Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[vandermolen]

The Prom performance (of A Pastoral Symphony) interestingly used a tenor rather than a soprano in the last movement, maybe deliberately in view of the centenary of the First World War. Vaughan Williams apparently was happy for a tenor to be used for the wordless vocal section in the last movement. I found it all very moving and that was listening in on the car radio!

[snyprrr]

I was looking over some RVW Reviews. Aye aye, the Reviewers here are 10X more anal than even on the DSCH listings. They themselves may turn me off of RVW, gaaaaaah!!

1) I can't me handle any wind machines. (suuurely technology can help here?)

2) Handley, Hickox, Thomson, Boult, Previn, Haitink, Norrington... can't keep 'em straight.

[Mirror Image]

I was looking over some RVW Reviews. Aye aye, the Reviewers here are 10X more anal than even on the DSCH listings. They themselves may turn me off of RVW, gaaaaaah!!

1) I can't me handle any wind machines. (suuurely technology can help here?)

2) Handley, Hickox, Thomson, Boult, Previn, Haitink, Norrington... can't keep 'em straight.

Well, people like what they like and go for interpretations that suit their own tastes. If someone turns you off RVW then that's your own fault and you're truly missing out on one of the greatest of the 20th Century IMHO. This said, I like Thomson, Handley, Previn, Boult, and a few of Haitink's performances. I do not like Norrington nor have I ever liked any Norrington performance. Anyway, are you looking for recommendations or what?

[Mirror Image]

Recently a good friend of mine asked me to give him some RVW recommendations that didn't duplicate his Boult set of symphonies as he wasn't in the market for another symphony set, so here's what I recommended:



He said he didn't own any of the concerti and Chandos put together this box as a companion set to Thomson's symphony set, so he could get this one and have all the concerti plus if he ever wanted to get another symphony set, he can opt for the Thomson.



This EMI two-fer has an assortment of goodies most notably the only recorded performance of the ballet Old King Cole. There are also many other fine performances like Five Mystical Songs and Concerto Accademico.

Since he doesn't own a performance of Job, A Masque for Dancing and since I think it's a major work of RVW's, I suggest this recording:



Other suggestions I made was the set of choral music on Hyperion with Matthew Best conducting. Those were great recordings. What do you guys think of these suggestions?

[TheGSMoeller]

Big +1 for the Job recording rec, John, a great piece of music.

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Big +1 for the Job recording rec, John, a great piece of music.

Well you actually recommended me this recording, Greg. I already had every Job (including all three of Boult's), but you suggested I hunt down this Hickox recording, which I didn't know existed, and to this day it remains my favorite performance of the work.

[TheGSMoeller]

Well you actually recommended me this recording, Greg. I already had every Job (including all three of Boult's), but you suggested I hunt down this Hickox recording, which I didn't know existed, and to this day it remains my favorite performance of the work.

Very cool, John. I actually forgot that. After a few thousand posts or so you start to forget what you said to who about what! 

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Very cool, John. I actually forgot that. After a few thousand posts or so you start to forget what you said to who about what! 

Hell, I forgot what I said 20 minutes ago!

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams's 142nd birthday today. So listened to Symphony 5 and Lark Ascending (Bryden Thomson). I think that Bryden Thomson has been v underrated in VW and Bax.
[asin]B00007JIT3[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Vaughan Williams's 142nd birthday today. So listened to Symphony 5 and Lark Ascending (Bryden Thomson). I think that Bryden Thomson has been v underrated in VW and Bax.
[asin]B00007JIT3[/asin]

My favorite RVW cycle is Thomson's. That Lark Ascending performance is fantastic as well. All of the nuances found in the work are performed to perfection by violinist Michael Davis and the accompaniment from Thomson couldn't be any better.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Vaughan Williams's 142nd birthday today.

I listened to my LP of On Wenlock Edge, Ian Partridge singing. I'm just getting to know this work, but it sounds like VW at his "English visionary" best.

[vandermolen]

I listened to my LP of On Wenlock Edge, Ian Partridge singing. I'm just getting to know this work, but it sounds like VW at his "English visionary" best.

Coincidentally I listened to that wonderful Haitink CD in the car today with the 6th Symphony, in the Fen Country and On Wenlock Edge. It must be one of the best VW discs around for the quality of the music and the performances (it is also dirt cheap on UK Amazon). I then turned on the car radio and they were playing the same recording of In the Fen Country, which was a bit spooky!
[asin]B00000I7WF[/asin]

[vandermolen]

My favorite RVW cycle is Thomson's. That Lark Ascending performance is fantastic as well. All of the nuances found in the work are performed to perfection by violinist Michael Davis and the accompaniment from Thomson couldn't be any better.

I agree, it is a fine cycle. He is one of the few to get No 6 right.

[Karl Henning]

Coincidentally I listened to that wonderful Haitink CD in the car today with the 6th Symphony, in the Fen Country and On Wenlock Edge. It must be one of the best VW discs around for the quality of the music and the performances (it is also dirt cheap on UK Amazon). I then turned on the car radio and they were playing the same recording of In the Fen Country, which was a bit spooky!
[asin]B00000I7WF[/asin]

That is indeed a beauty, Jeffrey!

[Mirror Image]

That is indeed a beauty, Jeffrey!

+1

[Mirror Image]

Coincidentally I listened to that wonderful Haitink CD in the car today with the 6th Symphony, in the Fen Country and On Wenlock Edge. It must be one of the best VW discs around for the quality of the music and the performances (it is also dirt cheap on UK Amazon). I then turned on the car radio and they were playing the same recording of In the Fen Country, which was a bit spooky!
[asin]B00000I7WF[/asin]

Yes, that's quite a coincidence, Jeffrey. Spooky indeed. That's a great recording there. I've really come to appreciate Haitink's RVW cycle more and more throughout the years. I need to give the whole cycle another spin pretty soon.

[vandermolen]

Yes, that's quite a coincidence, Jeffrey. Spooky indeed. That's a great recording there. I've really come to appreciate Haitink's RVW cycle more and more throughout the years. I need to give the whole cycle another spin pretty soon.

Thanks John. I have come to realise what a fine work 'In the Fen Country' is. A kind of transitional work between the Brahms/Parry (as in A Sea Symphony) VW and the fully original VW voice.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks John. I have come to realise what a fine work 'In the Fen Country' is. A kind of transitional work between the Brahms/Parry (as in A Sea Symphony) VW and the fully original VW voice.

Yep, that's a fine work, indeed. One of my favorite RVW works, aside from the symphonies and Job, is Flos campi. Any favorite performances of this work, Jeffrey?

[Karl Henning]

Love Flos campi.

[North Star]

Hm, I need more RVW discs in my life, in addition to the symphonies, and the EMI Tow. Unkn. Reg. /  Dona Nobis Pacem / Fantasia on the Old 104th Psalm / Lark / Tallis / Partita / Cto Grso / Romance for harmonica & strings.
Any suggestions?