Vaughan Williams's Veranda

Started by karlhenning, April 12, 2007, 06:03:44 AM

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Symphonic Addict

I was hearing this recording and is spectacular!! Now it's in front 3-seat row of my favorites. This work has the very meaning of epic imo, no wonder why the performance is so great and accurate playing like that. They loved every second of it, including the conductor, of course. A sonic experience. My only qubble with the recording is concerned about the female wordless chorus. It could sound more penetrating and deep. More potent (?). I've always liked the timpani of this orchestra, and how "virile" they sound in here. I love this!

Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on September 30, 2021, 06:23:45 PM
I was hearing this recording and is spectacular!! Now it's in front 3-seat row of my favorites. This work has the very meaning of epic imo, no wonder why the performance is so great and accurate playing like that. They loved every second of it, including the conductor, of course. A sonic experience. My only qubble with the recording is concerned about the female wordless chorus. It could sound more penetrating and deep. More potent (?). I've always liked the timpani of this orchestra, and how "virile" they sound in here. I love this!



Which symphony? The Sinfonia Antartica?

Biffo

Quote from: relm1 on September 30, 2021, 04:50:47 PM
RVW is a masterful symphonist.  I love every one of his symphonies.  Some are abstract.  Some are programmatic.  No. 7 is programmatic.  So is No. 1.  But like No. 1, there is a far more important subtext.  No. 1 isn't a sea symphony.  It's a spiritual symphony using the sea as a metaphor.  I see the same with No. 7.  Like No. 5 it uses other works for sources.  This doesn't detract me from the poetic inspiration at all any more than Prokofiev's No. 3 (from his opera, The Fiery Angel), Alexander Nevsky cantata (from the film), Shostakovich No. 11 from extant folk songs, etc.   I love RVW's No. 7 and find it very unique symphonically and in his body of work.  Yet it fits right in too.

Nothing to add to that (for now!), agree with every word of it.

vandermolen

#5143
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on September 30, 2021, 03:52:34 PM
What do you think about Sinfonia antartica? How do you rank it? Any special or favorite recording? This work looks, to me, like underrated in comparison with the others.
I like all the VW symphonies. The Antartica has another appeal to me as I've always been morbidly fascinated in the Captain Scott disaster.
I think that Boult's impersonal/objective way with Vaughan Williams works especially well in Sinfonia Antartica, especially his earlier recording for Decca.

This rather bizarre release features the earlier Boult recording with the LPO.
Here is a review of the CD written by me:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Oct11/antartica_CD41024.htm
Below is another release of the same performance (coupled with Symphony No.8 rather than the 'Captain Scott Sing-a-Long'):
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 30, 2021, 07:29:58 PM
Which symphony? The Sinfonia Antartica?

Yes, that symphony. That Slatkin performance blew me away.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: vandermolen on October 01, 2021, 01:49:28 PM
I like all the VW symphonies. The Antartica has another appeal to me as I've always been morbidly fascinated in the Captain Scott disaster.
I think that Boult's impersonal/objective way with Vaughan Williams works especially well in Sinfonia Antartica, especially his earlier recording for Decca.

This rather bizarre release features the earlier Boult recording with the LPO.
Here is a review of the CD written by me:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Oct11/antartica_CD41024.htm
Below is another release of the same performance (coupled with Symphony No.8 rather than the 'Captain Scott Sing-a-Long'):


Very interesting, Jeffrey. Thanks for the info.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on October 02, 2021, 08:41:41 AM
Yes, that symphony. That Slatkin performance blew me away.

8) And I take it the Slatkin is sans the narration which is always a plus in my book.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on October 02, 2021, 08:42:48 PM
8) And I take it the Slatkin is sans the narration which is always a plus in my book.
AFAIK that's right John. I think that Slatkin's VW cycle is underrated (although possibly overrated by David Hurwitz). As for the narration, I have no strong preference (unlike many) and enjoy both versions.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

kyjo

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on September 30, 2021, 06:23:45 PM
I was hearing this recording and is spectacular!! Now it's in front 3-seat row of my favorites. This work has the very meaning of epic imo, no wonder why the performance is so great and accurate playing like that. They loved every second of it, including the conductor, of course. A sonic experience. My only qubble with the recording is concerned about the female wordless chorus. It could sound more penetrating and deep. More potent (?). I've always liked the timpani of this orchestra, and how "virile" they sound in here. I love this!



