Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[M forever]

So today, I got Haitink's recording of the Sinfonia Antarctica which for some reason seems to be "infamous". I have only listened to it once, but I found it rather good and not lacking in detailed music making at all, although I found the second movement (scherzo) a little undercharacterized in comparison to the other versions I have heard (Boult, Thomson, Handley) and the organ in the third movement appears dubbed in and congested in sound. But those aren't "massive" complaints either.
So what is the common criticism of this recording?

[Sean]

I bought it on CD. The piece suits Haitink's temperament and it's quite a beautiful performance, just that it's not as interesting and otherworldly as it can be. Of all VW's works I'd say this symphony captures his special and vital voice best (though the brief Serenade to music is similar).

[Guido]

Not the Fifth or Sixth Symphonies, Sean? I think I'm with Luke on this one.

[sound67]

I bought it on CD. The piece suits Haitink's temperament and it's quite a beautiful performance, just that it's not as interesting and otherworldly as it can be.

A reading both majestic and atmospheric, quoted above as a favorite by several posters.

IMHO, the Haitink 8th is the most problematic of his cycle. Devoid of color, heavy-handed - exactly the approach that is wrong for this light-hearted piece. 

Thomas

[Sean]

The Eighth is among his less distinctive symphs.

Must quit this nuts' forum for the weekend at least.

[Catison]

Must quit this nuts' forum for the weekend at least.

Hello Mr. Irony.

[karlhenning]

I hope all the nuts won't leave.

[scarpia]

A reading both majestic and atmospheric, quoted above as a favorite by several posters.

IMHO, the Haitink 8th is the most problematic of his cycle. Devoid of color, heavy-handed - exactly the approach that is wrong for this light-hearted piece. 

My only quibble with Haitink's 8th is that he does not bring out dynamic contrasts in the third movement (for strings) which saps it of some of its emotional appeal.  The finale is nicely done, and I think his approach to the first (the gem of this symphony) is spot on, with just the right amount of emphasis on the dissonances which tend to accumulate in the later variations and give this movement such poignancy.  The little march is also nicely done but the recording is excessively reverberant.  What this movement needs is a close "in your face" recording to highlight all of the syncopation and details of voice leading.   It's the sort of thing that would sound good in one of the old Decca recordings, astonishingly Decca seems to have no V-W symphonies in their catalog aside from the ancient Boult recordings.

[sound67]

The Eighth is among his less distinctive symphs.

I think you're mistaking lightness for weakness. Lightness isn't easy. It's difficult.

Thomas

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Wow, I'm listening to "Fantasia on Christmas Carols" from this CD:



What an amazingly beautyful piece of music. The only problem, old people say (and my wife knows about all those 'old peoples' superstitions), if you listen to christmas music before Totensonntag (the sunday before 1. Advent), someone will die.

Anyway. Beautiful music. The singer, the chorus, the orchestra, they go all well together. I love this kind of accompaniment by the chorus in the first part of the piece.
Does someone know if there's a "Hodie" on the Chandos label? I don't find one. The search function on http://www.theclassicalshop.net/ pretty much sucks, you can only search by Artist/Composer.

EDIT: OK, I was maybe too stupid to search. The offer http://www.theclassicalshop.net/details06MP3.asp?CNumber=NX%200439 - unfortunately not as a lossless download. Seems to be a Naxos release? If anyone knows about a good Hodie interpretation and avail. as a lossless download, please let me know.

[knight66]

Just reporting back in to say the Previn cycle has arrived and I have put the 5th and 6th onto myiPod. I have been listening to them as I travel and have enjoyed them a great deal. I need to steep myself more in more of the symphonies; excepting No 1 which I have little fondness for.

So thanks for all the discussions and suggestions.

Mike

[Guido]

Wow, I'm listening to "Fantasia on Christmas Carols" from this CD:



What an amazingly beautyful piece of music. The only problem, old people say (and my wife knows about all those 'old peoples' superstitions), if you listen to christmas music before Totensonntag (the sunday before 1. Advent), someone will die.

