Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Roasted Swan]

Agree about Elder in 4 and 6 and Manze was even worse IMO. Elder's No.3 was the only one that I really liked. Interested to hear what you think of Job and the Songs of Travel. Presumably it's the orchestral version of the SOT. I like the orchestral version - it must be about the only VW recorded by Simon Rattle.

I listened to Rattle's Songs of Travel recently.  Its very good - of course On Wenlock Edge was on the same disc.  What a great piece - probably even more powerful in the original version somehow the reduced palette of "just" quartet and piano works supremely well.  But I like this orchestral version too....

[vandermolen]

I listened to Rattle's Songs of Travel recently.  Its very good - of course On Wenlock Edge was on the same disc.  What a great piece - probably even more powerful in the original version somehow the reduced palette of "just" quartet and piano works supremely well.  But I like this orchestral version too....

I get the impression that Rattle didn't think much of Vaughan Williams's music but at least he recorded that very fine disc.
When it was re-issued on the EMI British Composer's series it included George Butterworth's song cycle 'Love blows as the wind blows' which is a lovely work, especially the song 'Coming up from Richmond'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svgsg1mTkeo

[Roasted Swan]

I get the impression that Rattle didn't think much of Vaughan Williams's music but at least he recorded that very fine disc.
When it was re-issued on the EMI British Composer's series it included George Butterworth's song cycle 'Love blows as the wind blows' which is a lovely work, especially the song 'Coming up from Kew'.

I still haven't watched it but Rattle's Symphony No.5 at the Proms this year was pretty universally praised;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNXBfIA30Mc

Interesting his rationale for not playing more RVW back in his CBSO days (which can be summed up as "lots of other people were already doing it....." - not sure if the same applied to Mahler???)

[Biffo]

I still haven't watched it but Rattle's Symphony No.5 at the Proms this year was pretty universally praised;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNXBfIA30Mc

Interesting his rationale for not playing more RVW back in his CBSO days (which can be summed up as "lots of other people were already doing it....." - not sure if the same applied to Mahler???)

I am not sure how much weight the possibility of a recording carries when deciding to play a work in concert but Rattle would have been up against some stiff competition in the recording front for RVW. I suppose the same could be said for Mahler and Sibelius but he seems to have been more confident performing them.

[vandermolen]

I still haven't watched it but Rattle's Symphony No.5 at the Proms this year was pretty universally praised;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNXBfIA30Mc

Interesting his rationale for not playing more RVW back in his CBSO days (which can be summed up as "lots of other people were already doing it....." - not sure if the same applied to Mahler???)

Hadn't realised that. Thanks.

[Biffo]

Just listened to Rattle's Prom performance of the Fifth. It got off to a good start but then the 1st movement seemed to become strangely inert. A decent scherzo then a beautiful Romanze and a fine Finale.

Further thoughts about his time with the CBSO. Perhaps he just didn't think RVW was for him, whatever reason he is giving now. He conducted and recorded Walton and Britten. Sir Colin Davis was a great champion of British music but also seemed to avoid RVW. I heard him conduct Symphony No 6 in the RFH with the Philharmonia and he also performed it with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich but apart from that I can't think of anything else.

[aukhawk]

I recorded the broadcast but thought the orchestral ensemble work sounded well below par from the get-go (players socially-distanced of course), didn't listen to it all.  I thought the Elgar Introduction & Allegro from the same concert was much better, assertive and vigorous playing, really worthwhile.

[kyjo]

When it was re-issued on the EMI British Composer's series it included George Butterworth's song cycle 'Love blows as the wind blows' which is a lovely work, especially the song 'Coming up from Richmond'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svgsg1mTkeo

Oh yes, that Butterworth song cycle is lovely. Sheer bliss.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Oh yes, that Butterworth song cycle is lovely. Sheer bliss.

I hadn't heard that song before; enchanting! 

PD

[vandermolen]

I hadn't heard that song before; enchanting! 

PD

Glad that you and Kyle think so PD. I find it even more poignant in view of Butterworth's early death in the First World War.

I wonder if you know this song: 'To Gratiana dancing and singing' by W. Denis Browne who, like Butterworth, was tragically killed in the First World War. Ursula Vaughan Williams said that she thought that it was better than any song composed by her husband and I think that she was right:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjR91VzRxkQ

[vandermolen]

VW's 148th birthday today.
So, playing my favourite version of A Sea Symphony - a recording which brought the work alive for me.
From WAYLTN thread:

[Roasted Swan]

VW's 148th birthday today.
So, playing my favourite version of A Sea Symphony - a recording which brought the work alive for me.
From WAYLTN thread:

+1 for this performance - one which merited that highest of all accolades; "a snooze-fest" from the sage-like David Hurwitz.

