Vaughan Williams, The Complete Symphonies [Box set] [Limited Edition]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Adrian Boult's credentials in this repertoire are unassailable, and to have nearly all his stereo Vaughan Williams recordings for EMI so elegantly packaged and enticingly priced will be incentive enough for many a prospective purchaser. There's much to treasure here, not least those gently perceptive accounts of the first three symphonies, as well as the Fifth and the Ninth. All the same, the fires burned more brightly on Boult's earlier mono cycle for Decca, and there's some oddly listless orchestral playing to contend with in both the Sinfonia Antarctica and the Eighth, especially. The Fourth and Sixth, too, find the New Philharmonia in less than ideally tidy form. The disc of shorter orchestral items and the gorgeous Serenade to Music offer mostly unbridled pleasure (with Hugh Bean a memorably serene soloist in The Lark Ascending), as does Boult's fourth and final recording of Job, though here, too, tension levels are markedly lower than on either of his mono versions. No matter, for all its ups and downs, the present anthology undoubtedly offers fine value for the money. --Andrew Achenbach

Vaughan Williams, The Complete Symphonies, Music, Alfreda Hodgson, Gloria Jennings, Meriel Dickinson, Shirley Minty, John Carol Case, Christopher Keyte, John Noble, Richard Angas, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sir Adrian Boult, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Victor Babin, Vitya Vronsky, Margaret Price, Marie Hayward, Norma Burrowes, Sheila Armstrong, Susan Longfield, Bernard Dickerson, Ian Partridge, Kenneth Bowen, Wynford Evans, Hugh Bean, 20th/21st Century Ballet, 20th/21st Century Orchestral Music, 20th/21st Century Symph. with Mult. Solo Voice & Chorus, 20th/21st Century Symphony, 20th/21st Century Symphony with Solo Voice and Chorus, Ballet, Band, Band Music, Box Sets (Audio Only), Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Concerto, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Piano Concerto, Solo Voice(s) and Orchestra, Suite for Orchestra, Symphonic, Violin Concerto, Vocal

Vaughan Williams: The Complete Symphonies
Average customer rating:

Best RVW sym set

Vaughan Williams with some steel in its spine

Good readings, great recordings

No problems here either.

No problem here, either

Vaughan Williams: The Complete Symphonies

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000AQ2
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

A Sea Symphony (No.1): I. A Song For All Seas, All Ships - Moderato maestoso
A Sea Symphony (No.1): II. On The Beach At Night, Alone - Largo sostenuto
A Sea Symphony (No.1): III. Scherzo - The Waves - Allegro brillante
A Sea Symphony (No.1): IV The Explorers - Grave e molto adagio

Tracks:

A London Symphony (No. 2): Lento - Allegro risoluto
A London Symphony (No. 2): Lento
A London Symphony (No. 2): Scherzo (Nocturne) - Allegro vivace
A London Symphony (No. 2): Andante con moto - Allegro - Epilogue
Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Fantasia (Variazioni senza Tema) - Moderato
Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Scherzo alla Marcia (per stromenti a fiato) - Allegro alla Marcia
Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Cavatina (per stromenti ad arco) - Lento espressivo
Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Toccata - Modeato maestoso

Tracks:

A Pastoral Symphony (No. 3): Molto moderato
A Pastoral Symphony (No. 3): Lento moderato
A Pastoral Symphony (No. 3): Moderato pesante
A Pastoral Symphony (No. 3): Lento
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor: Allegro
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor: Andante moderato
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor: Scherzo: Allegro molto
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor: Finale con Epilgo fugato: Allegro molto

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 in D major: Preludio: Moderato
Scherzo: Presto misterioso
Symphony No. 5 in D major: Romanza: Lento
Symphony No. 5 in D major: Passacaglia: Moderato
Symphony No. 6 In E Minor: Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In E Minor: Moderato
Symphony No. 6 In E Minor: Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Symphony No. 6 In E Minor: Epilogue: Moderato

Tracks:

Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Prelude: Andante maestoso
Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Scherzo: Moderato
Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Landscape: Lento
Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Intermezzo Andante sostenuto
Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Epilogue: Alla marcia, moderato (non troppo allegro)
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor: Moderato maestoso
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor: Andante: sostenuto
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor: Scherzo: Allegro pesante
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor: Andante tranquillo

