Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony No. 2/Symphony No. 8 In D Minor

1. Symphony No. 2 in G major ("A London Symphony")
Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performed by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Roger Benedict
Conducted by Vernon Handley

2. Symphony No. 8 in D minor Fantasia
Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performed by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Vernon Handley

3. Symphony No. 8 in D minor Scherzo Alla Marcia
Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performed by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Vernon Handley

4. Symphony No. 8 in D minor Cavatina
Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performed by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Vernon Handley

5. Symphony No. 8 in D minor Toccata
Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performed by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Vernon Handley

Tracks:

A Song For All Seas, All Ships - Andante Maestoso - London Symphony Chorus
On The Beach At Night, Alone - Largo Sostenuto - London Symphony Chorus
Scherzo: The Waves - Allegro Brillante - London Symphony
The Explorers - Grave E Molto Adagio - London Symphony Chorus

Tracks:

Lento: Allegro Risoluto
Lento
Scherzo (Nocturne)
Andante Con Moto; Maestoso Alla Marcia; Allegro; Lento; Epilogue
Allegro Pesante - James Oliver Buswell IV
Adagio - James Oliver Buswell IV
Presto - James Oliver Buswell IV
Overture

Tracks:

Molto Moderato - Douglas Cummings
Lento Moderato - Douglas Cummings
Moderato Pesante - Douglas Cummings
Lento - Douglas Cummings
Allegro
Andante Moderato
Scherzo: Allegro Molto
Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Preludio: Moderato
Scherzo: Prestso
Romanza: Lento
Passacaglia: Moderato
Explorer
Poet
Queen
Allegro Moderato - John Fletcher
Romanza: Andante Sostenuto - John Fletcher
Finale: Rondo Alla Tedesca - John Fletcher

Tracks:

Allegro
Moderato
Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
Epilogue: Moderato
Moderato Maestoso
Andante Sostenuto
Scherzo: Allegro Pesante
Andante Tranquillo

Tracks:

Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
Prelude: Andante Maestoso - The Ambrosian Singers
Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
Scherzo: Moderato; Poco Animato - The Ambrosian Singers
Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
Landscape: Lento - The Ambrosian Singers
Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
Intermezzo: Andante Sostenuto - The Ambrosian Singers
Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
Epilogue: Alla Marcia Moderato (Ma Non Troppo) - The Ambrosian Singers
Fantasia (Variazioni Senza Tema)
Scherzo Alla Marcia (Per Stromenti A Fiato)
Cavatina (Per Stromenti Ad Arco)
Toccata

Customer Reviews:

A Great First Buy on Ralph Vaughan Williams........2007-06-05

Up until recently, I was only vaguely familiar with the music of British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. After reading the reviews and noticing the lower than usual price for this set, I thought I'd give it a listen. I'm definitely glad I did as this is some very beautiful music indeed.
All nine of Vaughan William's symphonies are included here along with four bonus pieces, the Concerto Accademico for Violin, the Bass Tuba Concerto, "Three Portraits from the England of Elizabeth" and the overture for the stage play "The Wasps".
Conductor Andre Previn definitely brings these works to life in a mighty way. The "Sea Symphony" is a real standout with its beautiful choral arrangements and orchestrations. Other standouts are the "Pastoral" third symphony and the dramatic Stravinsky-esque fourth symphony.
Indeed, all of the music here is something special and I'm very satisfied to have this set as my introduction to the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Like other reviewers have stated here, this is definitely a must-have collection and I can't think of a better way to start a Vaughan Williams library than with this.

A small footnote: After listening to the first movement of "A Sea Symphony", it may be quite possible that John Lennon sampled a small section of it for "Revolution 9" on the Beatles' White Album. The section in question occurs roughly 12 minutes into the first movement. It's very brief but it immediately stuck out once it was heard.

Vaughan Williams' wonderful music at last..........2007-04-21

Ralph Vaughan Williams was in my opinion one of the very greatest composers of music. Never content with what he had just written, but nevertheless staunch in his principles, over his lifetime he created a series of amazingly vital and original pieces. I could write many pages about these works, so will just say a little about my favorite of all, the incredible Symphony No 8 in D minor. Written at the extraordinary age of 86, the sheer musical inventiveness of this truly unbelievable piece is without equal and I include here all the "great" classical composers such as Beethoven, Brahms and the like. The first movement "Variations in search of a theme" is serious, thought-provoking and modern, yet unmistakably RVW. Its one of the most original first movements ever written ( owing nothing whatsoever to the classical tradition) and though asking more questions than it answers, is a movement even if you have never listened to any of RVWs music before demands attention and absolutely requires you to listen more. The second movement "Cavatina" is one of the most ghostly-beautiful slow movements ever written. The only thing I can really compare it with is RVWs own "The Lark Ascending" though for me this is a far more complex and challenging piece. I have listened to Barber's famous " Adagio for Strings", written at about the same time as this,and for me, this is an even greater and more moving piece - well Barber hadn't written the so-called "Pastoral" Symphony for practice had he ? The third movement is a typically gruff RVW scherzo. I can just see the old geezer galumphing round his garden complaining about his musicians, modern taxation, life in general... It's really funny and whenever can you say that of Mozart, Beethoven , Brahms and company...?The fourth movement is is ...how on earth do you describe this absolutely extraordinary finale. Part village band, part religious apotheosis, this is music truly not of the everyday earth which we inhabit, but something much more glorious, more astonishing... In this movement RVW uses just about every musical instrument known to man - he must have had enormous fun composing it... but the first entry of the celeste is the moment you all need to listen for.

