Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Roasted Swan]

Signed by the composer! That's most impressive.

Sadly I DON'T own any of the score from which those images come - they were all c/o google pictures!!

[vandermolen]

Sadly I DON'T own any of the score from which those images come - they were all c/o google pictures!!

Oh! I thought that you had a stash of them at home. 

[aukhawk]

Funny enough his beloved Slatkin set is out of print and not even available to stream.  That's how popular it is!  ...

Fortunately for anyone who is actually still interested to hear the Slatkin recordings after all the nay-sayers have had their say - they are readily available as pre-owned CDs.

[Spotted Horses]

Funny enough his beloved Slatkin set is out of print and not even available to stream.  That's how popular it is!

I wouldn't judge the quality of a recording by the record label's decision to let it go out of print. (At one point I wanted to get the Boult cycle and EMI had let it go out of print.) I have the Slatkin cycle and recently listened to A London Symphony. I thought it was great. Not going to become my reference recording, but it was remarkable brisk and extroverted. A great listen.

[Mirror Image]

Fortunately for anyone who is actually still interested to hear the Slatkin recordings after all the nay-sayers have had their say - they are readily available as pre-owned CDs.

I'm not a naysayer, but I haven't given much attention to the Slatkin cycle, because he seldom falls under my radar in English music. Honestly, I heard his RVW many years ago and the performances didn't leave much of an impression on me. There simply wasn't much individuality in his interpretations. I bought that budget release with remastered audio and while the sonics were quite good, the performances were forgettable.

[Roasted Swan]

I'm not a naysayer, but I haven't given much attention to the Slatkin cycle, because he seldom falls under my radar in English music. Honestly, I heard his RVW many years ago and the performances didn't leave much of an impression on me. There simply wasn't much individuality in his interpretations. I bought that budget release with remastered audio and while the sonics were quite good, the performances were forgettable.

I have to say for Slatkin I rather liked his Elgar discs with the the LPO on RCA.  Much like the RVW cycle the sonics were great and he got the whole Elgarian swagger thing.  He does have a tendency "if in doubt play it quicker" which certainly papers over the cracks and makes for an exciting performance if the orchestra is good.  Interestingly, just very recently I was listening to his RVW No.9 and enjoying it very much - brisk and no nonsense.... Then I read Roy Douglas' lovely little book about working with RVW in which he rails against the premiere of No.9 with Sargent because all the tempi were much too fast.....  So I still like Slatkin but now think perhaps I shouldn't!!

[Mirror Image]

I have to say for Slatkin I rather liked his Elgar discs with the the LPO on RCA.  Much like the RVW cycle the sonics were great and he got the whole Elgarian swagger thing.  He does have a tendency "if in doubt play it quicker" which certainly papers over the cracks and makes for an exciting performance if the orchestra is good.  Interestingly, just very recently I was listening to his RVW No.9 and enjoying it very much - brisk and no nonsense.... Then I read Roy Douglas' lovely little book about working with RVW in which he rails against the premiere of No.9 with Sargent because all the tempi were much too fast.....  So I still like Slatkin but now think perhaps I shouldn't!!

The problem I have with Slatkin in this particular repertoire is the lack of a personal stamp. When you've heard Boult, Thomson, Previn, Barbirolli, Berglund, et. al. in this repertoire, it's difficult to shake these earlier impressions and when I've done comparative listening, I found Slatkin unable to match those who came before him. Even in Elgar, I find so many others to be more individualistic than him. Slatkin's claim to fame, in my view, are those outstanding recordings of American music he made in his earlier career, although his newer Copland series on Naxos with the Detroit SO are quite good.

[vandermolen]

I have to say for Slatkin I rather liked his Elgar discs with the the LPO on RCA.  Much like the RVW cycle the sonics were great and he got the whole Elgarian swagger thing.  He does have a tendency "if in doubt play it quicker" which certainly papers over the cracks and makes for an exciting performance if the orchestra is good.  Interestingly, just very recently I was listening to his RVW No.9 and enjoying it very much - brisk and no nonsense.... Then I read Roy Douglas' lovely little book about working with RVW in which he rails against the premiere of No.9 with Sargent because all the tempi were much too fast.....  So I still like Slatkin but now think perhaps I shouldn't!!

