn is so damn good in that Symphony.

I have a problem with some of the more modern recordings as this movement becomes inaudible. This doesn't happen with older recordings and recordings of live performances. There is so much detail in this movement and RVW surely didn't want it to be lost. I wonder how loud something RVW thought pianissimo really was. As he got older he became increasingly deaf, a legacy of his experience as an artillery officer in WW1.

I have only heard the symphony live once, the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis (slightly odd combination) in the Royal Festival Hall. I don't remember any problems with audibility but I had considerably younger ears. There is plenty of detail to be heard in Davis' live recording with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra; fine for me but I suspect some will find it too loud.

[vandermolen]

Damn, what a fantastic disc this was.  I don't know if it displaces Hickox/LSO as my favorite version but this was certainly an exuberant and very fine recording.  I just felt the soloists for Hickox were better and the nuance in the performance was there plus the organ was more prominent.  There was more dynamic range in the Hickox which I think is very important in RVW and he said so!  When he wanted pianissimo in his symphony No. 6, he really meant that and commented when conductors obeyed his wish.  I felt as fine as the Bryden Thompson recording was, he was very loud rather than having a wide dynamic range the way Hickox did on his recording of the same work and the results are more dramatic range.  Hickox was an excellent RVW conductor.  He did a splendid job on the symphonies too even No. 9 which I hope gets released.  It was a radio broadcast but a very fine interpretation covering many of the important aspects of why Previn is so damn good in that Symphony.

I saw Richard Hickox conduct Vaughan Williams Ninth Symphony in London not long before he died. It was a very fine performance.

[vandermolen]

New release of rather early stuff (apart from Household Music):

[aligreto]

New release of rather early stuff (apart from Household Music):

I have never even heard of that work let alone listen to it Jeffrey [such is my ignorance of Vaughan-Williams oeuvre  :-[]
Are we talking about an English version of Strauss' Symphonia Domestica?

[vandermolen]

I have never even heard of that work let alone listen to it Jeffrey [such is my ignorance of Vaughan-Williams oeuvre  :-[]
Are we talking
about an English version of Strauss' Symphonia Domestica?

I doubt it Fergus. I do have a CD of the VW coupled with 'Riders to the Sea' on Chandos and I remember enjoying it. I suspect that it's much better than 'Sinfonia Domestica' which I can't stand. The same goes for 'An Alpine Symphony' (which I misguidedly bought recently) and worst of all 'Ein Heldenleben', which probably puts me in the minority here.

[Ratliff]

I have a problem with some of the more modern recordings as this movement becomes inaudible. This doesn't happen with older recordings and recordings of live performances. There is so much detail in this movement and RVW surely didn't want it to be lost. I wonder how loud something RVW thought pianissimo really was. As he got older he became increasingly deaf, a legacy of his experience as an artillery officer in WW1.

I have only heard the symphony live once, the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis (slightly odd combination) in the Royal Festival Hall. I don't remember any problems with audibility but I had considerably younger ears. There is plenty of detail to be heard in Davis' live recording with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra; fine for me but I suspect some will find it too loud.

I also have experienced the problem that the finale pianissimo is basically inaudible in recordings of the sixth and I find myself reluctant to just crank up the volume so I can hear it.

[aligreto]

I doubt it Fergus. I do have a CD of the VW coupled with 'Riders to the Sea' on Chandos and I remember enjoying it. I suspect that it's much better than 'Sinfonia Domestica' which I can't stand. The same goes for 'An Alpine Symphony' (which I misguidedly bought recently) and worst of all 'Ein Heldenleben', which probably puts me in the minority here.

For shame Jeffrey. You have just dropped 50 points in my estimation 

OK, I understand that people do not like the music of R Strauss. However, I am somewhat intrigued by RVW's Household Music so I will attempt to find it on the interweb somewhere. I would like to hear it. 

[vandermolen]

For shame Jeffrey. You have just dropped 50 points in my estimation 

OK, I understand that people do not like the music of R Strauss. However, I am somewhat intrigued by RVW's Household Music so I will attempt to find it on the interweb somewhere. I would like to hear it. 

I'll see if I can find my CD of it Fergus. The odd thing about R.Strauss is that I often like the music of composers who were allegedly influenced by him, Vitezslav Novak being the most important example. I do quite like Don Juan and a work for organ and orchestra as well as Till Eulenspiegel.

Here's the opening of Household Music (orchestrated version):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iQJYuFGJZY0
I don't think it sounds like 'Sinfonia Domestica'