Anyway. Beautiful music. The singer, the chorus, the orchestra, they go all well together. I love this kind of accompaniment by the chorus in the first part of the piece.
Does someone know if there's a "Hodie" on the Chandos label? I don't find one. The search function on http://www.theclassicalshop.net/ pretty much sucks, you can only search by Artist/Composer.

EDIT: OK, I was maybe too stupid to search. The offer http://www.theclassicalshop.net/details06MP3.asp?CNumber=NX%200439 - unfortunately not as a lossless download. Seems to be a Naxos release? If anyone knows about a good Hodie interpretation and avail. as a lossless download, please let me know.

Isn't that the one with the cello solo?

EDIT: maybe the cello solo is only in the choir/piano (+cello) version.

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Isn't that the one with the cello solo?

It starts with a cello solo. Then after 35 seconds, the baritone singer starts with "This is the truth sent from above...".

[vandermolen]

Just reporting back in to say the Previn cycle has arrived and I have put the 5th and 6th onto myiPod. I have been listening to them as I travel and have enjoyed them a great deal. I need to steep myself more in more of the symphonies; excepting No 1 which I have little fondness for.

So thanks for all the discussions and suggestions.

Mike

I have them on CD Mike. A Pastoral Symphony is my favourite of all recordings, as is Previn's No 8, which has a magical quality I have not detected in other versions. His A London Symphony is one of the best with a wonderfully atmospheric opening and No 9 is highly rated by many.

happy listening

Jeffrey

[vandermolen]

Have just ordered this. Looks like a very interesting historical release:

http://www.symposiumrecords.co.uk/pls/dad_generic/sym_cddets?p_caller=sym_artists&p_cdnos=1377

[karlhenning]

I think you're mistaking lightness for weakness. Lightness isn't easy. It's difficult.

Sean was talking about the thread namesake's Eighth?  Good corrective, Thos;  the Eighth has its own character, and is quite sufficiently distinct.

[drogulus]

Wow, I'm listening to "Fantasia on Christmas Carols" from this CD:



What an amazingly beautyful piece of music. The only problem, old people say (and my wife knows about all those 'old peoples' superstitions), if you listen to christmas music before Totensonntag (the sunday before 1. Advent), someone will die.

Anyway. Beautiful music. The singer, the chorus, the orchestra, they go all well together. I love this kind of accompaniment by the chorus in the first part of the piece.
Does someone know if there's a "Hodie" on the Chandos label? I don't find one. The search function on http://www.theclassicalshop.net/ pretty much sucks, you can only search by Artist/Composer.

EDIT: OK, I was maybe too stupid to search. The offer http://www.theclassicalshop.net/details06MP3.asp?CNumber=NX%200439 - unfortunately not as a lossless download. Seems to be a Naxos release? If anyone knows about a good Hodie interpretation and avail. as a lossless download, please let me know.

     Not lossless, but really worth having. I mean really:

        _{(click the pic)}

[ChamberNut]

I saw the Naxos complete set of Vaughan Williams symphonies for $39.99 CDN at a book store last night.  (w/ Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Paul Daniel (1,4) and Kees Bakels (2,3,5-9)

Value for money?   

[Lethevich]

I saw the Naxos complete set of Vaughan Williams symphonies for $39.99 CDN at a book store last night.  (w/ Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Paul Daniel (1,4) and Kees Bakels (2,3,5-9)

Value for money?   

There are other/cheaper options from Amazon CA:

Boult 1 $20
Boult 2 $40
Previn $34
Collector's edition $60 (this is 30 discs and includes the Handley cycle which is IMO one of the best, and [also IMO] possibly THE best introduction).
Haitink $41

[drogulus]

There are other/cheaper options from Amazon CA:

Boult 1 $20
Boult 2 $40
Previn $34
Collector's edition $60 (this is 30 discs and includes the Handley cycle which is IMO one of the best, and [also IMO] possibly THE best introduction).
Haitink $41

      The only complete set I have is Boult II, and I can't think of any better starting point, unless you don't mind antique mono sound in the first 7 of Boult I (8 & 9 are stereo).