Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[vandermolen]

'RVW from America' Forgotten recordings from the 1950s. This will be one of my records of the year! How exciting to discover a hitherto unknown/forgotten batch of recordings of major works like the Concerto for Two Pianos, Flos Campi and one of my favourites, the late, craggy and quirky 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' which I assumed had only been recorded once by Boult with Peter Katin. This version has a prominent part for organ. As I wrote on WAYLTN thread this was supposed to have a release date of 23rd July but it turned up today!  I only ordered it (from Albion Records) yesterday, although had I ordered it from the RVW Society (of which I am a member) I could have saved myself £3.00. Vaughan Williams himself apparently greatly admired the recording of Flos Campi which, whilst closely miked, is wonderfully atmospheric and very moving - as good as any I have heard. The 35 page accompanying booklet is full of useful information about the recordings, performers and the works themselves and includes some fine photographs of VW himself:

[foxandpeng]

'RVW from America' Forgotten recordings from the 1950s. This will be one of my records of the year! How exciting to discover a hitherto unknown/forgotten batch of recordings of major works like the Concerto for Two Pianos, Flos Campi and one of my favourites, the late, craggy and quirky 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' which I assumed had only been recorded once by Boult with Peter Katin. This version has a prominent part for organ. As I wrote on WAYLTN thread this was supposed to have a release date of 23rd July but it turned up today!  I only ordered it (from Albion Records) yesterday, although had I ordered it from the RVW Society (of which I am a member) I could have saved myself £3.00. Vaughan Williams himself apparently greatly admired the recording of Flos Campi which, whilst closely miked, is wonderfully atmospheric and very moving - as good as any I have heard. The 35 page accompanying booklet is full of useful information about the recordings, performers and the works themselves and includes some fine photographs of VW himself:

This sounds like an excellent purchase! Enjoy it 🙂

[vandermolen]

This sounds like an excellent purchase! Enjoy it 🙂

I'm delighted with it Danny, probably my favourite Albion release. I never thought I'd hear an alternative recording, featuring a prominent organ part, of the 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' - which I've known and loved since I bought the Boult EMI boxed set as a 17 year old, where it was coupled with the 9th Symphony. Also the premiere recording of the Concerto for Two Pianos is well worth having as well as a recording of Flos Campi greatly admired by Vaughan Williams himself.

[foxandpeng]

I'm delighted with it Danny, probably my favourite Albion release. I never thought I'd hear an alternative recording, featuring a prominent organ part, of the 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' - which I've known and loved since I bought the Boult EMI boxed set as a 17 year old, where it was coupled with the 9th Symphony. Also the premiere recording of the Concerto for Two Pianos is well worth having as well as a recording of Flos Campi greatly admired by Vaughan Williams himself.

I love your rich experience of RVW's music, and was only reading yesterday some of your contributions to the RVW Society magazine.

I hope to be able to hear this Albion recording when I come to the end of my current listening projects. Rich opportunities ahead!

[Christo]

'RVW from America' Forgotten recordings from the 1950s. This will be one of my records of the year! How exciting to discover a hitherto unknown/forgotten batch of recordings of major works like the Concerto for Two Pianos, Flos Campi and one of my favourites, the late, craggy and quirky 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' which I assumed had only been recorded once by Boult with Peter Katin. This version has a prominent part for organ. As I wrote on WAYLTN thread this was supposed to have a release date of 23rd July but it turned up today!  I only ordered it (from Albion Records) yesterday, although had I ordered it from the RVW Society (of which I am a member) I could have saved myself £3.00. Vaughan Williams himself apparently greatly admired the recording of Flos Campi which, whilst closely miked, is wonderfully atmospheric and very moving - as good as any I have heard. The 35 page accompanying booklet is full of useful information about the recordings, performers and the works themselves and includes some fine photographs of VW himself:

Great news indeed!

[vandermolen]

I love your rich experience of RVW's music, and was only reading yesterday some of your contributions to the RVW Society magazine.

I hope to be able to hear this Albion recording when I come to the end of my current listening projects. Rich opportunities ahead!

Oh, that's nice. I meant to write something for them on VW's film music but other stuff (work, home etc) got in the way. I might write them a letter on how much I liked the VW from America CD - arguably my favourite Albion release (and I have collected most of them). I've been playing it a lot and the sequence of the Double PC, Flos Campi and 'Fantasia on the Old I04th' make a great programme. I'm less keen on the folk songs. 

[vandermolen]

Great news indeed!

And great news to see you posting here Johan!

[VonStupp]

A Cotswold Romance
Death of Tintagiles
LPO Choir & LSO - Sir Richard Hickox

I was really caught off guard by Cotswold here; what wonderful music. This performance is quite excellent too.

I am completely unfamiliar with Hugh the Drover, which this cantata is based off of, but it makes me want to search out Sir Charles Groves' performance on EMI.

Any strong feelings here regarding VW's Hugh, or should I stick to the rustic earthiness that I enjoyed in Cotswold's truncated choral cantata?

[vandermolen]

A Cotswold Romance
Death of Tintagiles
LPO Choir & LSO - Sir Richard Hickox

I was really caught off guard by Cotswold here; what wonderful music. This performance is quite excellent too.

I am completely unfamiliar with Hugh the Drover, which this cantata is based off of, but it makes me want to search out Sir Charles Groves' performance on EMI.

Any strong feelings here regarding VW's Hugh, or should I stick to the rustic earthiness that I enjoyed in Cotswold's truncated choral cantata?