André Previn has chosen some of the very finest of RVWs works to record on this set and for me this is his greatest testament as a conductor. His sheer (and somewhat amazing in itself as a jazz musician) love for RVWs music comes out tops here. A great recording and an absolutely tremendous bargain.

Previn & Vaughan Williams: An Excellent Coupling.......2007-01-10

I have some of these recordings on RCA Red Seal LPs from the late 1960's. I think it is one the best of three symphony cycles in my possession. The other two are Colin Davis/Sibelius and Herbert Blomstedt/Nielsen. Some of my RVW LPs are Adrian Boult and some are Andre Previn. I prefer Previn. Previn really digs into this music. My three favorites: #2 (London), #3 (Pastoral) and #5. It gives me goose bumps being able to listen to them without rice krispies in the background. Kudos to RCA for re-releasing these gems.

Can't get any better.......2004-07-19

If you've ever thought of getting all of the RVW symphonies but haven't, because of cost or what not, there are no more excuses. This is the best set ever. Previn and the LSO had a magical relationship 30 years ago, and no one has ever done these symphonies better. If you find some of them tough nuts to crack, don't worry; RVW isn't easy music, but it is well worth it. It's not supposed to be simple. The only caveat: analog sound. Now RCA was capable of great sound in the 1970's, and the sound is frankly better than the newer RCA series with Slatkin. But if superb digital sound is paramount, you won't go wrong with Handley's set with Liverpool. It's another top notch cycle. Still, I rate Previn tops in this music. RCA is to be commended for releasing this set, as well as the others in the series...check them out!

Comprehensive and Impressive Collection.......2004-04-07

Listen to the bold beginning of Ralph Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony, and you've captured the essence of VW at his best. This is the first of 9 symphonies by a composer who is surely England's greatest Symphonist. His essays in the form span the first half of the twentieth century, but include few of its radical elements. Vaughan Williams was a traditionalist throughout, and surely it was that conservative outlook that drew him to the symphonic form in the first place.

Listening to his second symphony, A London Symphony, one hears typical Vaughan Williams-almost entirely melodic in its conception, with lots of diatonic, modal or pentatonic writing, and a touch of chromatic harmony to flavour the melody. It's beautiful, and the music spans a wide emotional gamut from intense introspection to joyous celebration. Only in the 4th Symphony does VW really open himself to a more contrapuntal and dissonant style, and the consequence is that the composition becomes quite reminiscent of Prokofiev or Schostakovich, the two other great Symphonists of the time. Following the 5th Symphony, however, I feel that VW's artistic output suffers. The later pieces, with the exception of the 7th Symphony, Sinfonia Antarctica-based on music he'd composed for the film Scott of the Antarctic--lack the vigor and excitement of the earlier works. They're more introspective, perhaps as befits an older composer, but they don't speak to me as strongly as, say, the later symphonies of Mahler or Schostakovich. Perhaps it is that VW was resistant to change in his basic musical outlook, but by the 1950's, the diatonic/pentatonic ideas he frequented had become increasingly irrelevant. That VW was brilliant and a master craftsman is unquestionable, but he seemed to need new fuel for his compositional fires and was unwilling to consider the atonality of Schoenberg and his followers, the rhythmic vitality of Stravinsky and Bartok, or even the orchestral colours and dramatic juxtapositions of Gustav Mahler. There are still many moments of brilliance, but as a whole the later works move me less.

Tracks:

I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Behold, The Sea Itself - Jonathan Summers
I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Today A Rude Brief Recitative - Jonathan Summers
I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Flaunt Out, O Sea, Your Seperate Flags Of Nations! - Jonathan Summers
I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Token Of All Brave Captains - Jonathan Summers
I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: A Pennant Universal - Jonathan Summers
II: On The Beach At Night, Alone: On The Beach At Night, Alone - Jonathan Summers
II: On The Beach At Night, Alone: A Vast Similitude Interlocks All - Jonathan Summers
III: Scherzo: The Waves - Jonathan Summers
IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O Vast Rondure, Swimming In Space - Jonathan Summers
IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): Down From The Gardens Of Asia Descending - Jonathan Summers
IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O We Can Wait No Longer - Jonathan Summers
IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O Thou Transcendent - Jonathan Summers
IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): Greater Than Stars Or Suns - Jonathan Summers
IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): Sail Forth - Jonathan Summers
IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O My Brave Soul! - Jonathan Summers

