Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Karl Henning]

Oh, you must do so Karl. It is one of those late VW works which has a particular poetry about it. I really like the unusual voice/orchestra combination. John Westbrook in your EMI box is excellent although I look forward to hearing what Jeremy Irons makes of it.

This is a beauty, thanks for the pointer, Jeffrey!

The Bliss, I do not know (in fact, I am not sure I know any Bliss . . . will happily pursue your suggestion of Morning Heroes.

[vandermolen]

This is a beauty, thanks for the pointer, Jeffrey!

The Bliss, I do not know (in fact, I am not sure I know any Bliss . . . will happily pursue your suggestion of Morning Heroes.

Oh, you must hear that Karl it is very moving.
PS let us know what you think of An Oxford Elegy - it has an unusually personal quality to it - quite unusual for VW.

[Karl Henning]

A beautiful piece, the Elegy;  will go back to it soon.

[vandermolen]

A beautiful piece, the Elegy;  will go back to it soon.

Delighted that you like it Karl.

[amw]

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/inthestudio/1154/Vaughan-Williams-from-Andrew-Manze-and-the-RLPO

Heard his Proms performances. Should be pretty sweeet

[vandermolen]

New release. An Oxford Elegy for narrator and orchestra is an odd but touching work. This CD has a World War One commemorative theme:
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If you are familiar with the John Westbrook/David Willcocks version on EMI, Jeremy Irons's comparatively laid back narration will come as a bit of a shock. But, having now listened to it several times it has grown on me and, by the end, I was very moved. The great discovery on this CD for me was the wonderful and entirely characteristic Finzi work. Also, I have never heard a more moving version (slower than usual) of Butterworth's 'A Shropshire Lad'.

[Moonfish]

Vaughan Williams:
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Serenade to Music
Toward the Unknown Region
Partita
Concerto Grosso

London PO/Boult

from this great set
[asin] B00B2GYJ3U[/asin]

Still struggling with moving into Vaughan Williams. Easy to enjoy Tallis or Serenade, but the complexity of other pieces sometimes elude me. Quite a bit of disharmony and chaotic tendencies within that definitely do not match with my psyche.  Hmmm, at the same time an immense beauty that unravels itself every here and there that makes one want to continue to engage with the music. Perhaps it is an image of life with its ups and downs that is partially depicted in his compositions?

I watched Tony Palmer's documentary yesterday to get a better sense of connection and immersion within Vaughan Williams music.  It was quite interesting with great commentary, imagery as well as snippets of his compositions. Worthwhile in case you have not seen it (but I presume most people on this thread have).


[asin] B00118DQX8[/asin]

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams:
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Serenade to Music
Toward the Unknown Region
Partita
Concerto Grosso

London PO/Boult

from this great set
[asin] B00B2GYJ3U[/asin]

Still struggling with moving into Vaughan Williams. Easy to enjoy Tallis or Serenade, but the complexity of other pieces sometimes elude me. Quite a bit of disharmony and chaotic tendencies within that definitely do not match with my psyche.  Hmmm, at the same time an immense beauty that unravels itself every here and there that makes one want to continue to engage with the music. Perhaps it is an image of life with its ups and downs that is partially depicted in his compositions?

I watched Tony Palmer's documentary yesterday to get a better sense of connection and immersion within Vaughan Williams music.  It was quite interesting with great commentary, imagery as well as snippets of his compositions. Worthwhile in case you have not seen it (but I presume most people on this thread have).


[asin] B00118DQX8[/asin]

You might like Symphony 5 which some consider the greatest ( although I prefer No. 6). I must be about the only VW fan who does not like the 'Serenade to Music'.

[Moonfish]

You might like Symphony 5 which some consider the greatest ( although I prefer No. 6). I must be about the only VW fan who does not like the 'Serenade to Music'.

Yes, I have been dipping into 1, 2, 4 and 5 quite a bit. 5 is definitely the most approachable. I suspect it is a matter (like most composers) to get used to a unique soundscape. Watching the film was quite revelatory and made me appreciate his music more. I am also quite curious about his songs and other shorter pieces. I want to check out more of his choral works. Do you like Sancta Civitas or Flos campi?

Interesting that you dislike the Serenade. It is a beautiful piece of music. Perhaps it requires some major spacing (timewise like once per year) to be appreciated in its serenity?   

[vandermolen]

Yes, I have been dipping into 1, 2, 4 and 5 quite a bit. 5 is definitely the most approachable. I suspect it is a matter (like most composers) to get used to a unique soundscape. Watching the film was quite revelatory and made me appreciate his music more. I am also quite curious about his songs and other shorter pieces. I want to check out more of his choral works. Do you like Sancta Civitas or Flos campi?

Interesting that you dislike the Serenade. It is a beautiful piece of music. Perhaps it requires some major spacing (timewise like once per year) to be appreciated in its serenity?   