I'm not an opera fan but the 'Pilgrim's Progress' is arguably Vaughan Williams's greatest work. I've been very fortunate to see a staged or semi-staged version twice - a very moving experience. 'Riders to the Sea' is also excellent and very moving - I saw a semi-staged version some years ago. It is quite short and there are some fine recordings. I could never get on with 'Hugh the Drover', 'Sir John in Love' and 'The Poisoned Kiss'. I found Hugh to be too 'Hey nonny no' (I can't stand Morris dancing) and smacking of 'Ye Olde English tea shoppe' but that is my own prejudice. I recall enjoying the CD that you posted of extracts.

[VonStupp]

I'm not an opera fan but the 'Pilgrim's Progress' is arguably Vaughan Williams's greatest work. I've been very fortunate to see a staged or semi-staged version twice - a very moving experience. 'Riders to the Sea' is also excellent and very moving - I saw a semi-staged version some years ago. It is quite short and there are some fine recordings. I could never get on with 'Hugh the Drover', 'Sir John in Love' and 'The Poisoned Kiss'. I found Hugh to be too 'Hey nonny no' (I can't stand Morris dancing) and smacking of 'Ye Olde English tea shoppe' but that is my own prejudice. I recall enjoying the CD that you posted of extracts.

Thank you for the brief survey; Vaughan Williams' operas are a definite blind spot in what I have heard from him.
VS

[vandermolen]

Thank you for the brief survey; Vaughan Williams' operas are a definite blind spot in what I have heard from him.
VS

Well, I'd definitely recommended the hauntingly atmospheric one Act opera 'Riders to the Sea' and Pilgrim's Progress.

PS The CD below is marvellous - not just for the opera but also for 'Epithalamion' - a most beautiful and neglected work (Christo is a fan as well)

PPS You can get it for under $3.00 on Amazon.com.

[VonStupp]

Well, I'd definitely recommended the hauntingly atmospheric one Act opera 'Riders to the Sea' and Pilgrim's Progress.

PS The CD below is marvellous - not just for the opera but also for 'Epithalamion' - a most beautiful and neglected work (Christo is a fan as well):

I will check it out. Between Lyrita, Albion, Hyperion, and Chandos, there is such a daunting amount of Vaughan Williams (and his contemporaries) to explore, not even taking into consideration all of the old EMI recordings and niche re-licenses from Unicorn, Alto, and their ilk. Thanks again; I look forward to hearing them!

[Karl Henning]

'RVW from America' Forgotten recordings from the 1950s. This will be one of my records of the year! How exciting to discover a hitherto unknown/forgotten batch of recordings of major works like the Concerto for Two Pianos, Flos Campi and one of my favourites, the late, craggy and quirky 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' which I assumed had only been recorded once by Boult with Peter Katin. This version has a prominent part for organ. As I wrote on WAYLTN thread this was supposed to have a release date of 23rd July but it turned up today!  I only ordered it (from Albion Records) yesterday, although had I ordered it from the RVW Society (of which I am a member) I could have saved myself £3.00. Vaughan Williams himself apparently greatly admired the recording of Flos Campi which, whilst closely miked, is wonderfully atmospheric and very moving - as good as any I have heard. The 35 page accompanying booklet is full of useful information about the recordings, performers and the works themselves and includes some fine photographs of VW himself:

Nice!

[vandermolen]

I will check it out. Between Lyrita, Albion, Hyperion, and Chandos, there is such a daunting amount of Vaughan Williams (and his contemporaries) to explore, not even taking into consideration all of the old EMI recordings and niche re-licenses from Unicorn, Alto, and their ilk. Thanks again; I look forward to hearing them!

I agree but the CD I posted above ('Epithalamion' etc) is very special - also the booklet features a great painting of VW!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

'RVW from America' Forgotten recordings from the 1950s. This will be one of my records of the year! How exciting to discover a hitherto unknown/forgotten batch of recordings of major works like the Concerto for Two Pianos, Flos Campi and one of my favourites, the late, craggy and quirky 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' which I assumed had only been recorded once by Boult with Peter Katin. This version has a prominent part for organ. As I wrote on WAYLTN thread this was supposed to have a release date of 23rd July but it turned up today!  I only ordered it (from Albion Records) yesterday, although had I ordered it from the RVW Society (of which I am a member) I could have saved myself £3.00. Vaughan Williams himself apparently greatly admired the recording of Flos Campi which, whilst closely miked, is wonderfully atmospheric and very moving - as good as any I have heard. The 35 page accompanying booklet is full of useful information about the recordings, performers and the works themselves and includes some fine photographs of VW himself:

I googled it to find out a bit more about it (hard to read who all the recordings were with), and found this very nice upload to youtube which includes music samples as well as a bit of information about the performers.  You can watch it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0tYahIfnQ0

PD

[Biffo]

I googled it to find out a bit more about it (hard to read who all the recordings were with), and found this very nice upload to youtube which includes music samples as well as a bit of information about the performers.  You can watch it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0tYahIfnQ0

PD

Thanks for posting the link. Very interesting.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

You're welcome Biffo!

PD

[vandermolen]

I've really been enjoying the 'Forgotten VW Recordings from the USA' CD. One of my discs of the year.

[Mirror Image]

I've really been enjoying the 'Forgotten VW Recordings from the USA' CD. One of my discs of the year.

Great to read, Jeffrey.

[Mirror Image]

A special head-nod and high-five for Riders to the Sea --- a haunting, brooding opera that I think I may very well prefer to any of the other operas I've heard (i. e. Sir John in Love, The Poisoned Kiss and The Pilgrim's Progress).