Tracks:

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 (Quasi Lento) - Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Molto Moderato - Amanda Roocroft
II: Lento Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Moderato Pesante - Presto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Lento - Moderato Maestoso - London Philharmonic Orchestra
I: Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Andante Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Scherzo: Allegro Molto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

I: Preludio: Moderato - Sarah Chang
II: Scherzo: Presto - Sarah Chang
III: Romanza: Lento - Sarah Chang
IV: Passacaglia: Moderato - Sarah Chang
Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 - Sarah Chang
Romance For Violin And Orchestra - Sarah Chang

Tracks:

I: Allegro - Ian Bostridge
II: Moderato - Ian Bostridge
III: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - Ian Bostridge
IV: Epilouge: Moderato - Ian Bostridge
In The Fen Country - Ian Bostridge
I: On The Wenlock Edge - Ian Bostridge
II: From Far, From Eve And Morning - Ian Bostridge
III: Is My Team Ploughing? - Ian Bostridge
IV: Oh, When I Was In Love With You - Ian Bostridge
V: Bredon Hill - Ian Bostridge
VI: Clun - Ian Bostridge

Tracks:

I: Prelude: 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, Moderato (Non Troppo Allegro) - London Philharmonic Choir

Tracks:

I: Fantasia: Moderato - Presto - Andante Sostenuto - Allegretto - Andante Non Troppo - Allegro Vivace - Andante Sostenuto - Tempo I, Ma Tranquillo - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Scherzo Alla Marcia: Allegro Alla Marcia - Andante - Tempo I (Allegro) - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Cavatina: Lento Espressivo - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Toccata: Moderato Maestoso - 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

Customer Reviews:

VW Can't miss.......2007-04-01

It would take a lot of effort to make these works anything but wonderful to my ( untrained) ear. I have other versions of Symphonies 3 & 5, Tallis, and Lark, but am not that familiar with the rest. I bought the CD set just to hear them. VW's music goes straight to my soul, perhaps because I was born about 40 km ( 25 miles ) from the composer. These works evoke instant nostalgia. Haintink, the orchestra , soloists, sound fine. I particularly enjoyed Ian Bostridge.

Vaughan Williams the Great European Symphonist.......2004-12-15

2004 Has been a good year for Box Sets of Vaughan Williams Symphonies. Best of the bunch is this one from EMI with Bernard Haitink conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Do not be put off by the lengthy gestation of the project, over 16 years between 1984 and 2000, there is a consistency of interpretation, performance and sound.

Haitink's first recording in the set of the 7th Symphony, the Sinfonia Antarctica is his manifesto. He takes Vaughan Williams out of the cosy world of 20th century British music and the interpretive shadow cast by Adrian Boult and places him in an ongoing tradition of European symphonists. Haitink revels in the richness of the symphony's sound worlds and in the romantic heart which he finds in them all. These are rich, big boned interpretations. Nowhere more so than in this 7th Symphony, from the episodic feast of the first movement onwards, and there is surely no recording with a more appropriate acoustic.

The First in the cycle , `A Sea Symphony" is startling, as conductor, orchestra and singers burn a new way to the heart of this huge work with a searingly intense first movement.

The Second, A London Symphony has many fine recordings. Here the louder passages are brash, boisterous and thoroughly urban. Vaughan Williams loved city life and would surely have approved.

The Third, A Pastoral Symphony is one of the most striking reinterpretations here, and perhaps the hardest to take for traditionalists. Boult's mystical manipulation of blocks of chords with solo instruments floating above them is replaced with lyrical argument.

The furies at the heart of the Fourth Symphony are set free to great effect, as they are in the Sixth Symphony. Haitink excels in the demonic dance music in both symphonies and the jazz elements in the Sixth are enthusiastically articulated

If the interpretation of the Pastoral Symphony is striking, that of the 8th is a complete transformation, and one that convinces. No longer is this a small symphony, here it is the considerable utterance of a master.

The Fifth symphony is its radiant self, but the questions that also inhabit the score are welcomed, giving this performance light and shade.

The Ninth Symphony, sometimes considered a difficult work sounds like a natural summation of Vaughan Williams musical journey. It is a suitable epitaph, autumnal but radiating vigour.

There are a number of filler works here, like the Symphonies some are radical reinterpretations. I am not convinced by this Variations on a Theme of Thomas Tallis. In The Lark Ascending the programme is forgotten and it becomes a one movement concerto with a continuous violin line.

Haitink's interpretations are not for everyone. If you want modern a modern equivalent of Boult with good digital sound choose the Vernon Handley Set on Classics For Pleasure. That also has the benefit of a more generous selection of extra works. If you want to hear exciting modern performances in exemplary sound snap up this bargain box.

Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies; Job (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

RESTORES ONE'S FAITH IN HONEST MUSIC MAKING
Excellence throughout

Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies; Job (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Class. for Pleas. Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Vaughan Williams: Symphonies 1-9 / Boult
Vaughan Williams: Complete Concertos
Bax: The Symphonies
Vagn Holmboe: The Complete Symphonies
Kurt Atterberg: The Symphonies (Box Set)

ASIN: B00006J3LP
Release Date: 2002-11-06

Tracks:

A Sea Symphony
A London Symphony
Symphony No. 8 In D Minor
English Folk Song Suite
A Pastoral Symphony
Symphony No. 4 In F Minor
Flos Campi
Oboe Concerto In A Minor
Symphony No. 5 In D
Symphony No. 6 In E Minor
Symphony No. 9 In E Minor
Fantasia On "Greensleeves"
Serenade To Music
Partita For Double String Orchestra
Sinfonia Antartica
Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis
Five Variants Of Dives And Lazarus
Job - A Masque For Dancing

Customer Reviews:

RESTORES ONE'S FAITH IN HONEST MUSIC MAKING.......2007-03-29

Thank God for Tod Handley. I vividly recall a year or two back, feeling particularly jaundiced after a succession of glitzy, superficial concerts by conductors far starrier and younger, having my faith in real music making restored by a Handley concert which included a scintillating Schubert Little C Major and a profoundly moving VW Sea Symphony.

That work, of course, is the springboard for this cycle of complete VW symphonies. And a very satisfying journey through this inspiring canon of nine it is, too. Handley's affinity with English music needs no reiterating, but his relationship with Vaughan Williams in particular is a special one. More than most, he is alive to the changing and developing nature of the different symphonies through Vaughan Williams life - from the rich Romantic panoply of the 1st, taking in the influence of study with Ravel in the 3rd, the violence of Nos.4 & 6 and the idealisation of his Pilgrim music as well as that of his beloved Tudor composers in the Fifth, right through to the exploration of new sonorities and form in 7, 8 and 9. Throughout the cycle, this is music making that is honest, perceptive, communicative and frequently illuminating and inspiring.

Handley's Sea Symphony has terrific sweep in the opening movement, ideal rhythmic crispness in the scherzo and real depth in the long, questing Finale. Its one drawback is perhaps the somewhat cramped acoustics of Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall compared to, say, the fuller sound of the Kingsway Hall in Boult's second recording. His London Symphony is as fine as any, though I do now miss the passages opened out in Hickox's recording of the Original Version.

I'm inclined to think this the best Pastoral of any on disc: it finds Handley very sensitive to all the overtones of VW's experiences of the Great War that lie behind its overt pastoralism - Flanders Fields as much as English ones. This is followed by a stunning Fourth, matched only by the composer's own performance. The grinding dissonances of its motto motif, the bounce of the jazzier rhythms, the dark Beethovenian transition to the Finale are all perfectly realised: "I don't know if I like it, but it's what I meant" in VW's famous phrase and I feel sure Handley's performance is just what he meant.

The Fifth finds fierce competition from Boult (twice), Barbirolli (twice) and Haitink (most purely symphonic of all). But Handley strikes a fine balance between the Pilgrim's Progress antecedents of much of the material and the `absolute music' arguments to which it is subjected. This disc is almost worth it for the glorious horn counterpoint at the climax of the first movement alone, picked out by Handley as by no other conductor in my experience. His Sixth is another blistering reading to set beside that of his mentor, Boult, in mono for Decca. Handley's pp final movement here is too mystical to be mistaken for the post-nuclear landscape it's often compared to - it seems closer to VW's great friend, Holst's, Neptune. Pacing and colour are the strengths of this Antarctica, but only Haitink really succeeds in making it sound truly symphonic. And No.8 was always the domain of its dedicatee, `Glorious John' Barbirolli, who seemed to have the secret of its somewhat obtuse Variations without a Theme opening movement, its Bartokian Strings only and Wind only inner movements and the clangour of its Finale with `all the phones and spiels know to the composer'. However the elusive 9th is one of the best of Handley's set. He really seems to understand its deep, dark, Hardyesque mysteries, grounded as those novels seem to be in the very earth and land of England, as well as its further explorations of intriguing sonorities with the use of flugelhorn and saxophones.

The fill-ups from the original discs are here as well, including a fine Job and a superb Flos campi, another elusive work that seems to speak of secrets that are not to be found in the VW biographies. These are all considerable performances that reflect Handley's long-standing empathy with and authority in this music. And all at a bargain price.

Excellence throughout.......2004-10-16

On balance, this is probably the best set of Vaughan Williams symphonies out there today. Vernon Handley was a protege of Adrian Boult and you can hear a likeness in the way the two approach the music of their countryman. Boult may have had an advantage, being alive at a time Vaughan Williams was composing and premiering a number of the symphonies after they were composed.

