Vaughan Williams - your favourite pieces

[jamjar]

Many years ago we went to the Halle to see Yehudi Menhuin conducting a performance of, I think, the London symphony. I was anticipating this with some relish as I assumed there would be a deep bond with the music. Instead it was very cold - excellent execution - but no empathy.
At that time Stanislav Skrowaczewski was the resident conductor and over several seasons he he conducted several VW works. All of them were beautiful readings and he seemed to have a really strong connection with the music. Perhaps the reason may have been that there was more rehearsal time for the latter than for Menuhin asI believe guest conductors quite often perform with very little rehearsal time.

 

[alanbeeb]

Yehudi Menuhin made a very good recording of VW's 5th in the late 1980s, think it was with the RPO. Worth tracking down for the original two-piano version of the piano concerto on the same disc.

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/vaughan-williams-orchestral-works-19

 

[Barrymagrec]

Thanks, ordered - I`d never considered Menuhin as a Vaughan Williams conductor though he is very good with Elgar (as you might expect).

 

[Barrymagrec]

Since it`s nearly Christmas - Hodie anybody?

This is an excellent performance and you get the Fantasia on Christmas Carols as well. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004YU84/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

Hickox is also good. - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000005GJK/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

 

[eisenach]

I'd forgotten about this DVD.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00118DQX8/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

I've just watched it again after years on the shelf. It's first class, and does a splendid job of explaining to me why I like RVW's music so much. Biographical but also good at explaining how the music works. What en evening well spent.

 

[George J]

On the whole I am not someone who enjoys the majority of RVW’s music. But a great favourite of mine is:

In Fen Country.

Boult made a beautiful recording of this with the New Philharmonia, which I got in the EMI RVW [Boult] Symphony cycle set. The disc that contains the Fen Country is the only disc I have left from the set. The set actually packed the discs in individual jewel cases - identical to the separate releases. Fortunately a friend of mine wanted a CD set of the Symphonies.

ATB from George

 

[Barrymagrec]

On the whole I am not someone who enjoys the majority of RVW’s music. But a great favourite of mine is:

In Fen Country.

Boult made a beautiful recording of this with the New Philharmonia, which I got in the EMI RVW [Boult] Symphony cycle set. The disc that contains the Fen Country is the only disc I have left from the set. The set actually packed the discs in individual jewel cases - identical to the separate releases. Fortunately a friend of mine wanted a CD set of the Symphonies.

ATB from George

That is a very fine recording. I am fortunate to have it and the whole symphony cycle on the original LPs.