I like Slatkin's No.9 as well. Sometimes I play his CD of 5 and 6. Those original RCA CD covers were excellent, featuring photos of VW at an appropriate age for the featured symphony.
Roy Douglas (who lived to be over 100) lived locally in Tunbridge Wells. I met him for tea at his home one day! He was very nice. I think that he had VW's piano. I got him to sign his fine book 'Working with RVW'. He hated Sargent which might have coloured his view of that premiere performance. I don't think that it's as bad as he made out.

[Roasted Swan]

I like Slatkin's No.9 as well. Sometimes I play his CD of 5 and 6. Those original RCA CD covers were excellent, featuring photos of VW at an appropriate age for the featured symphony.
Roy Douglas (who lived to be over 100) lived locally in Tunbridge Wells. I met him for tea at his home one day! He was very nice. I think that he had VW's piano. I got him to sign his fine book 'Working with RVW'. He hated Sargent which might have coloured his view of that premiere performance. I don't think that it's as bad as he made out.

Aah - interesting about Douglas/Sargent.  His quote about Sargent's premiere of No.9 is vitriolic to say the least!  I picked up recently in a chairty shop the score of a work by Douglas called "A Nowell Sequence" which is part him and part reworking of RVW's "Last Nowell" which was the final work Douglas worked on with RVW.  I'm hoping to programme it a concert this coming Christmas as a late contribution to the RVW 150 celebrations.  It looks lovely and certainly worth reviving.  What I had forgotten was that in tandem with hel;ping RVW Douglas worked with Walton as well - Walton was easier because he was much neater!

[Mirror Image]

I received this magazine today and I haven't yet dug into it, but it looks quite well done:



I also have the BBC Music Magazine coming that features the composer:



It is truly a great time to be an RVW fan!

[Irons]

I received this magazine today and I haven't yet dug into it, but it looks quite well done:



I also have the BBC Music Magazine coming that features the composer:



It is truly a great time to be an RVW fan!

With refence to the "freebie" CD given with each magazine I was put off with the first as I believe it to be "bleeding chunks". The second CD I was in a minority of one of enjoying greatly, particularly the 4th Symphony. Reading your posts and being well aware that you are not John Wilson's greatest admirer I guess the percentage of likes won't budge.

[vandermolen]

Aah - interesting about Douglas/Sargent.  His quote about Sargent's premiere of No.9 is vitriolic to say the least!  I picked up recently in a chairty shop the score of a work by Douglas called "A Nowell Sequence" which is part him and part reworking of RVW's "Last Nowell" which was the final work Douglas worked on with RVW.  I'm hoping to programme it a concert this coming Christmas as a late contribution to the RVW 150 celebrations.  It looks lovely and certainly worth reviving.  What I had forgotten was that in tandem with hel;ping RVW Douglas worked with Walton as well - Walton was easier because he was much neater!

There's a nice Chandos CD of VW's Christmas music which features that VW/Douglas collaboration I think. I may have got this wrong but I think that Somm may be releasing a Sargent recording of Symphony No.9 which is presumably the infamous first performance. Exciting about your concert!
PS Just found it - July release:
The CD also features Sargent conducting Symphony No.6 - that has never been released before AFAIK.

[Mirror Image]

With reference to the "freebie" CD given with each magazine I was put off with the first as I believe it to be "bleeding chunks". The second CD I was in a minority of one of enjoying greatly, particularly the 4th Symphony. Reading your posts and being well aware that you are not John Wilson's greatest admirer I guess the percentage of likes won't budge.

I'll be honest and say I seldom listen to the free CDs that come with BBC Music Magazine. Yes, the CD that came with the anniversary magazine is merely a compilation and I don't listen to these kinds of discs. The only compilation disc(s) I like is the one from Ormandy called The Fantastic Philadelphians, but this 2-CD set actually contains some complete works, too.

[JBS]

With refence to the "freebie" CD given with each magazine I was put off with the first as I believe it to be "bleeding chunks". The second CD I was in a minority of one of enjoying greatly, particularly the 4th Symphony. Reading your posts and being well aware that you are not John Wilson's greatest admirer I guess the percentage of likes won't budge.

