Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress

[Parry1912]

I have just ordered the 4 CD RVW Choral Music set which includes it. According to Zavvi I should have it in a week or so. Trouble is, Zavvi is part of the same group of traders as SendIt and The Hut. I will just have to wait a see.

As long as it's not one of their so-called "promotional" prices you should be OK.

I must just say how much I love John Noble on the Boult recording. Perfect.

[makropulos]

I think the Hickox version is vastly superior to the Boult, beautifully sung, played and recorded. I was greatly taken by the Boult when it appeared on LP but Hickox surpasses it in every way. If the house was on fire I would probably burn to death, being unable to decide whether to save Boult or Barbirolli in the 5th Symphony (or possibly Boult's Job).

I have to disagree about the relative merits of the two recordings, though both are very good. Boult's I find utterly magical.

But the point is, as you say, the work is extraordinarily wonderful.

(And when you say Boult's Job, which of his six recordings, including one on DVD, would you save? :) )

[mercia]

do the Boult discs have rehearsal tracks?
is the Hyperion recording the only one with spoken narration?

[Suffolkcoastal]

Yes the Boult set does indeed include the rehearsal tracks and the libretto. I've known the piece for many years and find it very moving and I also have the vocal score and often play through parts of it on the piano. The Boult set is perfectly satisfying with John Noble immaculate in the role of the Pilgrim and John Carol Case a very authoritative Evangelist.

[Don Basilio]

I am religious and Bunyan's Calvinism is the Wrong Sort of Religion as far as I'm concerned. And RVW kept in far more of the Calvinism (the satire with the By-Ends) than liberal anglicans would be comfortable with nowadays.

Buti it is a truly wonderful work. It has consoled me when I was utterly desolate.

The live performance at Sadler's Wells with Roderic Williams was lovely.

The funny thing is that usually the baddies get better music than the goodies (Carmen/Michaela) but here the House Beautiful and the Delectable Mountains knock spots off Vanity Fair and Apollyon.

[Biffo]

(And when you say Boult's Job, which of his six recordings, including one on DVD, would you save? :) )

I only have Boult's 1971 version with the LSO. I have owned it on LP (then CD) almost since it was first issued. I know version X with orchestra Y is superior, it always is.

[makropulos]

I only have Boult's 1971 version with the LSO. I have owned it on LP (then CD) almost since it was first issued. I know version X with orchestra Y is superior, it always is.

Of all of them, I think that one is probably the very best - it's certainly coming to my desert island... The recent ICA Classics DVD of the performance with the LPO at the RVW centenary concert is worth getting too.

[Biffo]

Sorry for the tetchy reply. 'What version do you have?' always seems to be a leading question.

[makropulos]

Sorry for the tetchy reply. 'What version do you have?' always seems to be a leading question.

Oh - no problem. As you'll gather, I didn't mean to induce tetchiness!. It's just I'm fascinated by Boult's way with this piece.

[visualnickmos]

This is a piece I've listened to extracts from on Amz, and it has even then, bowled me over. I adore RVW, in any case. I'm just about to order on Amz France, and it's the Boult EMI 1971(?) that is up there.... being the one I want, with the LPO and Choir, with John Noble, John Carol Case, Christopher Keyte and a host other "greats" (please forgive this terminology!).This has some rehearsal tracks as well. Did he do an LSO version, than at about the same time?
Thanks to all, in advance.

[Chris Newman]

I find Matthew Best, Sir Adrian Boult and Richard Hickox and their respective performers all complement each other. The work has been extremely lucky in its recorded performances.

[Biffo]

I've just listened to the Boult/LSO 'Job' (on LP) to refresh my memory of how good it is.

[visualnickmos]

Yes - Job by Boult is marvellous. In fact that will be tonight's listening, plus some more Nielsen symphonies (I'm listening again to the Decca set with the SFO/Blomstedt.