Customer Reviews:

Best RVW sym set.......2006-04-07

I've heard most all the avaliable recordings, Mitropoulos, Stokoswki, Previn, Boult, Barbirolli, Haitink, some fine ones there I'll admit.
But in my humble opinion my first recommend is Bryden Thomson.
The London SO has put their whole hearts into this cycle and it shows.
Now as to glitches inn some of the discs. I may indeed have heard one of 2. I can't recall in last nights listen to the 5th, as the volume was low.
I may have heard a tiny glitch.
I'll give the entire set another hearing. If I hear something I'll post a note.
If I don't I'll edit this comment off.

The Bryden Thomson cycle is the definitive RVW set.
While some favor only some of RVW's syms I happen to admire all of them, especially 4,5,6,7.
RVW, a major 20th century comaposer and a student of Ravel.

EDIT: Listening to cd3, at the end in sym 4, there is A FEW GLITCHES, SHARP SNAPS.
I think there may be one other place in the set that has this sharp snap sound.
hummmm, Not sure what to do, I think Chandos ought to call back this set and offer owners new sets.
I doubt if I'll list it here for sale, I couldn't do that. Most likely I'll give the set toa friend, and buy another.
I'll play the new set all the way through, if it does it, I'll send it back to caiman for a refund and buy another.
This is indeed the finest RVW sym set, and no other will do.
Its a shame the glitch is in one of my favs , the 4th sym.

I'll keep you guys posted

EDIT, what i may also do is just order sym 4/single cd. Thats if there are no other glitches on any other cds.
Just a thought.

Vaughan Williams with some steel in its spine.......2005-10-25

However much some of the other complete Vaughan Williams symphony cycles have to recommend them, I don't know that the composer would have cottoned to their tendency to either sentimentalize the music or play up its lyrical elements at the expense of sterner stuff. The late Bryden Thomson did neither, and the result is one of the most clear-eyed, tough-minded, and convincing VW cycles available--comparable to Adrian Boult's almost-complete 1950s series. Paradoxically, that sharp focus actually heightens the sense of mystery in passages such as the opening movement of the Eighth Symphony and the enigmatic final pages of the Sixth. Only "A Sea Symphony" is less than a total success, and even there the expansive final movement impresses. This 5-CD set omits the shorter works that served as makeweights in the individual issues, but Chandos has reissued some of those recordings elsewhere.

Good readings, great recordings.......2004-04-08

Critics worldwide have criticized this set as being too literal, as if to say the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams need thorough interpreting before they can be great.

I have never understood the charge against this set and have never understood critics that believe the symphonies are not strong enough to stand on their own without interpreter affectation. I agree the cycles by Adrian Boult (both of them) and Vernon Handley are wonderful and perhaps more consistent than this one, but neither conductor read the scores as thoroughly and both sets are a world away from this one in terms of sound.

The London Symphony Orchestra plays wonderfully throughout this set, from the Sea Symphony to the final note in Symphony 9. Meanwhile, they turn in one of the most underrated cerebral performances of "Pastoral" Symphony 3 ever committed to disc, LP, tape or wax cylinder.

The criticism that Thomson was not "atmospheric" in this recording deflects what it actually is: the music Vaughan Williams envisioned in his head at the time he composed it. Vaughan Williams collaborated with Boult in his earliest recordings. He is said to have thought one way about the music, then told Boult, "But you play it the way you think correct." I guess this means there is no such thing as "definitive" Vaughan Williams, eh?

The Thomson recording of 3 is a wonderful, literal, visceral and hyperintelligent reading of music that is normally spoiled by interpretation. Thomson also outstandingly in Vaughan Williams greatest symphonies including the "London" Symphony 2, the wartime Symphony 4 and Vaughan Williams most wonderful creation, Symphony 5.

I was a tad let down by "Antarctica" Symphony 7 when I first heard it. Today, however, it seems to fit well in the Thomson worldview representing the thoughts of Vaughan Williams and not his interpreters. As to the Symphony 9 not being among the best readings in the set, my thoughts are, "Who cares?" It and Symphony 6 are relative small brothers to Symphonies 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, all of which are done extremely well under Thomson's baton.