I in fact literally a minute ago finished a third listen to that Wilson recording.
I like it immensely, so that minority has at least two people in it.

[Irons]

I in fact literally a minute ago finished a third listen to that Wilson recording.
I like it immensely, so that minority has at least two people in it.

I am pleased by that. It should not be a concern if alone liking a work/recording but hard not to be.

[vandermolen]

From WAYLTN thread:
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No.6 BBC SO, Boult (live, Proms concert 1972) First listen:
Fabulous! (and I'm listening on a small portable CD player as my usual one is being repaired). IMO this in incomparably better than any recent recording (Manze, Elder, Wilson for example). Boult gave the first performance of the 6th Symphony and I find that his readings have a unique authority about them. This is, in a way, quite different to his three studio recordings on EMI (x2 and Decca). The big tune, at the end of the first movement, is neither given the full romantic treatment (Barbirolli and many others) nor does it have the objectivity of the Decca recording (my favourite), instead it sounds a bit like a stately Tudor dance - but I really enjoyed it. The relentless second movement is faster and not as implacable as the Decca performance and the finale is a bit faster than on Decca (made with VW in the studio). I look forward to hearing it on my usual CD player!
I may have been at either or both of these concerts, from the VW centenary year 1972 and 1975, as I was at the first stage of my early infatuation with Vaughan Williams and I lived within walking distance of the Albert Hall. I certainly heard VW conducted by Boult on several occasions.

[Biffo]

From WAYLTN thread:
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No.6 BBC SO, Boult (live, Proms concert 1972) First listen:
Fabulous! (and I'm listening on a small portable CD player as my usual one is being repaired). IMO this in incomparably better than any recent recording (Manze, Elder, Wilson for example). Boult gave the first performance of the 6th Symphony and I find that his readings have a unique authority about them. This is, in a way, quite different to his three studio recordings on EMI (x2 and Decca). The big tune, at the end of the first movement, is neither given the full romantic treatment (Barbirolli and many others) nor does it have the objectivity of the Decca recording (my favourite), instead it sounds a bit like a stately Tudor dance - but I really enjoyed it. The relentless second movement is faster and not as implacable as the Decca performance and the finale is a bit faster than on Decca (made with VW in the studio). I look forward to hearing it on my usual CD player!
I may have been at either or both of these concerts, from the VW centenary year 1972 and 1975, as I was at the first stage of my early infatuation with Vaughan Williams and I lived within walking distance of the Albert Hall. I certainly heard VW conducted by Boult on several occasions.

This is a tempting release. I already have the two EMI versions - the first as a Dutton remaster. The 6th is not one of my top tier favourites but the 5th is and so I might succumb.

You mention Barbirolli - it is a great pity he never got to make a studio recording of the 6th; after the 8th it was the RVW symphony he conducted the most often.

[vandermolen]

This is a tempting release. I already have the two EMI versions - the first as a Dutton remaster. The 6th is not one of my top tier favourites but the 5th is and so I might succumb.

You mention Barbirolli - it is a great pity he never got to make a studio recording of the 6th; after the 8th it was the RVW symphony he conducted the most often.

I think that John (MI) didn't like No.5 on this release. I agree with your point about No.6 - although I enjoyed the Barbirolli 70th Birthday Concert CD which featured a very fine performance of No.6, notwithstanding a rushed finale. The ICA release is faster than the Decca finale but more audible and I think that it is very effective. I doubt that you would be disappointed.

[Biffo]

I think that John (MI) didn't like No.5 on this release. I agree with your point about No.6 - although I enjoyed the Barbirolli 70th Birthday Concert CD which featured a very fine performance of No.6, notwithstanding a rushed finale. The ICA release is faster than the Decca finale but more audible and I think that it is very effective. I doubt that you would be disappointed.

Too many CDs? I had forgotten about the Barbirolli 70th Birthday Concert. I also have his live performance of the 6th from Munich.

[vandermolen]

Too many CDs? I had forgotten about the Barbirolli 70th Birthday Concert. I also have his live performance of the 6th from Munich.

The 70th Birthday Concert is very good - I also have the Munich performance. I'm interested to hear Sargent's performance of the 6th Symphony on a forthcoming Somm release. Yes, too many CDs.