Top 5 Vaughan Williams works.

[vandermolen]

The two piano concerto is an adaptation of the piano concerto, which was thought at the time too difficult to play for a single pianist. It's pretty much the same work, so Amazon wasn't wrong.

A few months ago, I listened to pretty much everything RVW wrote in a short period of time. This is the 10 personal favorites that came out of it :

1.   Symphonie n°6
2.   Four poems by Fredegond Shove
3.   Symphony n°9
4.   The lark's ascending
5.   Symphony n°5
6.   Four last songs
7.   Piano concerto
8.   Symphony n°4
9.   Riders to the sea
10.   String quartet n°2

Flos Campi, Symphony n°8, Five Tudor portraits and the ten blake songs are right behind.

I'm especially interested in your choice of Four Poems by Fredgond Shove. Having listed to Vaughan Williams's music for over forty years I only discovered them a couple of weeks ago when I impulse bought a cheap second hand CD of songs by Vaughan Williams and Rubbra on Amazon. I thought that the song 'Four Nights' from the Shove cycle was absolutely beautiful and haunting and was delighted to discover a new VW work of such appeal.
Riders to the Sea is another haunting and moving score. I am also a great admirer of the a String Quartet No.2 with its echoes of Symphony 6 - his greatest in my view.

[Mr Bloom]

You can only pick one symphony, Paul.

This message wasn't for me, but I missed that rule  .
So, my choice of five would be :
Symphony n°6
Four poems by Fredegond Shove
The lark's ascending
Piano concerto
Riders to the sea

I'm especially interested in your choice of Four Poems by Fredgond Shove. Having listed to Vaughan Williams's music for over forty years I only discovered them a couple of weeks ago when I impulse bought a cheap second hand CD of songs by Vaughan Williams and Rubbra on Amazon. I thought that the song 'Four Nights' from the Shove cycle was absolutely beautiful and haunting and was delighted to discover a new VW work of such appeal.

I've also discovered recently the Four poems by Fredegond Shove when I listened, in sequence, to everything RVW wrote. I think it's one of his most haunting and subtle piece. It's one of these pieces in which a lot is done with only a few chord sequences, a few notes and a simple melody, nothing fancy or spectacular. The first three songs are just dusky jewels to me.

I also agree on the echoes of symphony 6 in the second string quartet. A great piece, that deserve more acknowledgment than it gets.

[vandermolen]

This message wasn't for me, but I missed that rule  .
So, my choice of five would be :
Symphony n°6
Four poems by Fredegond Shove
The lark's ascending
Piano concerto
Riders to the sea
I've also discovered recently the Four poems by Fredegond Shove when I listened, in sequence, to everything RVW wrote. I think it's one of his most haunting and subtle piece. It's one of these pieces in which a lot is done with only a few chord sequences, a few notes and a simple melody, nothing fancy or spectacular. The first three songs are just dusky jewels to me.

I also agree on the echoes of symphony 6 in the second string quartet. A great piece, that deserve more acknowledgment than it gets.

Totally agree with you. The late, craggy Violin Sonata is another favourite as is the 'Fantasia on the Old 104th'.

[Christo]

Ooff, have played his music for about 40 years - and love it all.  Noblesse oblige, as they say; and otherwise I feel obliged as well.  My desert island choice would be:

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1910)
A Pastoral Symphony (1916-21)
Symphony No. 6 (1944-47)
Partita for Double String Orchestra (1948)
Symphony No. 9 (1956-57)

Edit: Sorry, missed the playing rules! With only one piece per category, I now opt for:

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1910)
Mass in g minor (1922)
Flos Campi for viola, wordless chorus, and small orchestra (1925)
Suite for Pipes (1939)
Symphony No. 6 (1944-47)

[vandermolen]

Ooff, have played his music for about 40 years - and love it all.  Noblesse oblige, as they say; and otherwise I feel obliged as well.  My desert island choice would be:

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1910)
A Pastoral Symphony (1916-21)
Symphony No. 6 (1944-47)
Partita for Double String Orchestra (1948)
Symphony No. 9 (1956-57)

Edit: Sorry, missed the playing rules! With only one piece per category, I now opt for:

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1910)
Mass in g minor (1922)
Flos Campi for viola, wordless chorus, and small orchestra (1925)
Suite for Pipes (1939)
Symphony No. 6 (1944-47)

'Suite for Pipes' (1939)!! Never heard of it - panicky search of Amazon in process 


Had I been able to choose more that one Symphony I would definitely have chosen No.9 and the 1913 version of A London Symphony as well as No.6.

[Christo]

'Suite for Pipes' (1939)!! Never heard of it - panicky search of Amazon in process 

Had I been able to choose more that one Symphony I would definitely have chosen No.9 and the 1913 version of A London Symphony as well as No.6.

There are two recordings of the Suite for Pipes available on CD. One with the Flanders Recorder Quartet - that I like most, but is hard to find nowadays - and one with the Swedish Recorder Quartet:


There's also a less professional recording on Youtube (warning: not on an equal level at all, compared with the two above; but it offers an impression of the music);
https://www.youtube.com/v/K4rfvEmgsUM

[vandermolen]

There are two recordings of the Suite for Pipes available on CD. One with the Flanders Recorder Quartet - that I like most, but is hard to find nowadays - and one with the Swedish Recorder Quartet:


There's also a less professional recording on Youtube (warning: not on an equal level at all, compared with the two above; but it offers an impression of the music);
https://www.youtube.com/v/K4rfvEmgsUM

Many thanks Johan 

I had already tracked down three movements of the four on You Tube played by the Swedish group and the complete work (which you kindly posted) which didn't sound too far removed from me playing the recorder at school 
It is a fine work, very 'Medieval England' in spirit. The second movement was especially lovely. Thanks for alerting me to it.