Interesting to hear your views. Sancta Civitas is the most beautiful of the choral works and I have been lucky to hear it live ( in the church where VW married his first wife near to where I work ). I'm not sure from your message if you have heard it yet but if not give it a go. Yes, I am an admirer of Flos Campi too, with its rather rarified atmosphere. Don't know what it is about the Serenade to Music but I find it rather cloying. I prefer the orchestral only version. A friend of mine who also admires the composer said that he found it a bit self-congratulatory and un characteristic of the composer but this might be a bit extreme. What do you make of 'A Pastoral Symphony' which is now seen as a lament for his contemporaries killed in World War One rather than depicting 'A cow looking over a gate' as dismissively suggested by Peter Warlock or, better still, symbolising 'VW rolling over and over in a ploughed field on a wet day'!? The film was most interesting notwithstanding some completely inappropriate images of war and famine accompanying the sequence about the Ninth Symphony (which is a work I find both powerfully defiant and extremely moving).
Jeffrey

[Moonfish]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 5      Royal Liverpool PO/Handley

Twice this morning!     Even my wife became quite interested in the symphony. Like you mentioned, Jeffrey, this is a great gateway to Vaughan Williams's music. It has such a rich soundscape evoking numerous emotions and somehow resonates with individual memories and experiences. There are a few passages which have a degree of disharmony, but I think that the unique harmony of Vaughan Williams' tends to dominate. The Tony Palmer film suggested that Symphony No 5 was linked to his emotional journey with Ursula Wood. This could of course be true, but it is simply an hypothesis and nothing more. Actually, I thought that Palmer's film overemphasized Vaughan Williams' relationships over his music which was a bit surprising.  Surely, Vaughan Williams' mind must have had numerous other dimensions than his interest in women?
Regardless, Symphony No 5 is a beauty and a pleasure to listen to.  Was No 5 your gateway to the symphonies or did you go the route of the Sea Symphony?

Peter



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[Moonfish]

Purchased Boult's mono cycle earlier today as I have never heard it.  It seems to have a great reputation, so I have become quite curious about Boult's early recordings of the symphonies on Decca. There is such a flood of Vaughan Williams cycles, but I have generally gravitated around Boult's on EMI as well as Handley's. I used to listen a lot to Previn's but it has disappeared within my stacks (embarrassing) so it is time to dig it out.  Regardless, it seems quite a bit more difficult to find recordings of Vaughan Williams' less established compositions. EMI's RVW composer box was a savior allowing one to sample the more obscure. 
Looking forward to listen to Boult's early recordings!

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[Ken B]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 5      Royal Liverpool PO/Handley

Twice this morning!     Even my wife became quite interested in the symphony. Like you mentioned, Jeffrey, this is a great gateway to Vaughan Williams's music. It has such a rich soundscape evoking numerous emotions and somehow resonates with individual memories and experiences. There are a few passages which have a degree of disharmony, but I think that the unique harmony of Vaughan Williams' tends to dominate. The Tony Palmer film suggested that Symphony No 5 was linked to his emotional journey with Ursula Wood. This could of course be true, but it is simply an hypothesis and nothing more. Actually, I thought that Palmer's film overemphasized Vaughan Williams' relationships over his music which was a bit surprising.  Surely, Vaughan Williams' mind must have had numerous other dimensions than his interest in women?
Regardless, Symphony No 5 is a beauty and a pleasure to listen to.  Was No 5 your gateway to the symphonies or did you go the route of the Sea Symphony?

Peter

[asin] B0000647HR[/asin]

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I got to know 4 and 5 first. I had them practically memorized at one point. I still think them much the best of the bunch.

[Sergeant Rock]

Surely, Vaughan Williams' mind must have had numerous other dimensions than his interest in women?

Women and music...that's pretty much the only things my mind focuses on    VW could have done worse 

Was No 5 your gateway to the symphonies

For me it was 4 (first heard during one of Lenny's Young Peoples's Concerts) and then 2 and 8. The odd thing for me was how long it took for the Fifth to grab me (odd because it's his most popular symphony): literally decades...not until I heard Menhuin's performance on CD. From your previous comments, I'm going to assume the Fourth is giving you trouble.

Sarge

[Moonfish]

Women and music...that's pretty much the only things my mind focuses on    VW could have done worse 

Sarge

I thought it was wine, women and music??   

[Sergeant Rock]

I thought it was wine, women and music??   

I'm so consumed by women and music, I plum forgot wine  ...even though I just helped down a superb grand cru pinot noir.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Women and music...that's pretty much the only things my mind focuses on    VW could have done worse 

+1

[Karl Henning]

It really (not that much actually) bugs me when people write '+1' when they only mean that they find the post agreeable, instead of being able to post the exactly same thing. 

Uh-oh.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I'm so consumed by women and music, I plum forgot wine 

Sarge

You forgot the plum wine ? Damn', I so liked it the only time I tried it.   

[North Star]

Uh-oh.

So your mind focuses on something else, Karl? Or RVW couldn't have done worse?