Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[btpaul674]

OK will listen to it as I have it with Hickox's poor Symphony 6

It is indeed very poor.

[vandermolen]

It is indeed very poor.

No 6, for some reason, seems very difficult to get right on disc Hickox, Bakels, Norrington, Handley (LPO), Previn (last movement) and others come unstuck in this symphony. The early Boults, Abravanel, Davis, Thomson and Haitink are the best in my view.

[71 dB]

I just heard the 4th symphony (Royal Liverpool Philharm. Orch, Handley Vernon). I liked it. I also liked the first symphony. Looks like VW's symphonies are worth exploring.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I just heard the 4th symphony (Royal Liverpool Philharm. Orch, Handley Vernon). I liked it. I also liked the first symphony. Looks like VW's symphonies are worth exploring.

They certainly are! If only to see what British composers after Elgar did with the Symphony... 

[MN Dave]

They certainly are! If only to see what British composers after Elgar did with the Symphony... 

I have you figured out. You dig British composers. How do you like Purcell?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have you figured out. You dig British composers.

You can tell, can you?

How do you like Purcell?

I am a bit of a post-Beethoven guy. So I do like the instrumental Bach (but not too often), but Purcell is still only Dido's Lament (which is incredibly moving btw).

I am glad that there is so much pre-Beethoven music I still have to establish a rapport with. Something for the second half of my life, perhaps...

[Dundonnell]

The San Antonio Symphony Orchestra will perform VW's Cantata "Folk Songs of the Four Seasons" on April 11 and 12 at the Majestic Theatre(presumably in San Antonio).

This is the Cantata VW wrote for the Women's Institute in 1949. It is, apparently, 45 minutes long which suggests a substantial work.

Has anybody ever heard it-because I certainly don't remember ever having done so! It is not-and never has been-recorded(as far as I know). I wonder why not? Don't suppose it is an undiscovered masterpiece but......!

Well done, san Antonio!!

[Christo]

Has anybody ever heard it - because I certainly don't remember ever having done so! It is not - and never has been - recorded(as far as I know). I wonder why not? Don't suppose it is an undiscovered masterpiece but......!

You will be our reviewer!

I never heard of any modern performance, let alone a recording. According to Michael Kennedy, A catalogue of the works of RVW, it is based on traditional folk songs and was premiered in the Royal Albert Hall in London, 15 June 1950, by Adrian Boult with the LSO and 'massed choirs'.

Roy Douglas tells in his book about his cooperation with Vaughan Williams, and how he arranged a suite from it for small orchestra, and how RVW insisted on his (Douglas') copy rights, in order to allow him a little income. But I'm not aware of any performance of this piece either - listed as lasting 13,5 minutes by Kennedy - nor of any recording. Does anybody here?

[Dundonnell]

You will be our reviewer!

I never heard of any modern performance, let alone a recording. According to Michael Kennedy, A catalogue of the works of RVW, it is based on traditional folk songs and was premiered in the Royal Albert Hall in London, 15 June 1950, by Adrian Boult with the LSO and 'massed choirs'.

Roy Douglas tells in his book about his cooperation with Vaughan Williams, and how he arranged a suite from it for small orchestra, and how RVW insisted on his (Douglas') copy rights, in order to allow him a little income. But I'm not aware of any performance of this piece either - listed as lasting 13,5 minutes by Kennedy - nor of any recording. Does anybody here?

I shall happily review the performance for you if you will pay my air fare from Scotland to Texas!!

[Christo]

I shall happily review the performance for you if you will pay my air fare from Scotland to Texas!!

Who's talking about taking a costly plane? 0:) Can't you swim it - I'll happily share your daily breakfast expenses then. But perhaps we better ask one of the no doubt thousands of Texonian RVW adorers online here, to do a little reviewing?

[vandermolen]

So, what's the verdict here on Haitink's Vaughan Williams symphony cycle?

I'm listening to the single disc release of Symphony 6 (my favourite), I think that it is the best modern version (much better than the Hickox which was apparently chosen as the BBC Radio 3 "Building a Library" No 1 choice a few weeks back.) It is a great CD with the orchestral "On Wenlock Edge" and a fine performance of "In the Fen Country". What is your favourite VW symphony cycle?

Lots of VW at the Proms in London this year.

[sound67]

So, what's the verdict here on Haitink's Vaughan Williams symphony cycle?

Uneven. Superb 2nd and 7th, perfectly acceptable 1st, 3rd and 5th, routine 4th and 6th, poor 8th and 9th.

In general: A Brucknerian approach to Vaughan Williams - sometimes that worked, sometimes it didn't.

[sound67]

Lots of VW at the Proms in London this year.

Yeah. Unfortunately, only 2 performances during my annual stay there. Symphonies 4 & 8. 

[Dundonnell]

So, what's the verdict here on Haitink's Vaughan Williams symphony cycle?

I'm listening to the single disc release of Symphony 6 (my favourite), I think that it is the best modern version (much better than the Hickox which was apparently chosen as the BBC Radio 3 "Building a Library" No 1 choice a few weeks back.) It is a great CD with the orchestral "On Wenlock Edge" and a fine performance of "In the Fen Country". What is your favourite VW symphony cycle?

Lots of VW at the Proms in London this year.