[vandermolen]

+1 for this performance - one which merited that highest of all accolades; "a snooze-fest" from the sage-like David Hurwitz.

Haha - how typical of DH!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

VW's 148th birthday today.
So, playing my favourite version of A Sea Symphony - a recording which brought the work alive for me.
From WAYLTN thread:

Ah, crumbs!  I missed it.  Will have to play some of his music today and send 'Happy Birthday' wishes/prayers his way.

Must admit, I'm not a huge fan of his Sea Symphony.  I do have the Haitink recording of it and should give it a visit later....when I'm a bit more awake.

PD

[relm1]

Ah, crumbs!  I missed it.  Will have to play some of his music today and send 'Happy Birthday' wishes/prayers his way.

Must admit, I'm not a huge fan of his Sea Symphony.  I do have the Haitink recording of it and should give it a visit later....when I'm a bit more awake.

PD

This is the finest version I've heard.  Just incredible sonics and perfectly judged tempo...a far cry from the No. 8 and No. 9 release with the same forces which sounds terrible and ignores the score.  It's interesting why No. 1 resonates so much with some and not so much with others.  Try to put your finger on what it is that doesn't work for you when you revisit it.  Here is why the work is so moving to me.  It slowly evolves from being about the sea, ships, and sailors sailing off to the horizon to becoming a metaphor for the wandering of the soul where the horizon is after life.  It isn't just about the sea which is the giver of life, it transcends that to become about life, the universe, the earth and the soul's journey and the mystery that awaits beyond.  This transcending transformation is done so gloriously at the long ending. 

[André]

+1 for this performance - one which merited that highest of all accolades; "a snooze-fest" from the sage-like David Hurwitz.

Yup. I wrote about it in the DH thread. Coincidentally, moved by DH's silly characterization of the performance as a snooze fest, yesterday I pulled out the disc for an airing on loudspeakers today or tomorrow (must wait for the missus to be away for 75 minutes  ).

[Roasted Swan]

This is the finest version I've heard.  Just incredible sonics and perfectly judged tempo...a far cry from the No. 8 and No. 9 release with the same forces which sounds terrible and ignores the score.  It's interesting why No. 1 resonates so much with some and not so much with others.  Try to put your finger on what it is that doesn't work for you when you revisit it.  Here is why the work is so moving to me.  It slowly evolves from being about the sea, ships, and sailors sailing off to the horizon to becoming a metaphor for the wandering of the soul where the horizon is after life.  It isn't just about the sea which is the giver of life, it transcends that to become about life, the universe, the earth and the soul's journey and the mystery that awaits beyond.  This transcending transformation is done so gloriously at the long ending.

Thankyou for sharing your "vision" of this work - what you write resonates with me too.  Its a kind of "Toward The Unknown Region" writ large quite literally....  I have never read any Whitman away from the poems that composers have set but I do think he seemed to inspire great music from great composers and that's good enough for me!

[Biffo]

I will also have to revisit Haitink. Not  sure when - I have to be in a special mood to listen to the Sea Symphony and I don't always get to the end. Don't be put off by Hurwitz's praise of Spano. Several years ago when the work was the subject of R3 Building a Library Spano was a surprise first choice (can't remember who the reviewer was). I was intrigued and bought it - it is a fine performance.

[Roasted Swan]

I will also have to revisit Haitink. Not  sure when - I have to be in a special mood to listen to the Sea Symphony and I don't always get to the end. Don't be put off by Hurwitz's praise of Spano. Several years ago when the work was the subject of R3 Building a Library Spano was a surprise first choice (can't remember who the reviewer was). I was intrigued and bought it - it is a fine performance.

I like the Spano version too - but curious how damming some folk are of Spano's tenure in Atlanta.  I'm in no position to judge living as I do in Surrey!

[vandermolen]

This is the finest version I've heard.  Just incredible sonics and perfectly judged tempo...a far cry from the No. 8 and No. 9 release with the same forces which sounds terrible and ignores the score.  It's interesting why No. 1 resonates so much with some and not so much with others.  Try to put your finger on what it is that doesn't work for you when you revisit it.  Here is why the work is so moving to me.  It slowly evolves from being about the sea, ships, and sailors sailing off to the horizon to becoming a metaphor for the wandering of the soul where the horizon is after life.  It isn't just about the sea which is the giver of life, it transcends that to become about life, the universe, the earth and the soul's journey and the mystery that awaits beyond.  This transcending transformation is done so gloriously at the long ending.

Thanks from me too for sharing your vision of the score, which is also one that I relate to.

I listened to work in two stages today.

Stage 1 (with my wife in the room) 'Must we listen to this?'

Stage 2 (just me and the cat)

The best music is in the finale which moved me just as much as ever.

Actually my wife does like some VW but mainly of the Tallis/Lark variety.