Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Mirror Image]

I also took in the Haitink 8th, MI....really enjoyed it.  The third is on my list next. I also just ordered some of his film music.

Excellent, Bill. Yeah, the 8th is really something else. I need to get more familiar with RVW's film music as well. I see that I can buy all the Chandos film music recordings in a box set now. I might explore that at some point. Right now, my mind is wrapped up in Russian/Soviet music. Killer stuff.

[Bogey]

Excellent, Bill. Yeah, the 8th is really something else. I need to get more familiar with RVW's film music as well. I see that I can buy all the Chandos film music recordings in a box set now. I might explore that at some point. Right now, my mind is wrapped up in Russian/Soviet music. Killer stuff.

Yup. Chandos has a number of film discs that look interesting, even beyond RVW.  However, I had a snippit of his film music on an lp, so am starting with Vol 2. We'll see where it goes.

[Mirror Image]

Yup. Chandos has a number of film discs that look interesting, even beyond RVW.  However, I had a snippit of his film music on an lp, so am starting with Vol 2. We'll see where it goes.

Yeah, they've got a good bit of those film recordings available. One of my favorites is this one:



Alwyn's Odd Man Out is IMHO one of the greatest film scores ever composed.

[Karl Henning]

... On a side note, I was not taken by Haitink's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.  I guess I am too attached to this one:



Your thoughts?

Girding my loins for travel to-morrow, Bill ... but I'll plan on revisiting the Haitink Fantasia on a Theme of Tallis while aloft, and will report.

[Sergeant Rock]

I found it fairly engaging the first go around, but much more so on the second listen.  However, when I turned to A London Symphony, I was immediately drawn in and let it play through numerous times.  In fact, even before I gave this second symphony a spin from my Boult set, I purchased this tonight:

Ah...my favorite Second. The Barbirolli Second and Eighth (the Eighth coupled with Elgar Enigma) were my first RVW purchases...my first classical purchases actually. Winter of '66. I still have the LPs (Vanguard Everyman) but own the Dutton remastered CD too.



Sarge

[vandermolen]

Yeah, they've got a good bit of those film recordings available. One of my favorites is this one:



Alwyn's Odd Man Out is IMHO one of the greatest film scores ever composed.

Have been in India for two weeks without internet so catching up. Totally agree with you about 'Odd Man Out' a truly symphonic score. The magnificent doomed processional reminds me of 'The March to Calvary' from Rozsa's 'Ben Hur'.

[Mirror Image]

Have been in India for two weeks without internet so catching up. Totally agree with you about 'Odd Man Out' a truly symphonic score. The magnificent doomed processional reminds me of 'The March to Calvary' from Rozsa's 'Ben Hur'.

I think Alwyn is so underrated. He wrote some magnificent music, which thankfully has been well recorded several times. I think I prefer Hickox's symphony cycle above them all.

Sorry to get this off-topic guys. You may now resume to your regularly scheduled programming.

[Mirror Image]

Another recording of RVW's 5th soon to be released:

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Looks like a promising recording. I like this team's last recording which they performed RVW's 4th.

[Mirror Image]

I listened to RVW's Symphony No. 5 this morning and I'm not sure what came over me but I weep over the Romanza movement. There is something so deeply moving it within that it conjured up several images in my mind of things that have long been gone in my life. This is just another testament to the power of RVW's music. He's one of the only composers who have caused me to loose control of my emotions. I can't think of any other composer who has done this, although Shostakovich has come very close. Anyway, I'm just rambling here, but I thought I would share this thought with you guys.

[Karl Henning]

Doesn't surprise me at all; there's something magickal about that movement in particular.  While visiting with my brother and sister-in-law I played that symphony in particular for them, felt the goosebumps in the Romanza all over again.

[Mirror Image]

Doesn't surprise me at all; there's something magickal about that movement in particular.  While visiting with my brother and sister-in-law I played that symphony in particular for them, felt the goosebumps in the Romanza all over again.

There certainly is, Karl. It doesn't matter how many times I listen to this symphony, it just keeps getting better and better. I'm finding this out with a lot RVW's works. Another moment in a RVW work that touched me was the opening of Job's Dream from Job, A Masque for Dancing. This is usually a subdued opening, but if you go back and listen to Hickox's recording on EMI, the volume seems louder than any other recording I've heard. I think this really made me take notice of it more than I have in the past when I listened to it. In fact, I'm humming that melody as I'm typing this!

[Karl Henning]

Well, it would be a funny world if we all heard music the same. (Certainly GMG would be a far less interesting place . . . .)

[Mirror Image]

Because of the love-fest from Mirror Image and Karl Henning over the Romance movement of RVW's Symphony No. 5, I decided to hear for myself.

Sorry to disappoint, but no emotional catharsis occurred.

As is the case with everything by this composer I've heard, it sounds vaguely like movie music with the overall effect similar to cold oatmeal.

You didn't disappoint me. You simply don't have ears for the music. Not everyone does. I'm sure there are composers you enjoy that I simply do not and would never enjoy even after taking the time to understand them. We're all wired differently.

[Mirror Image]

It's time for the RVW avatar to re-emerge. Well, there it is.

[Mirror Image]

Today feels like an RVW day!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Just for the record - I think the Romanza movement is miraculous, literally 'out of this world'.

[Mirror Image]

Because of the love-fest from Mirror Image and Karl Henning over the Romance movement of RVW's Symphony No. 5, I decided to hear for myself.

Sorry to disappoint, but no emotional catharsis occurred.

As is the case with everything by this composer I've heard, it sounds vaguely like movie music with the overall effect similar to cold oatmeal.

By the way, what composers do you like again? Give me your top 10.

[Mirror Image]

Just for the record - I think the Romanza movement is miraculous, literally 'out of this world'.

It really is, Johan, but there's so much RVW that inhabits an otherworldly dimension.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Agreed. There are more visionary moments in RVW's music. But this Romanza is something special, as is the Tallis Fantasia.

[Mirror Image]

In no particular order:

Haydn
Stravinsky
Mozart
Bartok
Beethoven
Webern
Brahms
Ravel
Carter
Bach

Very nice. We have several favorites in common: Bartok, Stravinsky, and Ravel. My list would look something like this (in no particular order):

Shostakovich
Ravel
Bartok
Vaughan Williams
Villa-Lobos
Prokofiev
Stravinsky
Debussy
Sibelius
Tippett