[Christo]

Another banchetto musicale, compositions from the second half of the 1950s, the composer as an octogenarian, remarkably fruitful years, more adventurous and exploring than ever:

Three Portraits from The England of Elizabeth (1955)
Symphony No. 9 (1956-7)
Ten Blake Songs, song cycle for high voice and oboe (1957)
Variations for brass band (1957)
The First Nowell, nativity play (1958)

[vandermolen]

Another banchetto musicale, compositions from the second half of the 1950s, the composer as an octogenarian, remarkably fruitful years, more adventurous and exploring than ever:

Three Portraits from The England of Elizabeth (1955)
Symphony No. 9 (1956-7)
Ten Blake Songs, song cycle for high voice and oboe (1957)
Variations for brass band (1957)
The First Nowell, nativity play (1958)

Yes, all great works. The late, craggy, Violin Sonata and the 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' are also favourites of mine.

[Christo]

I had already tracked down three movements of the four on You Tube played by the Swedish group and the complete work (which you kindly posted) which didn't sound too far removed from me playing the recorder at school  It is a fine work, very 'Medieval England' in spirit. The second movement was especially lovely. Thanks for alerting me to it.

I found the Flanders Recorder Quartet recording of the beautiful 'Intrada' from the Suite for Pipes as well, on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/v/wdS1Pf-5-vg

[vandermolen]

I found the Flanders Recorder Quartet recording of the beautiful 'Intrada' from the Suite for Pipes as well, on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/v/wdS1Pf-5-vg

thanks very much.

[Ken B]

I found the Flanders Recorder Quartet recording of the beautiful 'Intrada' from the Suite for Pipes as well, on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/v/wdS1Pf-5-vg

Hey! That painting on the right looks very Group of 7, Franklin Carmichael in particular.

[North Star]

Hey! That painting on the right looks very Group of 7, Franklin Carmichael in particular.

So it does! Can't say I noticed that before you said, though, as I haven't studied their works in any depth below the odd 10 minutes of looking at their works & bios online. The colours are very much what was used by them, perhaps Carmichael especially. Can't find the work now, though. There is Cezanne / 1900s Kandinsky-like look to the work (it certainly can't be confused as either artist's work, though), but definitely not the colours. Would be interesting if that work was identified, I didn't find it here.

[Ken B]

So it does! Can't say I noticed that before you said, though, as I haven't studied their works in any depth below the odd 10 minutes of looking at their works & bios online. The colours are very much what was used by them, perhaps Carmichael especially. Can't find the work now, though. There is Cezanne / 1900s Kandinsky-like look to the work (it certainly can't be confused as either artist's work, though), but definitely not the colours. Would be interesting if that work was identified, I didn't find it here.

I am 99% sure it's Carmichael and 100% astounded a Finn would recognize that!

Here's a review of a show by Brian Sewell. http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/exhibitions/painting-canada-tom-thomson-and-the-group-of-seven-dulwich-picture-gallery--review-7427192.html

I watched Sewell's Grand Tour. After reeling across the room from accent-shock I eventually found him a congenial host. But his personality is so strong and marked I expect many would not. (I like "provocative old queens" in general.)

[Mirror Image]

In no particular order:

Symphony No. 8
Flos Campi
Job, A Masque for Dancing
The Lark Ascending
Partita for Double String Orchestra

Wow...this is still a strong list. All of these works are favorites and I couldn't possibly add/subtract anything to it.

[Mirror Image]

I'm not 100% but it includes:

Piano Concerto
London symphony
The Wasps
Sinfonia antartica

Have you explored much of RVW's music, Josh?

[Mirror Image]

I guess a fair bit

I wish I knew what 'a fair bit' actually meant in your own terms.

[vandermolen]

Today's List:

Symphony 6
A London Symphony (1913 version)
Symphony 9
The Pilgrim's Progress
Concerto for Two Pianos.

[vandermolen]

Today's List:

Symphony 6
A London Symphony (1913 version)
Symphony 9
The Pilgrim's Progress
Concerto for Two Pianos.

I broke my own rule - only one symphony allowed! 

Ok, so here goes again:

Symphony 6
The Pilgrim's Progress
Concerto for Two Pianos
Violin Sonata
Fantasia on the Old 104th

[Sergeant Rock]

So, Jeffery, your favorites have changed in the last 20 months:

Symphony 6
The Pilgrim's Progress
Concerto for Two Pianos
Violin Sonata
Fantasia on the Old 104th

Jumping on the bandwagon - can't resist   

Only one symphony allowed:

Symphony 6
Sancta Civitas
Job
The Pilgrim's Progress
Dona Nobis Pacem

That's okay. I'm reconsidering mine, too, but will, for now, stick with what I chose the last time you created this thread:

Symphony No.4
Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Fantasia on "Greensleeves"
Serenade to Music