The passage of time has left us two outstanding sets of Vaughan Williams symphonies by Boult, including a latter stereo version. I have heard both sets and they are wonderful. I prefer this one, however. Handley does things with some of the lesser played Vaughan Williams scores that, I believe, gives him an edge as the best of today's interpreters.

His version of the "Sea" Symphony No. 1 -- which is not a favorite of mine -- stacks up with anything out there. It avoids the bombastic approach taken by some conductors that do not completely understand the music or Vaughan Williams style. Even the new Atlanta Symphony version of the "Sea" Symphony does not exceed the vigor, loveliness and fine singing on parade under Handley's baton.

Handley also does wonderful things with the lesser known Symphonies 8 and 9, which some critics went wow over when Bernard Haitink recorded them together on one CD a few years back. Personally, I never heard the message of the dramatic 8th Symphony until I listened to this set.

Handley is hardly at a loss in the more well-known symphonies, either. His renditions of the "London" Symphony 2, "Pastoral" Sympony 3, Symphony 4 and "Antarctica" Symphony 7 are up with the best versions ever recorded. Handley's version is the first time I ever heard the chimes of Big Ben in the "London" symphony. His trip to Antarctica in Symphony 7 is probably the best one out there today and rivals the famous mono version Boult did 50 years ago, less the spoken tracts at the beginning and between sections.

Handley is equally fine in Vaughan Williams two violent symphonies, Nos. 4 and 6. In Symphony 4, he is especially visionary, understanding that the composer was not really writing about the impending world war when he penned the symphony in the late 1930s. Vaughan Williams said it was more about human interaction and communication and you hear this from Handley, who eschews much of the needless violence other conductors put into the score.

It is only the Symphony No. 5 where I find a clear preference to versions by Andre Previn in either of his stereo versions. Previn's 1988 Telarc recording also includes "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis", perhaps Vaughan Williams' best-known melody. This is preferable to Handley's Symphony 5 diskmate, the "Flos Campi" Suite, which provides another moment for the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir to shine. Previn endows the wonderful symphony with more romance and emotion than Handley.

That's not to say Handley's recording is a dog. Hardly! His is an exquisite recording of some of the world's most beautiful music. It lacks little and competes with the best out there. All told, this is a five star set with beautiful and, when appropriate, powerful and visceral playing from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

There are other fine Vaughan Williams set extant -- both Boult sets, the exceptionally well-recorded Thomson on Chandos, various recordings by Previn & Hickox and those by Bakels on Naxos -- but no complete set quite captures Ralph Vaughan Williams as three dimensionally as this one. My only complaint is Classics for Pleasure could have mated Handley's equally brilliant version of "Job: A Masque for Dancing" with one of the shorter symphonies and did not.

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies 1-9 / Boult

Average customer rating:

Best of Boult's Vaughan Williams
Vaughan Williams his way

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies 1-9 / Boult
Ralph Vaughan Williams , and Sir Adrian Boult
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1-7
Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies; Job (Box Set)
Hindemith: Concert Music; Horn Concerto; Clarinet Concerto and others
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6
Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony

ASIN: B00007A3E2
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Customer Reviews:

Best of Boult's Vaughan Williams.......2004-08-01

When I first encountered VW's symphonies in Boult's EMI stereo series, I enjoyed some of the performances (especially #2), but 3, 5 and 9 left me bored. I later heard the Previn series and found what was missing. Previn keeps a taut line through music that can easily sprawl, and his recorded sound is top-notch. This new Boult set has similar interpretive virtues and is far more interesting musically than the stereo recordings. While the strings in #2 are thin and #1 is boxy overall, the mono sound of 3-7 is generally good. Comparison between the mono 3 and 5 and the stereo versions just highlights the greater atmosphere and intensity of the mono performances. 2 and 4 are also exemplary interpretations. While I would not recommend this to the exclusion of other recordings, it is a wonderful supplement to the performances of Previn or Handley.

Vaughan Williams his way.......2004-06-27

The first few years I was married, my wife often said to me she felt like she was trying to "make you something you're not". She was insinuating that she had a vision of what the perfect man ought to be, and she would catch herself trying to make me that man. She reformed after a year or two and since has been more than content to let me be the man I am.

And that best describes what I feel about Sir Adrian Boult conducting Vaughan Williams in this collection. He lets the music speak for itself. He never tries to give particular emphasis to some element in the score as many conductors do. These recordings date from the 1950s, all but the 8th and 9th being mono. But the age of the recordings and the mono sound in no way detracts from the listening pleasure they bring. I put them alongside any of the competiton and these recordings hold their own or come out far ahead. I've compared them to three other complete cycles:

Boult/EMI - Amazon asin # B00004YA0V (8 CDs)
Handley/CFP - Amazon asin # B00006J3LP (7 CDs)
Previn/RCA - Amazon asin # B00011MK74 (6 CDs)

Compared to his own later readings on EMI, I find Boult gets a more restrained performance from the orchestra in these earlier Decca recordings, thus heightening the effect of letting the music speak for itself. And I find the Decca recording a little bit brighter and more well balanced. A good symphony to highlight this effect is the Sea Symphony. The choir in the EMI recording tries to hard to make the music sound good, where the choir in the Decca sounds relaxed, confident, unstrained. And the sound on the Decca is more open, less opaque than the EMI.

