Vaughan Williams: The symphonies

[seabright]

No. The 1st US performance was on 2 April 1953, by the Chicago SO under Raphael Kubelik. This is the first New York performance.

As Pabmusic correctly gives us the date of the US Premiere of RVW7, I thought you also might like to have all the others, taken from an RVW Society Journal:

"Sea" - Herbert A. Fricker / New York Philharmonic & Mendelssohn Choir - 5 April 1922. (Fricker had prepared the chorus for the work's first performance under RVW's own direction in Leeds in 1910).

"London" - Albert Coates / New York Symphony Orchestra - 20 December 1920

"Pastoral" - Vaughan Williams / Litchfield County Choral Union Orchestra, Norfolk, Connecticut - 7 June 1922

No. 4 - Artur Rodzinski / Cleveland Orchestra - 19 December 1935

No. 5 - Artur Rodzinski / New York Philharmonic - 30 November 1944

No. 6 - Serge Koussevitzky / Boston Symphony - 7 August 1948

"Antartica" - Rafael Kubelik / Chicago Symphony - 2 April 1963

No. 8 - Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra - 5 October 1956

No. 9 - Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra - 25 September 1958 (A specially-assembled orchestra of top-flight New York musicians in a Carnegie Hall concert marking Stokowski's 50th year as a conductor).

Notable 'historic' American recordings of RVW's symphonies include Goossens and the Cincinnati Orchestra in the 1920 edition of the "London" Symphony recorded in 1941 for RCA (Biddulph WHL 016); No. 4 with Stokowski and the NBC Symphony in a 1943 broadcast (Cala CACD0528); No. 4 with Mitropoulos and the New York Philharmonic recorded in 1956 for US Columbia (Sony SMK 58933); No. 5 with Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony in a 1947 broadcast (Guild GHCD 2324); No. 6 with Stokowski and the New York Philharmonic in 1949 for US Columbia in its World Premiere Recording (Cala CACD0537); No. 9 with Stokowski in the 1958 US Premiere broadcast (as above) (Cala CACD0539).

Other such 'historic' releases from America include Barbirolli in VW6 with the Boston SO in 1964 in a 2-Disc 'Music and Arts' set (CD-251(2)). There's also another set of 3 CDs that includes RVW's No. 8 with the JB and the New York Philharmonic from 1959 (West Hill Radio Archives WHRA-6033). If I've missed any others of similar importance and vintage, please add them in!

Now, I wonder about any Continental Premieres of RVW symphonies given in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and so on; and which orchestras and conductors gave them; and their respective dates too?

[richardfinegold]

As Pabmusic correctly gives us the date of the US Premiere of RVW7, I thought you also might like to have all the others, taken from an RVW Society Journal:

"Sea" - Herbert A. Fricker / New York Philharmonic & Mendelssohn Choir - 5 April 1922. (Fricker had prepared the chorus for the work's first performance under RVW's own direction in Leeds in 1910).

"London" - Albert Coates / New York Symphony Orchestra - 20 December 1920

"Pastoral" - Vaughan Williams / Litchfield County Choral Union Orchestra, Norfolk, Connecticut - 7 June 1922

No. 4 - Artur Rodzinski / Cleveland Orchestra - 19 December 1935

No. 5 - Artur Rodzinski / New York Philharmonic - 30 November 1944

No. 6 - Serge Koussevitzky / Boston Symphony - 7 August 1948

"Antartica" - Rafael Kubelik / Chicago Symphony - 2 April 1963

No. 8 - Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra - 5 October 1956

No. 9 - Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra - 25 September 1958 (A specially-assembled orchestra of top-flight New York musicians in a Carnegie Hall concert marking Stokowski's 50th year as a conductor).

Notable 'historic' American recordings of RVW's symphonies include Goossens and the Cincinnati Orchestra in the 1920 edition of the "London" Symphony recorded in 1941 for RCA (Biddulph WHL 016); No. 4 with Stokowski and the NBC Symphony in a 1943 broadcast (Cala CACD0528); No. 4 with Mitropoulos and the New York Philharmonic recorded in 1956 for US Columbia (Sony SMK 58933); No. 5 with Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony in a 1947 broadcast (Guild GHCD 2324); No. 6 with Stokowski and the New York Philharmonic in 1949 for US Columbia in its World Premiere Recording (Cala CACD0537); No. 9 with Stokowski in the 1958 US Premiere broadcast (as above) (Cala CACD0539).