Since Musical Heritage Society bought recording rights to these works, members of that organization can acquire them for much less than the stated list price here. I once bought the set during a summer sell-down from MHS at the astoundingly low price of $19.99! At that price, no one anywhere could quibble with anything in the set.

No problems here either........2003-06-21

A great set! While perhaps not as consistent as Handley's set (now on CfP), Thomson's achieves some very notable highpoints (particularly the 'London' Symphony and nos. 4, 5 and 6), and his performances are always eloquent and at times revelatory.

No problem here, either.......2001-01-23

This a beautifully played set. I had heard nothing about production flaws until I read the other reviews. The set I bought was fine. When I am feeling particularly like an anglophile, there are few things better to listen to then these performances of the Vaughan Williams symphonies. Thomson shows flexibility and breadth of expression in the diverse sorts of sounds that Vaughan Williams calls for. From what Sir Adrian Boult called the "modal blessedness" of the 3rd, to the jarring and dissonant 4 & 6(Vaughan Williams himself wasn't entirely sure what he thought of the 4th upon hearing it for the first time, "but this is what I meant by it.") with the tranquil 5th in between to the vast, craggy, and often inhuman landscapes of 7,8,9, the Thomson-molded sound can best be described as "British." The pastoral meloncholy, which is a peculiarly British mood, expressed in the early symphonies is dealt with masterfully as is the cool, detached and dissonant music of the later symphonies. Keeping in mind to what degree Vaughan Williams was rooted in English folk music and how oddly indifferent he was to the German symphonic tradition of Beethoven, Bruckner, & Mahler, these recordings, more than any others I've heard seem to express just what Vaughan Williams had in mind. In the midst of applauding Thomson's conducting, I would be remiss in not mentioning the fine playing of the London Symphony Orchestra. The brass in particular are excellent; playing often with the cold clarity and precision called for, and avoiding gushy sentimentality (even in 2,3, & 5). It is an all-round excellent set, and for what it's worth, I highly advise it.

Vaughan Williams, The Complete Symphonies

Average customer rating:

BEST COMPLETE SURVEY
Still the Best
As good as anyone needs--this isn't Beethoven
Consider Supplementing This Core Set
What's the hurry to have 'em all?

Vaughan Williams, The Complete Symphonies

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00004YA0V
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships - London Philharmonic Choir
II: On The Beach At Night, Alone - London Philharmonic Choir
III: Scherzo: The Waves - London Philharmonic Choir
IV: The Explorers - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir

Tracks:

Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - London Philharmonic Orchestra
I: Lento - Allegro Risoluto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Scherzo (Nocturne): Allegro Vivace - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Andante Con Moto - Maestoso Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Molto Moderato - Margaret Price
II: Lento Moderato - Margaret Price
III: Moderato Pesante - Margaret Price
IV: Lento - Margaret Price
I: Preludio: Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Scherzo: Presto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Romanza: Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Passacaglia: Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Allegro - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II: Andante Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III: Scherzo: Allegro Molto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
IV: Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
I: Allegro - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II: Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - New Philharmonia Orchestra
IV: Epilogue: Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Prelude: Andante Maestoso - London Philharmonic Choir
II: Scherzo: Moderato - London Philharmonic Choir
III: Landscape: Lento - London Philharmonic Choir
IV: Intermezzo: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Choir
V: Epilogue: Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Choir
I: Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: March Past Of The Kitchen Utensils - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
V: Ballet And Final Tableau - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Fantasia (Variazioni Senza Tema) - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Scherzo Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Cavatina - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Toccata - London Philharmonic Orchestra
I: Moderato Maestoso - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Scherzo: Allegro Pesante - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Andante Tranquillo - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