This post has been approved by David Hurwitz! :P But seriously, I'll have to investigate Slatkin's RVW - it sounds quite promising.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on October 03, 2021, 12:49:11 AM
AFAIK that's right John. I think that Slatkin's VW cycle is underrated (although possibly overrated by David Hurwitz). As for the narration, I have no strong preference (unlike many) and enjoy both versions.

Thanks, Jeffrey. If you had to pick one performance of Sinfonia Antartica as a favorite, what would it be?

vandermolen

#5150
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 03, 2021, 08:53:59 AM
Thanks, Jeffrey. If you had to pick one performance of Sinfonia Antartica as a favorite, what would it be?
Probably the old Boult one with the LPO on Decca John.

If you don't like the narration and prefer a more recent recording I'd go for Boult's later EMI recording, which is excellent in all respects:

You can't really go wrong with either of those Boult boxed sets. The first one (Decca) was made with vaughan Williams in the studio (apart from No.9 as he had died a few hours before the recording) and Boult had premiered three of the symphonies (3,4 and 6):
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

relm1

I would just add if you mix the two Boult recordings plus Previn's, you have all you could want.  None else reach the heights of that combo...except for Haitinks No. 1 which is the best of that work I think.  :)

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on October 03, 2021, 10:06:27 AM
Probably the old Boult one with the LPO on Decca John.

If you don't like the narration and prefer a more recent recording I'd go for Boult's later EMI recording, which is excellent in all respects:

You can't really go wrong with either of those Boult boxed sets. The first one (Decca) was made with Vaughan Williams in the studio (apart from No.9 as he had died a few hours before the recording) and Boult had premiered three of the symphonies (3,4 and 6):


Very nice, Jeffrey. I own both of the Boult recordings. 8) Thanks for the feedback and that is an interesting anecdote about the composer that I didn't know.

Mirror Image

Quote from: relm1 on October 03, 2021, 06:06:10 PM
I would just add if you mix the two Boult recordings plus Previn's, you have all you could want.  None else reach the heights of that combo...except for Haitinks No. 1 which is the best of that work I think.  :)

Yeah, I like the Previn a lot as well. His RVW cycle is probably my favorite overall in terms of consistency of the performances and the newly remastered set cleaned up a lot of the problems with the previous remastering.

vandermolen

I will give Previn's Antartica another listen to. I think that he is unrivalled in Symphony 3 and 8 and his A London Symphony (1936 version) and Symphony No.5 are arguably the best as well.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Roasted Swan

There I am always enjoying the narrations!  Probably because a) I find a couple of them rather powerful/moving in their own right and b) I'm imprinted with Gielgud and/or Richardson from first getting to know the work so its the dreaded "first love" scenario....

Just to turn the knife for those who cannot abide the narration I think this is an excellent recording both as a musical interpretation and recording;

 

made all the better by having EXTENDED narrated sequences.  Leppard recorded too little British 20th Century music - what he did is nearly always excellent......  Thee's a rather fine live recording of RVW 2 'London' and Elgar Enigma on YouTube (audio only) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7GxNAAJhog

vandermolen

Quote from: Roasted Swan on October 04, 2021, 06:30:40 AM
There I am always enjoying the narrations!  Probably because a) I find a couple of them rather powerful/moving in their own right and b) I'm imprinted with Gielgud and/or Richardson from first getting to know the work so its the dreaded "first love" scenario....

Just to turn the knife for those who cannot abide the narration I think this is an excellent recording both as a musical interpretation and recording;

 

made all the better by having EXTENDED narrated sequences.  Leppard recorded too little British 20th Century music - what he did is nearly always excellent......  Thee's a rather fine live recording of RVW 2 'London' and Elgar Enigma on YouTube (audio only) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7GxNAAJhog
Yes! That features readings that were never intended for the Symphony - I've always thought very highly of Raymond Leppard and feel that his recordings of Bax's 5th and 7th symphonies are unrivalled.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Karl Henning

Found on Twitter.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Mirror Image

Quote from: Roasted Swan on October 04, 2021, 06:30:40 AM
There I am always enjoying the narrations!  Probably because a) I find a couple of them rather powerful/moving in their own right and b) I'm imprinted with Gielgud and/or Richardson from first getting to know the work so its the dreaded "first love" scenario....

Just to turn the knife for those who cannot abide the narration I think this is an excellent recording both as a musical interpretation and recording;

 

made all the better by having EXTENDED narrated sequences.  Leppard recorded too little British 20th Century music - what he did is nearly always excellent......  Thee's a rather fine live recording of RVW 2 'London' and Elgar Enigma on YouTube (audio only) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7GxNAAJhog

Can the narrated parts be skipped in this recording? If yes, I may consider it.

vandermolen

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).