The greatest conductor of Vaughan Williams' works

[cloughie]

Yes, I have. Strongly recommended! I am going to stick my neck out and say Sir Andrew Davis and Richard Hickox

Strange response - do you strongly recommend the Elder but not as good as the A Davis or Hickox?

[BBMmk2]

Strange response - do you strongly recommend the Elder but not as good as the A Davis or Hickox?

Well just my humble opinion. We are all different, thankfully! Boult, Handley and Previn are very great and this is just after one listen, to be honest

[Barbirollians]

I wonder when the Previn set will be reissued .

[akiralx]

I wonder when the Previn set will be reissued .

Surprising it hasn't been. I got the Japanese CD reissues a few years ago and they sound great, though I never heard the 'normal' CD set.

By the way i think Elders RVW 2 is superb, one of the finest ever, but for me his account of the Pastoral is slightly too fast (or maybe just not as expansive as Previn or Haitink), and the soloist is too loud - not ethereal enough?

[akiralx]

I'd just like to second the above opinions about Hickox. He had a rare understanding of the English repertory (esp. RVW) and was fantastic with choirs. He had an unusual stick technique and didn't look like a Greek God when conducting...but I get cross when people diss conductors for such reasons. It's what they produce that counts, and IMO he knew how to elicit exactly what he wanted from his forces. Very much missed.

Also, of the five RVW symphonies (1, 3, 5, 6, and 9) to have undergone the Building a Library treatment, Hickox has 'won' three times...

[Stanfordian]

Such an inspiring champion Adrian Boult has released two extremly satisfying sets and is my first choice RVW conductor. RVW's music has been very well served by a number of others such as Barbirolli, Previn, Haitink, Handley, Hickox, Elder, Davis, Slatkin, Marriner et al who have also been sterling advocates.

[cloughie]

Such an inspiring champion Adrian Boult has released two extremly satisfying sets and is my first choice RVW conductor. RVW's music has been very well served by a number of others such as Barbirolli, Previn, Haitink, Handley, Hickox, Elder, Davis, Staltkin, Marriner et al who have also been sterling advocates.

Bryden Thomson's RVW is excellent.

[Stanfordian]

Bryden Thomson's RVW is excellent.

Yes Cloughie. Bryden Thomson too. It was not supposed to be an exhaustive list.

[Pabmusic]

I know this is very subjective, but I'm finding it difficult to find a bad, or poor conductor of RVW. Routine is the worst I can get to.

[BBMmk2]

I also like the way Richard Hickox interprets RVW

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I know this is very subjective, but I'm finding it difficult to find a bad, or poor conductor of RVW. Routine is the worst I can get to.

[Stanfordian]

I know this is very subjective, but I'm finding it difficult to find a bad, or poor conductor of RVW. Routine is the worst I can get to.

Hiya Pab,

I reckon conducting RVW is a labour of love and it usually shows.

[EdgeleyRob]

Hiya Pab,

I reckon conducting RVW is a labour of love and it usually shows.

I mentioned Keels Bakels earlier in the thread.
His accounts of all but 1 & 4 on Naxos are very impressive indeed IMO.
Anyone else familiar with them ?

[Tony Halstead]

Previn
Previn
Previn

[LeMartinPecheur]

Also, of the five RVW symphonies (1, 3, 5, 6, and 9) to have undergone the Building a Library treatment, Hickox has 'won' three times...

Ho-hum, Hickox came exactly nowhere in the late Michael Kennedy's BaL on the London Symphony! But then that was c.1979...

Not surprisingly IMHO, Boult 1971 was his winner from a very small field: two Boults, two Barbirollis, Previn and the CfP Handley.