advertisement


Vaughan Williams 150th anniversary on R3

Building a Library recommendation for Symphony No 4 this morning is Bernard Haitink :-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D56AD8K/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

I think really he wanted the version conducted by Vaughan Williams himself but apparently a 1937 recording is too vintage.... :-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000025X9B/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

I've finally got around to listening to this. A really interesting survey and enjoyable. But I did think the choice of Haitink kind of sprung from nowhere at the end as it hadn't been much mentioned prior to that.

I've got that Haitink recording and it's good but I find it bit staid and lacking excitement compared to Handley. Based on what I heard of the other contenders I really would like to hear that Paavo Berglund RPO recording. And maybe the Ryan Wigglesworth too. And why not Pappano while I'm at it :D

It really is a great symphony. I wish they do a survey of the 8th soon, I feel it's the forgotten masterpiece of RVWs works.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
I wish they do a survey of the 8th soon, I feel it's the forgotten masterpiece of RVWs works.

Completely agree, the 8th was disregarded for too long ("The old chaps lost it"), Boult (early and late) is very good.

Haitink does a fine 7th, less sure about his others though.
 
Completely agree re the Haitink 4th comment above; I have 5 complete cycles, including the Haitink set, but I really love Bernstein’s performance (probably because it was the first version that I bought!) and my favourite cycle is Previn’s (although the Hickox/Davis Chandos set has some superb performances!).
Which raises the question: what would be your favourite sequence of 1-9? New thread, maybe?
I’m too scared to start with mine!!!!
I have also recently joined the RVWS, after prevaricating over it for decades!!! Definitely the best thing that I’ve done this year!!!
 
I quite like the symphony recordings conducted by Hickox. But I've not heard some of the more recent alternatives. Barbirolli is well worth a listen for things like the Tuba concerto and some other pieces as well, but the recordings are older.
 
I have complete Symphony cycles by Previn, Handley and both the Boult sets as well as a fair number of odds.

The later Boult is on LP, one a year Birthday present from my Mother. The London Symphony from this set is my absolute favourite. The early Boult set doesn`t have the 9th as it was not written at the time but the Sea Symphony is particularly fine as is the 7th with John Gielgud speaking the superscriptions. Previn is the only other 7th that includes the superscriptions that I know of.

The Handley set is pretty good and includes another favourite of mine, Job.

A surprise (to me) excellent 5th is Norrington, I`m not usually that keen on him and it`s not his normal repertoire.

The relatively recent London Symphony with Brabbins is the intermediate 1920 version and is superb.

I could go on....
 
I find the "London" 2nd symphony a bit of a mixed bag, its almost like a greatest hits compilation album, every phrase in it reminds me of something else by RVW, even stuff he wasn't going to write for another 40 years! It nice, has lots of great moments, but as a whole its probably my least favourite of the bunch.
 
Welcome to the RVW Soc Jim. I am member number 24!

Shows my age that my initial reaction was: "I am not a number. I am a free man!" 8-]

I can't recall if the Barbirolli Soc have membership numbers. I think the "Eagle Society" may... all gives my age away, though. :)

Hoping to get an Albion CD list with my first bumf from the RVWSoc. I'm still working my way though some of the YT videos from the website. Think I still prefer the old Barbirolli version of the Tuba concerto. But many of the other items are excellent.

Also been digging out some old DVD Videorecordings I made ages ago of RVW material and getting round to doing some transfers to files.
 
I find the "London" 2nd symphony a bit of a mixed bag, its almost like a greatest hits compilation album, every phrase in it reminds me of something else by RVW, even stuff he wasn't going to write for another 40 years! It nice, has lots of great moments, but as a whole its probably my least favourite of the bunch.
Previn is my favourite in the London, although the Brabbins is fascinating. I like Handley in the Sea Symphony. Got a soft spot for Flos Campi, the Tallis Fantasia, and the Military Band Suite (Fennel in mono is superb!).
 
