Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Biffo]

Copied from the WAYLTN thread:
Now playing. Vaughan Williams: Heroic Elegy and Triumphal Epilogue (1901-2). Possibly my favourite (along with the Piano Quintet) of his early, unpublished works. I find it memorable and, in places, moving with odd flashes of Vaughan Williams's mature style. It sounds a bit like the music of VW's teachers Parry and Stanford but I see that as a plus:

Your posting prompted me to listen to the same recording of the RVW piece. I haven't listened to it for an age - for me there is a definite hint of Wagner.

[vandermolen]

Your posting prompted me to listen to the same recording of the RVW piece. I haven't listened to it for an age - for me there is a definite hint of Wagner.

Yes, I agree Biffo. Do you enjoy the work? I played it through three times today with much pleasure. It is a nice CD.

[Biffo]

Yes, I agree Biffo. Do you enjoy the work? I played it through three times today with much pleasure. It is a nice CD.

I enjoyed the work but I have to admit I don't listen to it very often - I bought it more out of curiosity than anything. Listening to it 'blind' I don't think I would have recognised it as RVW.

Next up The Children of Lir (Thomson/Ulster) - another work I haven't listened to for ages

[vandermolen]

I enjoyed the work but I have to admit I don't listen to it very often - I bought it more out of curiosity than anything. Listening to it 'blind' I don't think I would have recognised it as RVW.

Next up The Children of Lir (Thomson/Ulster) - another work I haven't listened to for ages

Harty's greatest work I think.

[vandermolen]

This October release (in the UK) is now on offer on the Presto website:

I just sampled the extracts of the symphony on their website and I thought that it sounds a wonderful performance, especially the Passacaglia.

[Irons]

Browsing in a charity shop yesterday I came across a Philips RVW CD with Marriner. An attractive line-up but don't really need another Fantasia, one work stuck out like a sore thumb Variations for Orchestra. A new one on me and reading the notes it is roughly contemporaneous of the 9th Symphony so not an obscure piece. The liner notes inform originally composed for Brass Band and orchestrated by Gordon Jacob. I'm looking forward to hearing the work.

[Roasted Swan]

Browsing in a charity shop yesterday I came across a Philips RVW CD with Marriner. An attractive line-up but don't really need another Fantasia, one work stuck out like a sore thumb Variations for Orchestra. A new one on me and reading the notes it is roughly contemporaneous of the 9th Symphony so not an obscure piece. The liner notes inform originally composed for Brass Band and orchestrated by Gordon Jacob. I'm looking forward to hearing the work.

The Brass band original is the filler to Brabbins' London Symphony and the Jacob orchestration was a filler on Douglas Bostock's underwhelming Job.

[vandermolen]

Browsing in a charity shop yesterday I came across a Philips RVW CD with Marriner. An attractive line-up but don't really need another Fantasia, one work stuck out like a sore thumb Variations for Orchestra. A new one on me and reading the notes it is roughly contemporaneous of the 9th Symphony so not an obscure piece. The liner notes inform originally composed for Brass Band and orchestrated by Gordon Jacob. I'm looking forward to hearing the work.

I've always liked the Variations for Orchestra in its different manifestations.

[vandermolen]

I noticed that the Bryden Thomson box set of the complete symphonies features in the Chandos sale for £20. Seems like a good bargain:

[calyptorhynchus]

The Variations for Orchestra isn't a work I know well so I listened to both versions and I have to say the original brass band version is heaps better. It was composed as a test piece for a bb competition and as you go through you can see which instruments, combinations and textures are being tested and the whole work has a wonderful integrity and is well suited to bb. By contrast the orchestral version doesn't have the same point and although the work is in VW's "ripest style" as Tovey would say (comparable to the 9th Symphony) Jacobs makes it seem tame.

[Roasted Swan]

The Variations for Orchestra isn't a work I know well so I listened to both versions and I have to say the original brass band version is heaps better. It was composed as a test piece for a bb competition and as you go through you can see which instruments, combinations and textures are being tested and the whole work has a wonderful integrity and is well suited to bb. By contrast the orchestral version doesn't have the same point and although the work is in VW's "ripest style" as Tovey would say (comparable to the 9th Symphony) Jacobs makes it seem tame.