Serenade To Music - Norma Burrowes
In The Fen Country - New Philharmonia Orchestra
The Lark Ascending - Hugh Bean
Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 - New Philharmonia Orchestra
English Folk Song Suite - London Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - London Symphony Orchestra
Untitled - London Symphony Orchestra
Untitled - London Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Toccata: Allegro Moderato - Victor Babin
II: Romanza: Lento - Victor Babin
III: Fuga Chromatica (Allegro) Con - Victor Babin
Finale Alla Tedesca - Victor Babin
Introduction - London Symphony Orchestra
Sarabande Of The Sons Of God - London Symphony Orchestra
Satan's Dance Of Triumph - London Symphony Orchestra
Minuet Of The Sons Of Job And Their Wives - London Symphony Orchestra
Job's Dream - London Symphony Orchestra
Dream Of The Three Messengers - London Symphony Orchestra
Dance Of Job's Comforters - London Symphony Orchestra
Elihu's Dance Of Youth And Beauty - London Symphony Orchestra
Pavane Of The Sons Of The Morning - London Symphony Orchestra
Galliard Of The Sons Of The Morning - London Symphony Orchestra
Altar Dance - London Symphony Orchestra
Epilogue - London Symphony Orchestra

Amazon.com

Adrian Boult's credentials in this repertoire are unassailable, and to have nearly all his stereo Vaughan Williams recordings for EMI so elegantly packaged and enticingly priced will be incentive enough for many a prospective purchaser. There's much to treasure here, not least those gently perceptive accounts of the first three symphonies, as well as the Fifth and the Ninth. All the same, the fires burned more brightly on Boult's earlier mono cycle for Decca, and there's some oddly listless orchestral playing to contend with in both the Sinfonia Antarctica and the Eighth, especially. The Fourth and Sixth, too, find the New Philharmonia in less than ideally tidy form. The disc of shorter orchestral items and the gorgeous Serenade to Music offer mostly unbridled pleasure (with Hugh Bean a memorably serene soloist in The Lark Ascending), as does Boult's fourth and final recording of Job, though here, too, tension levels are markedly lower than on either of his mono versions. No matter, for all its ups and downs, the present anthology undoubtedly offers fine value for the money. --Andrew Achenbach

Customer Reviews:

BEST COMPLETE SURVEY.......2006-07-14

The VW symphonies have done remarkably well on disc. Complete cycles by Previn, Haitink and Tod Handley all make substantial claims. Individual symphonies from Richard Hickox, Andrew Davis, Vaughan Williams himself and, of course, 'Glorious John' Barbirolli (as VW christened him) also demand attention. But, if you're looking for a complete overview of the Vaughan Williams symphonic canon (plus quite a lot of substantial extras) then this Boult set is probably still the best all-round recommendation.

Even he has a substantial rival in his earlier self on Decca, conducted under the gaze of the composer who delivers a touching speech of thanks to the players at the end of the pianissimo finale of the Sixth Symphony. This earlier Decca version probably has the edge for urgency and thrust in the quicker movements, but the sound on these later discs benefits enormously from the full warm stereo production typical of EMI in the 70's and also benefits from Sir Adrian's lifetime experience of these works.

In many ways, it is the earlier symphonies that come off best in this series. A wonderfully full-blooded Sea Symphony with a finely disciplined chorus, excellent soloists in John Carol Case and Sheila Armstrong (though she can't eclipse the magical Isobel Baillie in the older Boult set), and a rich Kingsway Hall acoustic get the set off to a fine start. The London Symphony was always special with Boult: he managed to achieve an ideal balance of symphonic thought with the touches of Edwardian period colour. The jingles of the hansom cab in the London fog and the cries of the street vendors come off particularly well here. But don't ignore Hickox's magnificent recording of the substantially longer original version. The Pastoral, too, is beautifully sustained in Boult's hands: the succession of slow, mostly quiet movements always glows with Pastoral intensity for him. Maybe his disciple, Vernon Handley, penetrates deeper into the dark echoes of the composer's experiences as an ambulance driver in the Great War.

The Fourth - "I don't know if I like it, but it's what I meant," in VW's famous quote - is full of barely restrained power, but perhaps would benefit from a bit more urgency at times. The Fifth, arguably the most symphonic of all the symphonies despite the Pilgrim's Progress origins of much of its material, gets an authentically profound performance with the LPO. Maybe we are closer to the Pilgrim origins here than to the symphonic arguments behind their transformations. There is serious competition in this symphony from Barbirolli (his 1st recording), from Haitink and from Handley. Haitink is the most 'symphonic', Barbirolli the most impassioned, Handley probably the most balanced.

