Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Sergeant Rock]

Continuing where I left off (I think), my votes:

5 - Menuhin, Previn (Telarc), Barbirolli

6 - Boult I, Berglund, A. Davis

7 - Haitink, Previn. Boult I

8 - Barbirolli, Haitink, Handley

9 - Haitink, Thompson, Bakels


Sarge

[vandermolen]

Does anyone else think that Boult's RVW "swings?"

Certainly it does in the CD which accompanies the new issue of BBC Music Magazine - a wonderful 1972 Prom performance of Symphony No 6 (my favourite) with the BBC SO.  I think that Boult's objective way with Vaughan Williams really suits this symphony (he conducted the first performance). I think that Barbirolli's 'warmer' manner suits Symphony No 5 (EMI version) better. By the way the coupling on the BBC Magazine CD is Frank Bridge's 'The Sea' in a terrific 2013 recording (Brabbins). This is perhaps my favourite ever BBC Music Mag. CD.

[TheGSMoeller]

[enjoying some tea on the Veranda]

Looking for some comments on Previn's RVW. Any thoughts on his interpretations and performances? I only own one disc (see below), and was enjoying last night, especially the 4th, perhaps interested in exploring more from him. I know he's recorded some on RCA and Telarc so this question is referencing both.
Thanks!

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Looking for some comments on Previn's RVW.

I've had 2-6 and 9 in the Previn/RCA cycle. Summary, good (sometimes very good) performances, but let down for me by the rather glassy and one-dimensional sonics. The first mvt. of the 4th sounds a bit sluggish, but otherwise no complaints performance-wise. I also have Previn's later 2 on Telarc, which is a good performance with none of the older cycle's sonic drawbacks.

[Brahmsian]

[enjoying some tea on the Veranda]

Looking for some comments on Previn's RVW. Any thoughts on his interpretations and performances? I only own one disc (see below), and was enjoying last night, especially the 4th, perhaps interested in exploring more from him. I know he's recorded some on RCA and Telarc so this question is referencing both.
Thanks!

I think Mirror Image (John) can fill you in on this particular performance.  I think John has every complete Vaughan Williams symphony cycle.

I can't comment, I only have the Boult/EMI Classics set, with London Philharmonic/New Philharmonia.  Symphonies 2-9 are bloody fantastic! 

[Parsifal]

[enjoying some tea on the Veranda]

Looking for some comments on Previn's RVW. Any thoughts on his interpretations and performances? I only own one disc (see below), and was enjoying last night, especially the 4th, perhaps interested in exploring more from him. I know he's recorded some on RCA and Telarc so this question is referencing both.
Thanks!

The release you show was plucked from Previn's 60's cycle, which was actually recorded by Decca's production team (Ken Wilkinson) in Kingsway Hall.   I have it in a now out of print box CD set which I have not found time to listen to (too much Vaughan Williams, to little time).

[vandermolen]

I have the Previn RCA set which is excellent.  The best performances were recorded last I think. Nos 2,3 and 5 are as good as any in my view - the others are all strong. Previn's No 3 is my favourite version as his No 8 which has a uniquely magical quality to it.

[DavidRoss]

Where have you been all my life?

Thank you, Sarge & vandermolen, for calling this to our attention.  Such "discoveries" make dropping in occasionally worthwhile, and some are so good as to require a public expression of gratitude.

[TheGSMoeller]

Where have you been all my life?

Thank you, Sarge & vandermolen, for calling this to our attention.  Such "discoveries" make dropping in occasionally worthwhile, and some are so good as to require a public expression of gratitude.

Hey, David, good to see you back. That is a great disc, I agree.

[DavidRoss]

Hey, David, good to see you back. That is a great disc, I agree.

That's kind of you, Greg. I hadn't even finished hearing the entire symphony via Mog before getting click-happy on Amazon! Previn & Thomson seem destined to become alternates instead of first choices.

[Karl Henning]

Where have you been all my life?

Thank you, Sarge & vandermolen, for calling this to our attention.  Such "discoveries" make dropping in occasionally worthwhile, and some are so good as to require a public expression of gratitude.

Hey, David, good to see you back. That is a great disc, I agree.

A Dave sighting! Huzzah!

And thank you both (and Sarge & Jeffrey) for pointing this album out.  Starting with Towards the Unknown Region, myself . . . .

[Parsifal]

Where have you been all my life?

Thank you, Sarge & vandermolen, for calling this to our attention.  Such "discoveries" make dropping in occasionally worthwhile, and some are so good as to require a public expression of gratitude.

Barbirolli's 5th and London Symphony recordings were my introduction to these works, and I can't say I've heard anything that I felt equaled them.  Same is true of Barbirolli's recordings of the Elgar Symphonies.

I must say I wish EMI would pay more respect to Barbirolli's legacy.  They did release an "Icon" box of Barbirolli, but sparsely selected from his discography.  I would be first on line to buy a "Complete Barbirolli on EMI" box."  He did a superb Brahms Symphony cycle with the Wiener Philharmoniker which has never had a proper CD release.  It would be worth it just to have those recordings properly mastered for CD.

[vandermolen]

David and Karl - I'm very pleased that you think so highly of the EMI Barbirolli Symphony 5 - I agree that there is no better performance and, as with Parsifal, I agree that it and the EMI 'A London Symphony' are wonderful performances (that of 'A London Symphony' being more controversially slow in the scherzo).
When I was a boy I think that my older brother wanted VW Symphony 4 for Christmas and my mother bought the Barbirolli VW No 5 by mistake - but this was a good thing as we both loved the work. I recall my mother having an EMI King's College sampler LP and apparently both my brother and I rushed into the living room, from different directions in our flat (appartment) when we heard a very striking piece of music, which turned out to be the last of the 'Five Mystical Songs' in the wonderful David Willcock's recording on EMI.

[Karl Henning]

I'm a "ringer" in a college chorus performance this month of the Five Mystical Songs, Jeffrey; lovely music. (Not the first I've sung in them!)

[vandermolen]

I'm a "ringer" in a college chorus performance this month of the Five Mystical Songs, Jeffrey; lovely music. (Not the first I've sung in them!)

One of his greatest works I think Karl. How exciting that you are performing the work - great news. 

[Martin Lind]

Hi! I bought the big Emi Vaughan Williams Box some time ago. I know already his symphonies, some of his shorter orchestrals works, string quartetts. But now I have this 30 CD box and I really don't know where to start to explore more of Vaughan Williams works. Any recommendations?

[TheGSMoeller]

Hi! I bought the big Emi Vaughan Williams Box some time ago. I know already his symphonies, some of his shorter orchestrals works, string quartetts. But now I have this 30 CD box and I really don't know where to start to explore more of Vaughan Williams works. Any recommendations?

I don't know who performs it, or if it's even in that set, but Flos Campi is one of RVW's best work. Talk about mystical. 

[Christo]

One of his greatest works I think Karl.

Ha, finally! About the only time we seem to disagree ... 

[Karl Henning]

Well, I regret having been he who cast up the bone of contention : )

[calyptorhynchus]

Martin Lind

Lucky you with 30 CDs!

I am a terribly organised listener, I will decide, for example to listen to the symphonies of a composer and I listen to them in order. However recently I have begun to do this in reverse, I find it makes the earlier works more understandable.

So with VW, why not start with the late works and work back to the beginning?