I agree with you completely.  Gordon Jacob is a brilliant and sensitive orchestrator (his Elgar Organ Sonata is stunning) but the character of the Brass Band Variations comes through so much better in the original.  I would go further - this works needs to be played by a proper brass band and NOT an orchestral brass ensemble.  The difference in timbre between the two is so marked.  This galled me about the version used as the filler on the Brabbins/Hyperion/RVW 2 nominally played by the "RCM Brass Band".  No such ensemble exists.  Compare the sound of that recording to the Black Dyke Mills or The Williams Fairey band recordings on Chandos.  The proverbial chalk and cheese

[vandermolen]

I agree with you completely.  Gordon Jacob is a brilliant and sensitive orchestrator (his Elgar Organ Sonata is stunning) but the character of the Brass Band Variations comes through so much better in the original.  I would go further - this works needs to be played by a proper brass band and NOT an orchestral brass ensemble.  The difference in timbre between the two is so marked.  This galled me about the version used as the filler on the Brabbins/Hyperion/RVW 2 nominally played by the "RCM Brass Band".  No such ensemble exists.  Compare the sound of that recording to the Black Dyke Mills or The Williams Fairey band recordings on Chandos.  The proverbial chalk and cheese

Interesting RS. I have Vol 2 of the Chandos CD and thoroughly enjoyed the Henry V Overture by Vaughan Williams. Anyway, following your recommendation, I have now ordered Volume 1 at a give-away price second-hand.

[Roasted Swan]

Interesting RS. I have Vol 2 of the Chandos CD and thoroughly enjoyed the Henry V Overture by Vaughan Williams. Anyway, following your recommendation, I have now ordered Volume 1 at a give-away price second-hand.

Please do report back when you've had a chance to listen to it.  I got riled out of all proportion(!) by the RCM "Brass Band" version and more by the fact that no reviews bothered to pick up on the fact that they were patently not a brass band!  The rest of the "Brass Masters" disc is excellent in any case.  Cyril Jenkins' "Life Divine" makes for an epic/almost cinematic opening and the Robert Simpson "Energy" is a fascinating and unusual work by him.  And you even get a good Severn Suite thrown in!

[vandermolen]

Please do report back when you've had a chance to listen to it.  I got riled out of all proportion(!) by the RCM "Brass Band" version and more by the fact that no reviews bothered to pick up on the fact that they were patently not a brass band!  The rest of the "Brass Masters" disc is excellent in any case.  Cyril Jenkins' "Life Divine" makes for an epic/almost cinematic opening and the Robert Simpson "Energy" is a fascinating and unusual work by him.  And you even get a good Severn Suite thrown in!

Excellent! Will do RS. I was curious about the Cyril Jenkins work. I've never heard of him. I enjoyed Vol. 2 more than expected, especially that VW Henry V work.

[Christo]

The Variations for Orchestra isn't a work I know well so I listened to both versions and I have to say the original brass band version is heaps better. It was composed as a test piece for a bb competition and as you go through you can see which instruments, combinations and textures are being tested and the whole work has a wonderful integrity and is well suited to bb. By contrast the orchestral version doesn't have the same point and although the work is in VW's "ripest style" as Tovey would say (comparable to the 9th Symphony) Jacobs makes it seem tame.

Exactly my feeling too.

[vandermolen]

Nice review (another one) of the new BIS CD with its unusual but appropriate coupling:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2020/Sep/VW-sy5-BIS2367.htm

[Biffo]

Nice review (another one) of the new BIS CD with its unusual but appropriate coupling:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2020/Sep/VW-sy5-BIS2367.htm

Thanks for the link. I have already bought the album but it is nice to see a good review.

[vandermolen]

Thanks for the link. I have already bought the album but it is nice to see a good review.

Yes, it's reassuring!

[Oates]

This one looks intriguing!

The Future

https://rvwsociety.com/news/

[relm1]

This one looks intriguing!

The Future

https://rvwsociety.com/news/

Wow, I hope that gets a recording!