The Sixth is fine, suitably violent and desolate by turns, but doesn't quite match Boult's blistering earlier recording. The Antarctica is curiously lack-lustre here - Haitink's is the revelatory performance of this symphony. The Eighth has always seemed to be the special domain of its dedicatee, Barbirolli, who had the key to unlocking its mixture of wild and wonderful orchestration (including "all the 'phones and 'spiels known to the composer") with cryptic symphonic argument. The enigmatic Ninth seems to elude most conductors, including Boult here. Handley comes closest to revealing its dark Hardyesque mysteries.

There are two additional discs of extra stuff, all beautifully played. Specially noteworthy are a Serenade to Music that comes close to matching Henry Wood's original line-up of soloists, Hugh Bean as a magically carolling Lark Ascending, a real rarity in the Double Piano Concerto and a great Job, perhaps the VW work closest to Boult's heart.

This set is excellent value for money and, for a complete collection of the symphonies, probably the best all-round recommendation - though Tod Handley runs it pretty close. Maybe the bonus items tip the balance Boult's way.

Still the Best.......2006-03-20

Done more than 30 years ago, these recordings are still the best available of Ralph Vaughan Williams' orchestral music. The sound is here and there a little dated, but usually strongly competitive with present digital recordings. And the musicianship -- the wisdom of Adrian Boult and the high level of playing and singing -- really carry the day. Teaching a Lifelong Learning Institute on 20th Century Romantic composers this winter, I not only recommended but urged the participants to buy this set.

Vaughan Williams is one of the finest symphonists ever -- a thorough-going craftsman -- whose music connects the English countryside of a hundred years ago to the agonies of war and uproar of the century just past. People will be listening to this music long after the academics have come and gone; and this recording will still be the benchmark.

As good as anyone needs--this isn't Beethoven.......2005-11-01

The British are admirable loyalists when it comes to their own composers. Symphonies by Bax, Arnold, Rubbra, Simpson, and others that are nevre played in the U.S. are daily fare to music lovers in the UK, which heated discussion about the best versions. By comparison, how much do American music lovers argue over the symphonies of William Schuman, Roy Harris, Roger Sessions, Leonard Bernstein, John Harbison, or champion of them all, with symphonies by the dozen, Alan Hovhaness?

Of the British crop, the only works that cross the Atlantic with any frequency are Elgar Sym. #1, Walton Sym. #1, and a handful of the Vaughan Williams nine. Boult's second set of the VW symphonies, in stereo for EMI as opposed to mono for Decca, is all anybody really needs. Some of the performances have been bettered individually--one thinks of Handley's VW First, Bernstein's Fourth, Barbirolli's Second, Stokowski's Fourth and Sixth--but these symphonies aren't masterpieces. Boult has a fine orchestra in the London Phil. and good analog sound from EMI; his readings are dramatic and interesting, if not always deep.

If this were a Beethoven cycle, I'd want three or four alternative sets. Here it's not necessary. You can own all of VW's symphonic output and be assured that each reading is good enough to do justice to the music. Of course, this won't stop British enthusiasts, but for Americans time might be better spent uncovering the shamefully neglected symphonic past--and present--of our native composers.

Consider Supplementing This Core Set .......2005-02-23

My first exposure to V W's symphonies happened back in the 1970's courtesy of Boult's earlier recordings (#1-8 on London and Decca LPs, and #9 on an Everest LP). Later I acquired all of Boult's stereo recordings on Angel LPs. Here we have the latter recordings in their best-ever transfers. Despite strong competition from Handley (EMI) and Previn (RCA), I feel that over-all this Boult set (Boult II) remains THE one to own in good stereo sound. However, Boult's earlier set (Boult I - now available on Decca CDs in top-notch transfers) features even better performances of Symphonies 4, 6 and 9. I own them both, along with a few individual symphony readings by other conductors. Here's a brief summary of the performances:

#1. I won't mince words here: This Sea Symphony is absolutely dazzling, the finest I have ever heard. Boult I was also pretty extraordinary, but Boult II's superb stereo sound and slightly stronger vocal line-up make it a clear first choice.

#2. Boult I is a more energetic performance than Boult II. Sonically, however, Boult II offers a far more vivid listening experience. I am also rather fond of Barbirolli's first recording (on Dutton, paired with his magnificent 8th). My favorite "live" 2nd is a superb Malcolm Sargent reading, available only in an expensive 10-disc set from the Chicago Symphony. That set is well worth owning: it also contains what I feel are the finest-ever recordings of three great Third Symphonies (Mahler's, Prokofiev's and Roussel's), in readings by (respectively) Martinon, Kondrashin and Munch.

