Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Karl Henning]

I've not heard the original Piano Concerto for any comparison . . . but I am much enjoying making the acquakntance of the Concerto for Two Pianos.

[Karl Henning]

That Finale alla tedesca has something of a RVW hommage à la Valse de Ravel vibe going.

[Mirror Image]

I've not heard the original Piano Concerto for any comparison . . . but I am much enjoying making the acquakntance of the Concerto for Two Pianos.

I prefer the Concerto for Two Pianos for the simple fact that the piano writing is obviously much fuller, but then again this is the version I heard first and when I listened to the version for just one piano it didn't sound quite right to me.

[vandermolen]

My preference is also for the two piano version - especially in the Vronsky/Babin/Boult EMI recording - one of the great VW performances I think.  I like VW's late piano writing and was yesterday listening to his 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' - a remarkable work and currently one of my favourite works by the composer. If you are a VW fan and don't know this work do look it out.  The late Violin Sonata is probably with SQ No 2 my favourite piece of chamber music by Vaughan Williams.  I like the late, craggy, percussive piano writing very much. The Fantasia on the Old 104th can be found on the great, inexpensive, double album below.  Perhaps the best VW reissue CD in the EMI British Composers series as it also marked the return of Boult's fine recording of 'Dona Nobis Pacem' and Sargent's 'Tallis Fantasia' (a wonderful performance) alongside much else (Larry Adler's 'Harmonica Romance' for starters).
[asin]B00005Q2X8[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

I need to spend proper "quality time" with the Violin Sonata. It has certainly been pleasurable to listen to it, but it has suffered (not through any 'fault' of its own!) by being on the same CD as the Elgar Violin Sonata . . . so that as a rule, when I reached for the CD, it was to listen to the Elgar, which is so rich a listen, it hasn't been fair to RVW to just keep rolling . . . .

[vandermolen]

I need to spend proper "quality time" with the Violin Sonata. It has certainly been pleasurable to listen to it, but it has suffered (not through any 'fault' of its own!) by being on the same CD as the Elgar Violin Sonata . . . so that as a rule, when I reached for the CD, it was to listen to the Elgar, which is so rich a listen, it hasn't been fair to RVW to just keep rolling . . . .

Perhaps the best version Karl is by the Music Group of London (EMI) on a great all VW CD. If you get that you wont be distracted by the Elgar  .

[Karl Henning]

[...] If you get that you wont be distracted by the Elgar  .

Hah!

[calyptorhynchus]

Don't know whether people have spoken about VW's solo piano works before. I haven't seen many recordings of them. I have a disk on an obscure label from about 1988 which is one of my favorite disks, it has various pieces including a chorale prelude on a theme of Gibbons, a piece, The Lake in the Mountains, arranged from one of his film scores, and his arrangement of Bach's Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ (a Schulber Chorale). This last piece is amazing, Bach arranged a previous chorale by another composer, and VW adds a fifth part. It was written for Harriet Cohen, who apparently had four hands, or twenty fingers. Absolutely beautiful.

[eyeresist]

From an Amazon search, I'd say that was the recording played by Peter Jacobs, on Trax Classique. Cheapest Amazon marketplace version is about $64

[Lethevich]

The Lake in the Mountains is included on a Nash Ensemble disc of his chamber works - it's a very good and atmospheric piece, it would be a nice "mystery" recital inclusion.

[vandermolen]

I really like 'The Lake in the Mountains' on that very nice Hyperion disc.  Oddly enough I was wondering about VW's piano music yesterday and thinking of all the works I like which include a significant (and often 'craggy') piano part. I like these works very much:

The Lake in the Mountains (a lovely piece - not at all craggy)

Fantasia on the Old 104th (great despite opening sounding like 'Sparky's Magic Piano')

Epithalamion (lovely late work - very neglected)

Piano Concerto/Concerto for Two Pianos (obviously)

Violin Sonata.

[vandermolen]

I was delighted to hear the Te Deum played today during the Jubilee service at St Paul's in London.

[Christo]

I was delighted to hear the Te Deum played today during the Jubilee service at St Paul's in London.

Me too. Finally a Jubilee Concerto deservintg the name. 

[vandermolen]

Me too. Finally a Jubilee Concerto deservintg the name. 

Re: 'The magic casements'. Lovely VW quote on your message - yes, very interesting what the 'cheerful agnostic' vicar's son had to say.

[eyeresist]

Also, RVW grew up in a house which had "casements".

[Elgarian]

Also, RVW grew up in a house which had "casements".

... as well as a volume of Keats's poetry:

" . . . magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn."

[Christo]

... as well as a volume of Keats's poetry:

" . . . magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn."

Yes, definitely Keats, who was often in RVW's mind.

[vandermolen]

Thanks. Shamefully I did no realise it was from Keats (my wife's favourite poet).

[Karl Henning]

... as well as a volume of Keats's poetry:

" . . . magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn."

Lovely.

[eyeresist]

Faery lands forlorn? Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft