Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Christo]

I hardly think that possible on this side of The Pond.

Neither is it in this country, to my regrets. Over the years I heard Nos. 2, 3 and 5 in (good) amateur and Nos. 4 and 7 in professional performances and missed two opportunities for  a professional Sea Symphony in more recent years. I missed Norrington doing the Pastoral in 2003 in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw en Nos. 4 and 6 by Edo de Waart in Rotterdam around 1998, but I never heard about any performance of Nos. 8 and 9. The good news is: in April I heard the Fourth in Rotterdam after a great introduction by conductor Sir Mark Elder; making it a special occasion (though he was mistaken when he suggested this to be Rotterdam premiere, so I had to correct him :-) )

[vandermolen]

Neither is it in this country, to my regrets. Over the years I heard Nos. 2, 3 and 5 in (good) amateur and Nos. 4 and 7 in professional performances and missed two opportunities for  a professional Sea Symphony in more recent years. I missed Norrington doing the Pastoral in 2003 in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw en Nos. 4 and 6 by Edo de Waart in Rotterdam around 1998, but I never heard about any performance of Nos. 8 and 9. The good news is: in April I heard the Fourth in Rotterdam after a great introduction by conductor Sir Mark Elder; making it a special occasion (though he was mistaken when he suggested this to be Rotterdam premiere, so I had to correct him :-) )

Yes, I have been lucky here as some conductors have conducted complete cycles like Hickox and Manze. I'm old enough to have heard Boult conduct several of the symphonies. I heard Norman Del Mar conduct A Pastoral Symphony (very poor performance - my brother fell asleep during the concert).  The Hickox 1913 version of A London Symphony was a highlight for me. Decades ago there was a Festival of British music where I recall hearing Sinfonia Antartica and A Sea Symphony. I heard Boult conduct Symphony 8 on 12th October 1972 - the composer's 100th Birthday (and 'Job' - the first time I heard the work),  and Symphony 5 in Westminster Abbey (where VW's ashes are buried a few days later or earlier). I was 17 at the time.

[PerfectWagnerite]

I heard Norman Del Mar conduct A Pastoral Symphony (very poor performance - my brother fell asleep during the concert). 

Can't say I really blame him, can't really listen to that work myself for more than a couple of minutes without dozing off.

[vandermolen]

Can't say I really blame him, can't really listen to that work myself for more than a couple of minutes without dozing off.

Although Michael Kennedy thinks it's his greatest symphony.

[Christo]

Can't say I really blame him, can't really listen to that work myself for more than a couple of minutes without dozing off.

I always agreed with Michael Kennedy: it really is his 'War Requiem'  and already as a youth (this being one of the first pieces by RVW that I ever heard, I was fourteen) I felt the extreme tension underneath the surface and found it very exciting. 

[vandermolen]

I always agreed with Michael Kennedy: it really is his 'War Requiem'  and already as a youth (this being one of the first pieces by RVW that I ever heard, I was fourteen) I felt the extreme tension underneath the surface and found it very exciting. 

Yes, I think it's a fine work too. Oddly enough I think I prefer listening to it on record rather than live in concert although maybe that's because the live performance I heard wasn't very good.

[PerfectWagnerite]

Anyone heard The Lark Ascending from here featuring Iona Brown on the violin?

[asin]B000004CVM[/asin]

Man this really is as good as it gets. Perhaps not as big a name as others but can that lady play the violin? The gorgeous opening achieving the most transcendental piano you will hear, plus the drop dead gorgeous bowing. It really doesn't get better than this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzONNtE_WqM

(there must be half a dozen others on youtube but none as good)

[vandermolen]

Anyone heard The Lark Ascending from here featuring Iona Brown on the violin?

[asin]B000004CVM[/asin]

Man this really is as good as it gets. Perhaps not as big a name as others but can that lady play the violin? The gorgeous opening achieving the most transcendental piano you will hear, plus the drop dead gorgeous bowing. It really doesn't get better than this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzONNtE_WqM

(there must be half a dozen others on youtube but none as good)

It is good but my favourite remains the Hugh Bean/Boult version.

[Karl Henning]

It is good but my favourite remains the Hugh Bean/Boult version.

As I have also found with the Tallis Fantasia, The Lark Ascending is a thoroughly enchanting piece to hear live, in ways which may surprise someone accustomed to listening to recordings.  As wonderful as it is to have all the recordings, there remains no substitute for hearing live music-making in the space.

[Karl Henning]

(The Pops! concert of the Arlington Philharmonic Society for which I was The Güiro Man was in fact the first I heard The Lark Ascending live.)

[Peter Power Pop]

Anyone heard The Lark Ascending from here featuring Iona Brown on the violin?

[asin]B000004CVM[/asin]

Man this really is as good as it gets. Perhaps not as big a name as others but can that lady play the violin? The gorgeous opening achieving the most transcendental piano you will hear, plus the drop dead gorgeous bowing. It really doesn't get better than this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzONNtE_WqM

(there must be half a dozen others on youtube but none as good)

I adore that album. It was the first Vaughan Williams disc I bought, and it's still my favourite. Nineteen thumbs up from me.