The Previn cycle is quite good throughout, and features several additional pieces, some of them rare in recordings (this Decca cycle occupies the fewest number of disks of the 4 cycles, 5, but only has the symphonies, nothing more). The obvious comparison with the Previn cycle is the Sinfonia Antartica, no. 7. Only Previn and this Decca recording include the narrative. Sir Ralph Richardson in the Previn is very dramatic and expressive, embellishing the text with much emotion. Sir John Gielgud on this Decca recording is by comparison quite unemotional; like Boult, he speaks eloquently enough to not seem monotonish, but lets the words do the talking, not his interpretation of the words. He makes a good fit for Boult's similar reading of the music. And Richardson makes a similarly good fit for Previn's more dramatic reading. I am quite fond of Previn's recording, but after I listen to the magnificent Boult reading here, I find myself appreciating Previn less, for he emphasizes one emotional element in the music at the cost of all others. The Decca was recorded 1952, but even today it is of demonstration quality, especially with the stunning organ in the ice fall scene. Try as hard as they may, no other recording has come close to this one, engineered by the famous John Culshaw.

Which brings me to the Handley recordings. Handley, incidentally, fully admitted he tried to capture the organ scene in Sinfonia Antartica as well the Boult/Culshaw recording, but couldn't quite pull it off. The 5th symphonty is for me the highlight of Handley's set. Handley's recording is a masterpiece both of musical interpretation and audio engineering. This Boult recording comes the closest I've heard to the Handly interpretively, perhaps even edging it out a little once again because of Boult's refusal to indulge in over expressiveness. The sound on the Handley has a littel bit of an edge, but not by much. The sound int eh Boult/Decca recording is nowhere near as lively and opulent as the Handley, but once again is far brighter and more open than the Boult/EMI.

Decca has pulled off one of the best engineering jobs with these remasterings. I found the sound to be excellent throughout. The Sea Symphony, Sinfonia Antartica, and Symphony No 9 in this set are not be missed by any Vaughan Williams fan.

So, does this get my top choice recommendation?

Maybe.

If it's going to be your only Vaughan Williams collection, I would recommend either the Previn or the Handley instead, for with those sets you get other pieces in addition to the symphonies, and thus a better representation of Vaughan Williams artistry. Boult's EMI set is the most comprehensive collection of works, and the readings of the symphonies are somewhat comparable to the Decca set, but the execution is nowhere close to the masterly execution in the Decca set, and thus diminishes its attractiveness.

Tracks:

A Sea Sym (No.1): I. A Song For All Seas, All Ships-Andante Maestoso: Behold, The Sea Itself - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): I. A Song For All Seas, All Ships-Andante Maestoso: Today A Rude Brief Recitative - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): I. A Song For All Seas, All Ships-Andante Maestoso: Flaunt Out, O Sea - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): I. A Song For All Seas, All Ships-Andante Maestoso: Token Of All Brave Captains - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): I. A Song For All Seas, All Ships-Andante Maestoso: A Pennant Universal - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): II. On The Beach At Night, Alone-Largo Sostenuto: On The Beach At Night, Alone - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): II. On The Beach At Night, Alone-Largo Sostenuto: A Vast Similitude Interlocks All - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): III. Scherzo: The Waves-Allegro Brillante - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): IV. The Explorers-Grave E Molto Adagio: O Vast Rondure, Swimming In Space - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): IV. The Explorers-Grave E Molto Adagio: Down From The Gardens Of Asia Descending - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): IV. The Explorers-Grave E Molto Adagio: O We Can Wait No Longer - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): IV. The Explorers-Grave E Molto Adagio: O Thou Transcendent - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): IV. The Explorers-Grave E Molto Adagio: Greater Than Stars Or Suns - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): IV. The Explorers-Grave E Molto Adagio: Sail Forth, Steer For The Deep Waters Only - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin
A Sea Sym (No.1): IV. The Explorers-Grave E Molto Adagio: O My Brave Soul! - Benita Valente/Thomas Allen/Philharmonia Chor/Leonard Slatkin

Tracks:

Norfolk Rhap No.1 - John Chambers
Fant On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - Hugh Bean/Nicholas Whiting/John Chambers/Matthias Feile
A London Sym (No.2): Lento/Allegro Risoluto - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
A London Sym (No.2): Lento - John Chambers/Jane Marshall
A London Sym (No.2): Scherzo (Nocturne): Allegro Vivace - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
A London Sym (No.2): Andante Con Moto/Maestoso Alla Marcia (Quasi Lento)/Allegro/Lento/Epilogue... - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin

Tracks:

Fant On Greensleeves - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
A Pastoral Sym (No.3): Molto Moderato - Linda Hohenfeld/Hugh Bean/John Chambers/Jane Marshall
A Pastoral Sym (No.3): Lento Moderato - Linda Hohenfeld/Mark David/Nigel Black
A Pastoral Sym (No.3): Moderato Pesante/Presto - Linda Hohenfeld
A Pastoral Sym (No.3):Lento: Moderato Maestoso - Linda Hohenfeld
Sym No.4 in f: Allegro - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.4 in f: Andante Moderato - Kenneth Smith
Sym No.4 in f: Scherzo: Allegro Molto - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.4 in f: Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in D: Prld: Moderato - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.5 in D: Scherzo: Presto Misterioso - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.5 in D: Romanza: Lento - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.5 in D: Passacaglia: Moderato - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.6 in e: Allegro - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.6 in e: Moderato - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.6 in e: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.6 in e: Epilogue: Moderato - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin

Tracks:

Quick March-Sea Songs - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Five Vars Of 'Dives And Lazarus': Theme (Adagio) - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Five Vars Of 'Dives And Lazarus': Var I - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Five Vars Of 'Dives And Lazarus': Var II - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Five Vars Of 'Dives And Lazarus': Var III - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Five Vars Of 'Dives And Lazarus': Var IV - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Five Vars Of 'Dives And Lazarus': Var V - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sinf Antartica (Sym No.7): Prld (Andante Maestoso) - Linda Hohenfeld/Women Of The Philharmonia Chor
Sinf Antartica (Sym No.7): Scherzo (Moderato) - Linda Hohenfeld/Women Of The Philharmonia Chor
Sinf Antartica (Sym No.7): Landscape (Lento) - Linda Hohenfeld/Women Of The Philharmonia Chor/Leslie Pearson
Sinf Antartica (Sym No.7): Intermezzo (Andante Sostenuto) - Linda Hohenfeld/Women Of The Philharmonia Chor/John Anderson
Sinf Antartica (Sym No.7): Epilogue. Alla Marcia, Moderato (Non Troppo Allegro) - Linda Hohenfeld/Women Of The Philharmonia Chor

Tracks:

Flourish For Glorious John - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.8 in d: Fant (Vari Senza Tema): Moderato/Presto/Andante Sostenuto/Allegretto... - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.8 in d: Scherzo Alla Marcia (Per Stromenti A Fiato): Allegro Alla Marcia/Andante/Tempo I... - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.8 in d: Cavatina (Per Stomenti Ad Arco): Lento Espressivo - Hugh Bean/David K. Jones
Sym No.8 in d: Toccata: Moderato Maestoso/Animato/Largamente - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.9 in e: Moderato Maestoso: Tranquillo - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.9 in e: Andante Sostenuto - David Mason
Sym No.9 in e: Scherzo: Allegro Pesante - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin
Sym No.9 in e: Adante Tranquillo - Philharmonia Orch/Leonard Slatkin

Average customer rating:

Classical Rockies

Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00003XAGB
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Tracks:

Orfeo Ed Euridice: Dance of the Blessed Spirits (With Nature Sounds)
Pell et Melisande: Sicilienne (With Nature Sounds)
Adagio in G Minor: With Nature Sounds
Fantasia on Greensleeves: With Nature Sounds
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, K. 218: 2nd Movement (With ...)
Nocturne in D Flat Major, Op. 27/2: With Nature Sounds
Symphony No. 9 "From the New World": 2nd Movement (With Nature Sounds)
Reverie: With Nature Sounds
Symphony No. 22 "The Philosopher": 1st Movement (With Nature Sounds)
Swan: With Nature Sounds

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

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: Symphony No. 2; Symphony No. 8; Nocturne

Average customer rating:

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 2; Symphony No. 8; Nocturne

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000AW0XG
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

I. Allegro - Poco Animato - Tranquillo
II. Moderato
III. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace
IV. Epilogue. Moderato
A Setting Of Whispers Of Heavenly Death
I. Fantasia (Variazioni Senza Tema)
II. Scherzo Alla Marcia Per Gli Stromenti A Vento
III. Cavatina
IV. Toccata Colle Campanelle

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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Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead

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.

Customer Reviews:

Very nice Barbirolli/Vaughan Williams.......2006-06-17

From the vicissitudes of the Thames and the impressions of other London locales to the noble tunes and motley reflections on the British empire, Sir John Barbirolli directs the Halle Orchestra in what is a moving musical portrait of Vaughan Williams' Second Symphony. He often bestows upon the music a marvelous resplendence, particularly in some of the composition's early passages but also during the march-like scherzo, where there is just the right amount of colorful brio. The same treatment is given to the exalted portions of the closing movement. There are some other fine Vaughan Williams Seconds out there, Handley's being among the most notable. Boult has his moments too, though I'm not especially enamoured with his intermittent tendency to push things a little too hard. Albeit, this earlier of Barbirolli's two Halle accounts from 1957, which, by the way, surpasses his later one ( 1967 ) is rich and colorful, and it possesses a grandness of spirit that is difficult to beat.

The somewhat unconventional but alluring Eighth Symphony presents what I feel is an even more fascinating sound portrait. Some have characterized it as an instrumental experimentation by the composer, but who cares when such a delicious musical treat as this is served up ? In this work dedicated to him by the composer, Barbirolli again demonstrates his ability to infuse the music with a rich, warm glow, particularly in the third movement, ( somewhat reminiscent of the composer's Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis ) where he sustains a rapt spiritual presence. However, I find him just a bit less satisfying in conveying the drollness of the second movement and the exuberance of the fourth movement. Here Sir Adrian Boult's style seems closer to what is called for; namely, a little more of the light and lively quality. In any event, this finely engineered disc by Dutton is certainly a most welcome offering.

An essential VW recording.......2002-07-26

These performances of Barbirolli are justly acclaimed. No one else that I have heard conveys the diverse elements of A London Symphony, its dramatic vitality, humor, lyric beauty (no one equals him in the 2nd movement), mystery and tragic grandeur as effectively as he does. The 8th symphony, which he premiered, is still among the best performances available. Furthermore, the sound (which is in stereo) is quite good, so one need not make an allowance on that account.

Glorious RVW from Glorious John.......2001-11-26

Ralph Vaughan-Williams had two gifted mid-century interpreters -- Sir Adrian Boult and Sir John Barbirolli. EMI promoted Boult's Vaughan-Williams more aggressively than it promoted Barbirolli's; Boult's stereophonic cycle of the RVW symphonies appeared attractively on long-playing records issued in the United States by Angel, a consortium of EMI and Capitol Records. Of Barbirolli's Symphonic RVW, the catalogue held two Angel editions -- the Second or "London" Symphony and the Fifth. Nevertheless on a variety of labels (Pye, Decca, EMI), Barbirolli recorded a majority of the symphonies (2, 5, 6, 7, 8), including platter-premieres of the Seventh and the Eighth (which RVW dedicated to Sir John). Barbirolli's RVW differs from Boult's in its wonderful suppleness or plasticity of phrase; Boult seems always to drive the music, a gesture that works for the Fourth and Sixth Symphonies, with their "modern" effects, but seems less congenial in the Third, Fifth, or Eighth. The "London" Symphony offers a kaleidoscope of brash and gentle elements that play alternately to Boult"s and Barbirolli's respective strengths, so it is the best test-case for revealing what each brought to RVW. What Boult does wonderfully is manage the great eruptions of the First Movement, after the slow nocturnal introduction, and the chromatic variations of the tragic march in the Finale. For my money, however, Barbirolli scores more points overall than Boult. In the fine, 1957 stereo recording, with the Halle Orchestra, now re-released by Dutton, the warmth of the First Movement's introduction, leading to the raucous outburst, is more evident than in any other recorded performance, even the later one that Sir John did for EMI. Barbirolli makes the great swaying music-hall theme (I suppose it qualifies as the second subject) truly jolly -- by taking it out of the metrical straight-jacket and applying generous rubato to its phrases. The Second Movement glows with an inner-fire; the Halle strings are particularly ripe in their sound. The Third Movement (both a Scherzo and a Nocturne) is diaphanous and mercurial. The Finale is heartbreaking in the pathos of its march and then -- in the lengthy epilogue -- as transfigured and ethereal as could be. The Eighth, from 1956, was the first recording. Here, too, Barbirolli seems to me to excel Boult in the refinement and clarity of his interpretation. A word about the recorded sound: These are vacuum-tube stereo recordings made in the Manchester hall where the Halle gave its concerts. I am a fan of archival performances; in this case, I am a fan of the archival sound. The sections of the orchestra are perfectly balanced on the acoustic stage as are individual contributors in each section. The sound is warm and natural. I know of know modern digital recording that has such realistic ambiance. This disc is a must for any RVW fan and should be considered by anyone just now beginning to explore the RVW symphonies.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

The Daisy/Tiger Records Story: Everybody Come Clap Your Hands!

Bach: Masses, BWV 233 & 236

A Real Mother for Ya [Original recording remastered]

The Alternative Takes, Vol. 1: 1923-1925

Aftermath [CD-single] [Import]

All Ya'll Feeling Alright

Alerta Sings Songs for Playground / Canciones Para

Antonio Vivaldi: L'Estro Armonico, Op. 3

Always on My Mind

Anthology

Aikea Guinea [Import]

Adulterer Oriented Rock

All That Chill [Import]

Walk on the Weill Side

When I Look in Your Eyes