I have Haitink in the Sea Symphony and the Sinfonia Antartica and esteem both performances, particularly the latter which, in my opinion, elevates the work into the masterpiece I really believe that it is.. Haitink is a conductor for whom I have a very high regard-obviously particularly in Bruckner! I know that there has been criticism that his VW is not idiomatic but Haitink's approach is surely at least valid and deeply thought. It always seemed to me to be tremendous that a great European conductor, steeped in the central European traditions of Brahms, Bruckner and Mahler, should invest his profound knowledge and experience in a composer who has not exactly been 'taken up' by many other non-British or non-American conductors!

Hickox doesn't exactly seem to have many admirers on this site in VW! (Apart, that is, from his CD of the original version of the London Symphony).
I am always a little puzzled by this. I freely admit that I make my CD purchases on the basis of reading as many reviews as possible by critics for whom I have respect. Hickox's cycle has-so far-generally had very positive reviews. Where do people think he has gone wrong?

I can't answer your second question, Jeffrey. I don't have a favourite cycle. I mix and match...thus:

Sea Symphony-Haitink
London Symphony-Hickox(original), Previn(revised)
Pastoral-Previn and Hickox
No.4-Previn and Hickox
No.5-Handley and Hickox
No.6-Andrew Davis, Handley, Thomson and Hickox
No.7-Haitink
No.8-Thomson and Hickox
No.9-Handley and Thomson

Have I got it reasonably ok or should I add to that lot?

[vandermolen]

I have Haitink in the Sea Symphony and the Sinfonia Antartica and esteem both performances, particularly the latter which, in my opinion, elevates the work into the masterpiece I really believe that it is.. Haitink is a conductor for whom I have a very high regard-obviously particularly in Bruckner! I know that there has been criticism that his VW is not idiomatic but Haitink's approach is surely at least valid and deeply thought. It always seemed to me to be tremendous that a great European conductor, steeped in the central European traditions of Brahms, Bruckner and Mahler, should invest his profound knowledge and experience in a composer who has not exactly been 'taken up' by many other non-British or non-American conductors!

Hickox doesn't exactly seem to have many admnirers on this site in VW! (Apart, that is, from his CD of the original version of the London Symphony).
I am always a little puzzled by this. I freely admit that I make my CD purchases on the basis of reading as many reviews as possible by critics for whom I have respect. Hickox's cycle has-so far-generally had very positive reviews. Where do people think he has gone wrong?

I can't answer your second question, Jeffrey. I don't have a favourite cycle. I mix and match...thus:

Sea Symphony-Haitink
London Symphony-Hickox(original), Previn(revised)
Pastoral-Previn and Hickox
No.4-Previn and Hickox
No.5-Handley and Hickox
No.6-Andrew Davis, Handley, Thomson and Hickox
No.7-Haitink
No.8-Thomson and Hickox
No.9-Handley and Thomson

Have I got it reasonably ok or should I add to that lot?

I do like Hickox and I have enjoyed all the VW releases so far (don't know his Sea Symphony) except for No 6 which I found dull and uninvolving (this did not stop Stephen Johnson from selecting it as his No 1 choice on the BBC). I love the Hickox Arnold and Alwyn cycles and much else besides.

Colin,

Your choice of individual VW symphonies is very sound, although a little thin perhaps in the Sir Adrian Boult department 

Stokowski's No 9 is a must.

[Dundonnell]

Oh, sorry Jeffrey, I had completely forgotten that I have Nos.1-4 and 6-9 of the symphonies conducted by Sir Adrian Boult on LP, together with Barbirolli in Nos. 2 and 5.

[sound67]

Hickox's 3rd is a mess (artificial emphases in all the wrong places), his 4th bland, the 2nd rather stolid (its only real merit being the only recording of the original, but weaker, version of the London Symphony), the 6th dull indeed!

The least remarkable RVW cycle outside of Davis's and Slatkin's.

[vandermolen]

Hickox's 3rd is a mess (artificial emphases in all the wrong places), his 4th bland, the 2nd rather stolid (its only real merit being the only recording of the original, but weaker, version of the London Symphony), the 6th dull indeed!

The least remarkable RVW cycle outside of Davis's and Slatkin's.

I liked Hickox's No 5 + the interesting fill-ups (Pilgrim's Pavement etc).

Which Cycles do you like? I like Davis No 6 and Slatkin No 9.

[sound67]

I liked Hickox's No 5 + the interesting fill-ups (Pilgrim's Pavement etc).

Ditto. The only fine reading in his cycle. I forgot: Hickox' Sea Symphony is rowdy, his 8th undernourished and grey-sounding. 

Which Cycles do you like? I like Davis No 6 and Slatkin No 9.

Again, ditto. But, again, these are the only good performances in their respective cycles.

Handley is the most consistently pleasing, followed by Thomson.

[vandermolen]

Ditto. The only fine reading in his cycle. I forgot: Hickox' Sea Symphony is rowdy, his 8th undernourished and grey-sounding. 

Again, ditto. But, again, these are the only good performances in their respective cycles.

Handley is the most consistently pleasing, followed by Thomson.

Yes, Thomson is very underrated. Agree that Handley is very consistent but not my first choice in any symphony...well, maybe No 9 for those harps at the end