As for this particular The Lark Ascending, it's my ideal performance. Everything about it is perfection (to me). This also applies to the other performances on the CD.

https://www.youtube.com/v/tzONNtE_WqM

[PerfectWagnerite]

I adore that album. It was the first Vaughan Williams disc I bought, and it's still my favourite. Nineteen thumbs up from me.

As for this particular The Lark Ascending, it's my ideal performance. Everything about it is perfection (to me). This also applies to the other performances on the CD.

https://www.youtube.com/v/tzONNtE_WqM

Yes while others are good I find Iona Browns bowing truly magical. It is as if she plays the entire piece on one bow. Also notice how rich her tone is even on the very high notes, plus she does not resort to any cheap portamentos. There is sincerity and directness in her expressions.

Switching subjects, which one of these would you guys buy:

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[asin]B0014DAI9U[/asin]

I've listened to bits and pieces of both on Youtube and both are quite good. The Davis has slightly richer sound but the Bakels is fresher and more urgent I feel.

[relm1]

I so much love RVW.  Anytime I hear some from him, I am reminded why he is one of my top 5 favorites.  What is your favorite version of Symphony No. 3?  It is the last work of his that I haven't fully explored so has a sense of discovery for me (except for world premieres).

[Peter Power Pop]

Yes while others are good I find Iona Browns bowing truly magical. It is as if she plays the entire piece on one bow. Also notice how rich her tone is even on the very high notes, plus she does not resort to any cheap portamentos. There is sincerity and directness in her expressions.

Switching subjects, which one of these would you guys buy:

[asin]B001BLR7AI[/asin]

[asin]B0014DAI9U[/asin]

I've listened to bits and pieces of both on Youtube and both are quite good. The Davis has slightly richer sound but the Bakels is fresher and more urgent I feel.

I don't know, but you might want to fix the link for the Davis set in your post. (You'll need to get rid of the line break.)

[vandermolen]

Yes while others are good I find Iona Browns bowing truly magical. It is as if she plays the entire piece on one bow. Also notice how rich her tone is even on the very high notes, plus she does not resort to any cheap portamentos. There is sincerity and directness in her expressions.

Switching subjects, which one of these would you guys buy:

[asin]B001BLR7AI[/asin]

[asin]B0014DAI9U[/asin]

I've listened to bits and pieces of both on Youtube and both are quite good. The Davis has slightly richer sound but the Bakels is fresher and more urgent I feel.

The Davis has a fab version of Symphony 6 - the greatest of his symphonies IMHO but very difficult to get right on disc. Following on from that the others in the cycle were seen to be a bit of an anti-climax. Having said that I enjoy Davis's performances more than many others. On balance I'd probably opt for the Naxos box although I prefer the Boult cycles on Decca and Warner and the ones by Thomson and Previn. The Previn on RCA is a wonderful cycle but you don't get any booklet notes.

[Oates]

I so much love RVW.  Anytime I hear some from him, I am reminded why he is one of my top 5 favorites.  What is your favorite version of Symphony No. 3?  It is the last work of his that I haven't fully explored so has a sense of discovery for me (except for world premieres).

My only CD the No.3 for years was by Vernon Handley (RLPO on EMI Eminence from the 1990s) and I'm now so used to this that I'm less tolerant of other versions. I think this CD is perfect in every way. I also think the Hickox version on Chandos is very good as well. I tried the 1968 EMI version by Adrian Boult expecting this performance to top the lot (as it should do) but I found it disappointing.

[vandermolen]

I so much love RVW.  Anytime I hear some from him, I am reminded why he is one of my top 5 favorites.  What is your favorite version of Symphony No. 3?  It is the last work of his that I haven't fully explored so has a sense of discovery for me (except for world premieres).

The version with Andre Previn and the LSO is by far my favourite. The Mark Elder version is also excellent.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

The Davis has a fab version of Symphony 6 - the greatest of his symphonies IMHO but very difficult to get right on disc. Following on from that the others in the cycle were seen to be a bit of an anti-climax. Having said that I enjoy Davis's performances more than many others. On balance I'd probably opt for the Naxos box although I prefer the Boult cycles on Decca and Warner and the ones by Thomson and Previn. The Previn on RCA is a wonderful cycle but you don't get any booklet notes.

Of the Naxos issues, I've only heard the 7/8, but I think it's superb sonically and the performances are very good. In fact, it sounds so good I've used it to test and show off audio equipment (in particular, the gradual build-up to the climax of the 7th's slow movement).

I dissent from the widespread praise of the Davis 6th - I find it a bit underpowered. Give me Boult or Handley instead.

[PerfectWagnerite]

The version with Andre Previn and the LSO is by far my favourite. The Mark Elder version is also excellent.

Speaking of the third anyone heard this with with Ormandy/Philadelphia?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl9Jc4ni1yA

One of the very rarely recorded performance of a non-British conductor and non-British orchestra.

And where is the cd version?

[Parsifal]

I have and greatly enjoy the Davis Box, I have not heard the Naxos alternative. Another set that I loved was Haitink, and one that I didn't love was Boult/EMI (sound was irritating, attributable to non-ideal remastering done in the early days of the CD).