#3. Boult II is my favorite here, just ahead of Previn (RCA).

#4. Boult II simply lacks the incredible rhythmic snap and commitment of Boult I, which is my favorite account along with the Stokowski (Cala) and the composer himself (Dutton, paired with Barbirolli's fine 5th). In V W's own reading, the influence of the composer's contemporaries (especially Honegger, Janacek and Roussel) sounds more noticeable than in any other recording.

#5. Boult I and II are both excellent. Despite II's better sound, I think I prefer I's greater exuberance (especially in the 2nd mvt.) Likewise, I am very fond of both Barbirolli readings (Dutton and EMI), but retain a slight preference for the mono Dutton (which also has V W's own hell-for-leather rendition of the 4th).

#6. Boult I is far better than the slightly soggy Boult II: the former is my favorite performance of the work, despite the mono sound. At the end is a touching little speech given by the composer, in which he thanks Boult and the orchestra for their incredible pianissimo playing in the Epilogue: Indispensable. In stereo, the inexpensive Bakels (Naxos) is excellent.

#7. It's almost a toss-up here, but Boult II ultimately wins out on the basis of sound. But Boult I is no sonic slouch, and Sir John Gielgud's stately narration is a handsome dividend.

#8. Here I feel that, while Boult II is clearly superior to Boult I, neither comes even close to matching the classic first studio recording by Barbirolli, to whom the work is dedicated. The latter is coupled on Dutton with Barbirolli's fine #2 (both in stereo). Barbirolli's studio effort is FAR better played than his live 8th on BBC Legends.

#9. Boult I, this time in clear stereo sound (licensed from Everest), is in every way superior to Boult II, which is curiously detached. Unfortunately, the excellent "Job: A Masque for Dancing" that was Everest's discmate has not been retained. That's a pity: nobody ever did it better, although the Boult II is very satisfying.

All of the smaller works included on Boult II (the Boult I set has just the 9 symphonies) receive fine performances. Especially noteworthy is the Serenade to Music: it even eclipses the classic first-ever recording by Sir Henry Wood (on Dutton). In the Tallis Variations, there are wonderful versions worth hearing from Silvestri (EMI), Stokowski (Bridge) and Barbirolli (EMI). Silvestri also recorded a superlative Wasps (EMI).

If recorded sound is your uppermost concern, then Boult II will prove the more satisfying. But if you want to hear Boult's V W interpretations at their finest, then owning both sets becomes essential.

What's the hurry to have 'em all?.......2003-09-24

This is a "bargain," sort of. But Ralph Vaughan Williams is not Beethoven; unless one is VW "completist" one doesn't really need the unifying vision of a great conductor in a recorded cycle of all nine symphonies with the same orchestra. So it's worthwhile & fun to assemble a VW cycle from a variety of sources. I recommend unreservedly the ethereal Boult #3 & #5 (the former with lovely Brit soprano Margaret Price), & his Job Masque & #9 on Everest (the latter recorded the day after VW died). Actually, any of the recordings in this set are fine. But there are others equally accomplished or even better: Hickox & Bryden Thomson on Chandos; Andre Previn on RCA (Sea Symphony with Heather Harper & John Shirley-Quirk); Kees Bakels on low-priced Naxos; Andrew Davis & the BBC Orchestra on Elektra; Bernard Haitink on Angel/Emi; Vernon Handley & the Royal Liverpool on whatever label is issuing them now; orchestra isn't great but the conductor is insightful. Plus the superb David Lloyd-Jones recording of Job for Naxos. There's a couple of stereo Barbirolli peformances out there, too. Because of his creative alliance with the composer, Boult set the base standard for these symphonies, especially in his historic mono recordings, but that doesn't mean he owns them; & in any case he was quite old by the time good stereo sound arrived. & you'll want "high fidelity," not an ancient artifact. Collect your first Mahler & Bruckner cycles the same way. What's the hurry to have 'em all? Have fun with your purchases.

Bob Rixon

Music Review: