The greatest conductor of Vaughan Williams' works

[Barbirollians]

The received view seems to have been that he wasn't a very good conductor - at least technically judging by that Bridcut film.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

"Received" by whom, though, Barbi? The evidence of the few recordings he made disproves the myth.

[EdgeleyRob]

I wouldn't know who is the greatest RVW conductor.
He is well served on record,especially the symphonies,by some very fine conductors.
However I couldn't live without Boult's Everest 9th and Pilgrims Progress.
I'd like to throw Keels Bakels into the mix too,an amazing symphony cycle on Naxos including a 7th and 9th that bear comparison with the best.

[richardfinegold]

I wouldn't know who is the greatest RVW conductor.
He is well served on record,especially the symphonies,by some very fine conductors.
However I couldn't live without Boult's Everest 9th and Pilgrims Progress.
I'd like to throw Keels Bakels into the mix too,an amazing symphony cycle on Naxos including a 7th and 9th that bear comparison with the best.

It was Bryden Thomson's Chandos Recording of the 5th and Haitink's recording of the Antartica, which I encountered more or less simutaneously, that sold me on RVW. I acquired most of their recordings ofthe other works and while there is some uneveness in booth of their cycles, I think they are both worthy of mention.

Performances of Vaughn Williams are scarce on this side of the pond. I imagine the same applies to most other Countries outside of the U.K. Consider yourselves lucky.

[Observation Postr]

Although there are no recordings of 1,3& 9 surely it has to be Barbirolli for all Boult, Handley, Haitink and Previn's strengths.

The magnificent 1957 Pye London , the chilling 1950 radio recording of the Fourth, the superb wartime Fifth and the moving Philharmonia remake , a Bavarian RSO Sixth to make your hair stand on end , the unmatched premieres of Sinfonia Antarctica and the charm of the Eighth .

Let alone that Tallis Fantasia recording.

So why not include all the other British conductors of that era?

Strange that nobody has mentioned Andrew Manze whose rendering of those three symphonies with the BBC Scottish Orchestra at that year's Proms was, arguably, the highlight of that season.

O p

[Pabmusic]

...Strange that nobody has mentioned Andrew Mansie (spelling?) whose rendering of those three symphonies with the BBC Scottish Orchestra at last year's Proms was, arguably, the highlight of that season.

O p

Well, Andrew Manze is fairly new to RVW (he was a HIPP violinist originally) and hasn't yet recorded any, so judgements might be a tad premature.

Incidentally, the three symphonies (4, 5 and 6) he conducted in one programme were in the season before last.

[Hornspieler]

The forum does more than look backwards at old recordings of old music. And this thread is not comparing 'performances', it is comparing recordings. Performances happen at concerts, which lovers of this type of thread don't seem to go to.

Anyone for Holmboe?

That is not what the title of this thread suggests

I would suggest "Who do you consider to be the greatest interpreter of Vaughan Williams' music?

- and the answer would have to be "The composer himself"

As for comparing recordings, one might just as well nominate the producer/editor of the resulting disc.

HS

[Dave2002]

Performances of Vaughn Williams are scarce on this side of the pond. I imagine the same applies to most other Countries outside of the U.K. Consider yourselves lucky.

I don't think performances of RVW's works are that common here, either, though we do get some. Andrew Manze seems to have been championing them in recent years. We also do get occasional opera - Sir John in Love, Pilgrims Progress.

There are in fact many composers, not just British ones, whose works are hardly ever performed in concert, and in recent years even Haydn and Mozart haven't been doing so well. I guess there's just too much music to perform and/or listen to, though I feel it's a shame that so many orchestras and conductors feel they have to play the same stuff.

I noted with interest a recent comment about Barenboim, that he refuses to describe composers such as Elgar as "the English composer, Elgar"' on the grounds that they are as worthy as many other composers. We don't say "the German composer, Beethoven/Brahms" or "the Austrian composer, Mozart".

Back to RVW, didn't Previn and Slatkin produce some good performances, and record them? Boult and Barbirolli are obvious front runners, but perhaps too obvious, and there are and have been others.

[Ferretfancy]

I don't think performances of RVW's works are that common here, either, though we do get some. Andrew Manze seems to have been championing them in recent years. We also do get occasional opera - Sir John in Love, Pilgrims Progress.

There are in fact many composers, not just British ones, whose works are hardly ever performed in concert, and in recent years even Haydn and Mozart haven't been doing so well. I guess there's just too much music to perform and/or listen to, though I feel it's a shame that so many orchestras and conductors feel they have to play the same stuff.

I noted with interest a recent comment about Barenboim, that he refuses to describe composers such as Elgar as "the English composer, Elgar"' on the grounds that they are as worthy as many other composers. We don't say "the German composer, Beethoven/Brahms" or "the Austrian composer, Mozart".

Back to RVW, didn't Previn and Slatkin produce some good performances, and record them? Boult and Barbirolli are obvious front runners, but perhaps too obvious, and there are and have been others.

I'd completely forgotten Previn, his recording of the Pastoral is in a very special class, and very well recorded, but the sound quality on works like the Antartica is rather narrow in range, which is a pity.

[BBMmk2]

I think that Manze be a very good RVW conductor. judging from his concerts. He's recorded for BIS? Personally I think it be Handley or Boult for me.

[Stanfordian]

I'd completely forgotten Previn, his recording of the Pastoral is in a very special class, and very well recorded, but the sound quality on works like the Antartica is rather narrow in range, which is a pity.

Hiya Ferretfancy,

Sir Mark Elder is a most persuasive Vaughan Williams conductor. Fingers crossed that Andrew Manze will deliver a complete set one day. My first choice for recordings of Vaughan Williams is for Boult, followed by Previn.

[Barbirollians]

So why not include all the other British conductors of that era?

Strange that nobody has mentioned Andrew Manze whose rendering of those three symphonies with the BBC Scottish Orchestra at that year's Proms was, arguably, the highlight of that season.

O p

I give up - the purpose of an opening post is to provoke discussion not discuss everything with oneself .

Elder's recordings of No 2 and 3 are excellent . I was lucky enough to be present at the concert when the London was recorded .

[BBMmk2]

Ah yes, a great champion of RVW. I have the new RVW cd from that orchestra/conductor. Strongly reccomended.

[richardfinegold]

I'd completely forgotten Previn, his recording of the Pastoral is in a very special class, and very well recorded, but the sound quality on works like the Antartica is rather narrow in range, which is a pity.

I concur. His Anartica is interesting because it features John Gielgud reading the text from Scott's Journal before each movement .

[Bryn]

Those Vaughan Williams Symphonies

1) “Sea Symphony” (1903) I think that I was put off by hearing too many poor performances of this work

2) “London Symphony” (1913 rev. 1920) A lovely picture in sound of a tour across London. As an enththusiastic teenager, I had an ambition to create a movie with this work as background music.

3) “Pastoral Symphony” (1921) Is what it says. "Cowpat music" which does nothing for me. (Sorry)

4) un-named (1934) Like Walton's 1st. Savage. Auto biographical, revealing all RVW's frustrations and disappointments. My favourite of his symphonies

5) un-named (1943) It's wartime. Dreams of an idyllic peace. A panacea for music lovers.

6) “Arctic” (1947) Another effective sound portrait. Written for the film's background music?

7) un-named (1952) Possibly an attempt to replicate Nº 4 in line with postwar styles. Doesn't work for me.

I don't know anything about the later symphonies, so can make no comment.

For me, RVW's greatest achievement is his Tallis Fantasia. I could listen to it all afternoon.

You appear to know little re. the Pastoral too. Nothing in the least 'cowpat' about it. Blood red poppies are more the source and image evoked.