Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[vandermolen]

I got the Vaughan Williams Edition last week. It's a good investment for me because although I owned many of his "major" works (read: symphonies), I didn't know a lot else about his work.

OK, here's what I've listened to so far! * = first ever listen to the work.

*Toward the Unknown Region. London PO & Choir, Adrian Boult
*Dona nobis pacem. London PO & Choir, Adrian Boult
*Fantasia on the Old 104th Psalm. Katin, London PO & Choir, Adrian Boult
*Magnificat. Watts, Ambrosian Singers, Orchestra Nova, Meredith Davies
*Serenade to Music, orchestral version. Northern Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
*Old King Cole. Northern Sinfonia & Chorus, Richard Hickox
*Five Mystical Songs. Stephen Roberts, Northern Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
*Preludes, Running Set, Sea Songs March. Northern Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
Piano Concerto (duet version). Vronsky, Babin, London PO, Adrian Boult
*Phantasy Quintet. Music Group of London
Six Studies in English Folk Song. Eileen Croxford, David Parkhouse
*String Quartet No 2. Music Group of London
Concerto accademico. Bradley Creswick, Northern Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
*Oboe Concerto. Jonathan Small, Royal Liverpool PO, Vernon Handley
*Variations (orch. Jacob). Bournemouth SO, Richard Hickox
*Four hymn preludes (of five; the fifth is missing, but the choral versions are on another CD). Northern Sinfonia, Richard Hickox
Serenade to Music (singers and orchestra). London PO, soloists, Adrian Boult
Norfolk Rhapsody No 1. London SO, Adrian Boult
English Folk Song Suite. Philharmonia, Adrian Boult
The Wasps suite. London PO, Vernon Handley
*Prelude and Fugue for organ and orchestra. David Bell, London PO, Vernon Handley
Piano Concerto. Piers Lane, Royal Liverpool PO, Vernon Handley
*Concerto grosso. London PO, Adrian Boult
Tuba Concerto. Philip Catelinet, London SO, John Barbirolli
English Folk Song Suite. Royal Air Force Central Band, Eric Banks

There have been a lot of delightful surprises and one less delightful. The less delightful is that he wrote a lot of very fluffy light music that, sometimes, can trend toward the banal. I liked the Serenade to Music in its orchestral form well enough, but the sung version...oof. The words are so cheesy, and they seemed to transfer their cheese to the repeated violin solo, which I was really tired of by the end.

But the delightful surprises are so many more. I loved that first album of chorchestral stuff with Toward the Unknown Region and Dona nobis pacem (he has an extraordinary gift for lyrical vocal writing); I enjoyed the short Phantasy Quintet with his folksy influences; I got to try the orchestrated Variations. (The booklet gives no information whatsoever about the music, but these were written for band and Gordon Jacob added the strings.) And the concerto grosso for string orchestra! I had no idea that this existed at all, but it is a wonderful work, that over the course of 18 minutes goes from relatively austere, muscular writing in the style of Bliss or (maybe, pushing it) Walton to, in the finale, cracking a broad smile. What a delight. Where is it in contemporary compilations?

The chamber music is spottier for me. I didn't really "get" the second quartet on first listen, and currently am listening to the violin sonata, which is presumably some kind of ambitious early/student work. I wish the booklet provided information or at least dates!

Goals for later today: first-ever listen to Five Tudor Portraits and a relisten to Job.
Goals for next week: first-ever listens to Epithalamion, Riders to the Sea, Partita for double string orchestra, and the Mass in G Minor

You're about the only other person I've come across who also dislikes the 'Serenade To Music'. Personally. I can't stand it, finding it to be a rather twee, cloying and uncharacteristically self-congratulatory work. I also prefer the orchestral version.

[AaronSF]

Dona Nobis Pacem is great (especially Reconciliatoin)! I was able to perform it at my college.

I also sang the "Dona Nobis Pacem" with my university concert choir.  Lovely piece.

[Brian]

You're about the only other person I've come across who also dislikes the 'Serenade To Music'. Personally. I can't stand it, finding it to be a rather twee, cloying and uncharacteristically self-congratulatory work. I also prefer the orchestral version.

I'm in good company then!  When it got to the part where a trumpet fanfare plays and the soprano sings "Hark! The sweet sound of music!" (or similar words) I got almost angry! And then the part where the tenors insult people who don't like music...so very silly 

[calyptorhynchus]

and currently am listening to the violin sonata, which is presumably some kind of ambitious early/student work. I wish the booklet provided information or at least dates!

Pretty poor booklet! The Violin Sonata is a late work (1952).

[Roasted Swan]

[img=400x400]https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81cbIG3LcJL._SL1500_.jpg[/img]

 I liked the Serenade to Music in its orchestral form well enough, but the sung version...oof. The words are so cheesy,

the violin sonata, which is presumably some kind of ambitious early/student work.

To the bolded text can I apologise on behalf of Shakespeare.......

The violin sonata is a late/great work - 1954 according to the RVW Society website (I guess you had looked this up so this might just be a wind-up comment...?)

[vandermolen]

Pretty poor booklet! The Violin Sonata is a late work (1952).

Yes, the booklet is very poor. The Violin Sonata is my favourite chamber work by Vaughan William. My favourite performance is by the Music Group of London.

[Brian]

Yes, the booklet is very poor. The Violin Sonata is my favourite chamber work by Vaughan William. My favourite performance is by the Music Group of London.