Shows my age that my initial reaction was: "I am not a number. I am a free man!" 8-]

I can't recall if the Barbirolli Soc have membership numbers. I think the "Eagle Society" may... all gives my age away, though. :)

Hoping to get an Albion CD list with my first bumf from the RVWSoc. I'm still working my way though some of the YT videos from the website. Think I still prefer the old Barbirolli version of the Tuba concerto. But many of the other items are excellent.

Also been digging out some old DVD Videorecordings I made ages ago of RVW material and getting round to doing some transfers to files.
They lost my membership for many years and were going to allocate me member number 2200 or something until they rediscovered my annual standing order. Quite amusing actually as they provided a grovelling apology and some free cds when they realised their error. Of course I was very young when I joined ... :)
 
I've finally got around to listening to this. A really interesting survey and enjoyable. But I did think the choice of Haitink kind of sprung from nowhere at the end as it hadn't been much mentioned prior to that.

I've got that Haitink recording and it's good but I find it bit staid and lacking excitement compared to Handley.

nonsense.... listened to it again tonight and its anything but! stonking actually. Maybe its the companion recording of the 3rd that i wasn't Impressed with. Hickox, Previn or Handley for that.
 
Welcome to the RVW Soc Jim. I am member number 24!

Now have my letter. My membership number is over 100x bigger than yours! :)

Nice to get a couple of unexpected free Albion CDs as a joining gift. Do members get a discount price on Albion CDs?

This has also prompted me to go back though my loads of old DVD-V recordings and find some RVW ones, and transfer them to mkvs I can watch again more easily. Should help fill in the omissions during this year's Proms. :)
 
I enjoy the Hickox original version but I find the final cut seems to say everything required in a more concise manner.

I wouldn`t want to be without any of the versions though.
 
I also enjoy other versions... which is why I regret they didn't decide to do all the symphonies at this years Proms! Opportunity missed.
 
BTW Do Albion have a printed / pdf catalogue detailing their CDs? I confess I find their webpages on this hard to read. To much 'glare' and the details spread about for the sake of pretty images, etc. I find printed pages of text far easier to read.
 
There is a 120 page critical discography on the RVW website in pdf format. But of course this does not include many of the Albion releases. I confess I just use the RVW Soc web pages to browse the Albion releases.

There is allegedly a 405 page complete discography available but I have not seen it.
 
Alas, their website isn't very user-friendly if you have some forms of eyesight problems. Also tends to hide details unless you keep 'opening' specific item image-links on a piecemeal basis. So a rather difficult way to see their entire catalogue. Looks more like 'designed to impress' than to inform.

And ye olde print on paper makes it easier to mark the thing you decide the details make you prefer.

The Baribirolli Soc post a printed list of what's available, and you can use it as an ordering form. They also review in detail in their Journal issues.

I didn't see a link to the discog. I'll have another look. For me one problem is what graphic designers call 'glare' I think.
 
Flare, I think and yes, much overused by graphic designers who have lost sight of the purpose of their job, to interest and inform, and think it`s to show how clever they are.
 
FWIW although not ideal I've found the info more accessible on the Europadisc website. Richard also sends our printed lists and I think he lists the Albion catalogue at times, albeit not in full detail.

I did find and download the *430 page* pdf catalogue from the society site. But even when I export that in other formats it is almost unsearchable, and as 'printed' not in a useful order for me. I'd hoped for something like a csv/tsv as these can be easier to search. As it is, if I try to find "The Solent" I get lots of cross-comments, and the actual society release is lost in the 'crowd'. Its also a fairly 'Flare' layout as well so far as my dodgy eyes are concerned. When I export the pdf as text the columns are simply spaced out, no seperator code.

Too much info, not organised in a way that helps my relatively simple wish. Great for someone who wants a full list of works in the order listed on the pages. But not for my purposes, alas.

Does the society send out simple printed lists of the Albion CDs available with the journal? The JBSoc do that and its quite handy for deciding what to get.
 


advertisement


Back
Top