VW Symphonies - Boult at the Proms

[Dave2002]

That's interesting. I remember being terribly disappointed by the Elgar –above all because Menuhin's playing was in terrible shape that night –but the VW made a big (and good) impression. Re the dynamics, I wonder if it might have had something to do with where we were standing/sitting in the hall? I was in the gallery and found myself pretty much spellbound by the VW.

I don't think I was at that one. I heard Menuhin do Mendelssohn's concerto and then Elgar's one afternoon - I think with Boult at another concert around that time. The Mendelssohn was .... not great .... too slow and a fair number of dodgy bits IIRC. OTOH the Elgar was sublime. By then I gather that he was quite often somewhat erratic, possibly due to physical limitations. On a good day .... that's what we all hoped for.

[makropulos]

I don't think I was at that one. I heard Menuhin do Mendelssohn's concerto and then Elgar's one afternoon - I think with Boult at another concert around that time. The Mendelssohn was .... not great .... too slow and a fair number of dodgy bits IIRC. OTOH the Elgar was sublime. By then I gather that he was quite often somewhat erratic, possibly due to physical limitations. On a good day .... that's what we all hoped for.

Absolutely. The good days were fewer and further between by the early 70s. How wonderful for you to have heard YH doing the Elgar on what sounded as if it was a terrific day – I'm envious.

[underthecountertenor]

The first movement of the 5th was played on France Musique’s En Pistes this morning and grabbed my attention (not having seen this thread previously). The presenters had an intelligent appreciation of both VW (despite the usual ‘Ralph’) problem and Boult which you would be hard pressed to hear replicated on R3 (to say nothing of any reciprocal appreciation of French music).

[Barbirollians]

Finally got round to listening to the Fifth on this CD this morning prompted by Jeremy Dibble being apparently bemused by Boult’s faster tempi than in 1969 and 1953 in this month’s Gramophone Collection . I am completely convinced . Wonderful performance - chases away any cows at the gate nonsense.