That's the performance in this box - it doesn't even say which violinist in the group plays (I assume Hugh Bean). I posted only five minutes into the piece and (since someone asked) had no idea it was a late work. The final movement was definitely very interesting - I'll have to listen again soon with greater context and respect. 

[vandermolen]

That's the performance in this box - it doesn't even say which violinist in the group plays (I assume Hugh Bean). I posted only five minutes into the piece and (since someone asked) had no idea it was a late work. The final movement was definitely very interesting - I'll have to listen again soon with greater context and respect. 

Hugh Bean and David Parkhouse. This fine LP introduced me to the work:

[Atriod]

There have been a lot of delightful surprises and one less delightful. The less delightful is that he wrote a lot of very fluffy light music that, sometimes, can trend toward the banal. I liked the Serenade to Music in its orchestral form well enough, but the sung version...oof. The words are so cheesy, and they seemed to transfer their cheese to the repeated violin solo, which I was really tired of by the end.

I've heard less RVW than you, regarding the cheese, The Sea Symphony is one work I haven't heard in years and not sure if I will again.

[LKB]

I enjoy the Serenade to Music in spite of my dislike for Shakespeare. There is a live recording of Bernstein conducting the NYPO with vocalists which l heard one time decades ago, but all l remember is that George London was the bass soloist. The one recording l own is Boult's on EMI/Warner.

As for A Sea Symphony, l sang it as a chorister in 1985 and remain grateful for the experience. I've heard a number of recordings but remain partial to Boult's 1968 effort on EMI. The final four chords from Boult's chorus have a sonic richness that never fails to " shiver me timbers ". 

[vandermolen]

Published Aug 2023

[Pohjolas Daughter]

A test here: 

O.k., so after some trial and errors, I tried right-clicking on the photo itself and clicked on "Copy image address" and that worked.  I had tried clicking on the URL in the address/search (?) bar at the top and that didn't work.

I found this particular photo on the Royal College of Music Museum's website with a Twitter comment "It has come to our attention that many of your are celebrating #hugyourcatday! [etc.]."

For those of you who don't already know, the above photo is of VW with his favorite cat Foxy.

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Published Aug 2023

Have you been enjoying the book, Jeffrey?

PD

EDIT:  Oh, I hadn't noticed that it is too be published in August of this year!  Did you get an advance copy?  Or just wanting to give us a heads up?

[vandermolen]

Have you been enjoying the book, Jeffrey?

PD

EDIT:  Oh, I hadn't noticed that it is too be published in August of this year!  Did you get an advance copy?  Or just wanting to give us a heads up?

Just a heads up PD. I have pre-ordered it. 

[vandermolen]

I enjoy the Serenade to Music in spite of my dislike for Shakespeare. There is a live recording of Bernstein conducting the NYPO with vocalists which l heard one time decades ago, but all l remember is that George London was the bass soloist. The one recording l own is Boult's on EMI/Warner.

As for A Sea Symphony, l sang it as a chorister in 1985 and remain grateful for the experience. I've heard a number of recordings but remain partial to Boult's 1968 effort on EMI. The final four chords from Boult's chorus have a sonic richness that never fails to " shiver me timbers ". 

I like both of Boult's recordings of A Sea Symphony although it was Haitink's recording which brought the work alive for me. I found Hickox's Chandos recording to be rather uninvolving and prefer his earlier EMI release.

[calyptorhynchus]

On Tuesday in a concert starting at 14:00 UK time Radio3 are broadcasting VW S5 in a performance by the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Tarmo Peltokoski (conductor).

I'll be listening to see how they handle the music. Latvia is a country that has produced many good composers and I feel that Latvian music, even some of Vasks, sounds very English. So I think there may be an affinity.

[vandermolen]

On Tuesday in a concert starting at 14:00 UK time Radio3 are broadcasting VW S5 in a performance by the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Tarmo Peltokoski (conductor).

I'll be listening to see how they handle the music. Latvia is a country that has produced many good composers and I feel that Latvian music, even some of Vasks, sounds very English. So I think there may be an affinity.

Sounds most interesting to hear VW in Latvia!

[vandermolen]

A recommendation for this new release. Some sections sound slower than usual but this seems to be a valid approach - some very poetic solo violin sections and the very dramatic entry for the organ (which sounds like it was recorded in a cathedral) is given (in the best sense) the full 'Dr Phibes' treatment. I like the accompanying works as well. The other recordings of Job which I especially like are from Barry Wordsworth (Collins/Alto) and Boult (Decca and last EMI recordings):

[relm1]

A recommendation for this new release. Some sections sound slower than usual but this seems to be a valid approach - some very poetic solo violin sections and the very dramatic entry for the organ (which sounds like it was recorded in a cathedral) is given (in the best sense) the full 'Dr Phibes' treatment. I like the accompanying works as well. The other recordings of Job which I especially like are from Barry Wordsworth (Collins/Alto) and Boult (Decca and last EMI recordings):

Are the accompanying works any good?  I've not heard them before which is always a good thing when encountering something new from a favorite composer.

[vandermolen]

Are the accompanying works any good?  I've not heard them before which is always a good thing when encountering something new from a favorite composer.

I love Old King Cole and this is the best performance I know. It is rather in the spirit of the English Folksong Suite although some sections I found surprisingly moving - again there is some lovely solo violin work.
I enjoy the Running Set as well. I think that you'd enjoy this release.