Other such 'historic' releases from America include Barbirolli in VW6 with the Boston SO in 1964 in a 2-Disc 'Music and Arts' set (CD-251(2)). There's also another set of 3 CDs that includes RVW's No. 8 with the JB and the New York Philharmonic from 1959 (West Hill Radio Archives WHRA-6033). If I've missed any others of similar importance and vintage, please add them in!

Now, I wonder about any Continental Premieres of RVW symphonies given in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and so on; and which orchestras and conductors gave them; and their respective dates too?

Excellent. Thank you Seabright. I never would have guessed Rodzinski and Kubelik to be doing RVW, let alone U S premieres

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Excellent. Thank you Seabright. I never would have guessed Rodzinski and Kubelik to be doing RVW, let alone U S premieres

[EdgeleyRob]

As Pabmusic correctly gives us the date of the US Premiere of RVW7, I thought you also might like to have all the others, taken from an RVW Society Journal:

"Sea" - Herbert A. Fricker / New York Philharmonic & Mendelssohn Choir - 5 April 1922. (Fricker had prepared the chorus for the work's first performance under RVW's own direction in Leeds in 1910).

"London" - Albert Coates / New York Symphony Orchestra - 20 December 1920

"Pastoral" - Vaughan Williams / Litchfield County Choral Union Orchestra, Norfolk, Connecticut - 7 June 1922

No. 4 - Artur Rodzinski / Cleveland Orchestra - 19 December 1935

No. 5 - Artur Rodzinski / New York Philharmonic - 30 November 1944

No. 6 - Serge Koussevitzky / Boston Symphony - 7 August 1948

"Antartica" - Rafael Kubelik / Chicago Symphony - 2 April 1963

No. 8 - Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra - 5 October 1956

No. 9 - Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra - 25 September 1958 (A specially-assembled orchestra of top-flight New York musicians in a Carnegie Hall concert marking Stokowski's 50th year as a conductor).

Notable 'historic' American recordings of RVW's symphonies include Goossens and the Cincinnati Orchestra in the 1920 edition of the "London" Symphony recorded in 1941 for RCA (Biddulph WHL 016); No. 4 with Stokowski and the NBC Symphony in a 1943 broadcast (Cala CACD0528); No. 4 with Mitropoulos and the New York Philharmonic recorded in 1956 for US Columbia (Sony SMK 58933); No. 5 with Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony in a 1947 broadcast (Guild GHCD 2324); No. 6 with Stokowski and the New York Philharmonic in 1949 for US Columbia in its World Premiere Recording (Cala CACD0537); No. 9 with Stokowski in the 1958 US Premiere broadcast (as above) (Cala CACD0539).

Other such 'historic' releases from America include Barbirolli in VW6 with the Boston SO in 1964 in a 2-Disc 'Music and Arts' set (CD-251(2)). There's also another set of 3 CDs that includes RVW's No. 8 with the JB and the New York Philharmonic from 1959 (West Hill Radio Archives WHRA-6033). If I've missed any others of similar importance and vintage, please add them in!

Now, I wonder about any Continental Premieres of RVW symphonies given in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and so on; and which orchestras and conductors gave them; and their respective dates too?

Thanks from me too Seabright and Pabmusic.
I wonder if those European premieres are listed in an RVW Society journal,I don't recall ever seeing such a list.
My copies are all over the place but I will try to have a look,just don't hold your breath

[seabright]

I've just remembered one Continental first performance, the Portuguese Premiere of RVW No. 9 given on 20 December 1958 by the National Symphony Orchestra of Portugal under Pedro de Freitas Branco (the broadcast is on CD: 'Strauss Portugalsom' SP 4084).

Another CD is of Barbirolli and the Bavarian Radio Orchestra in RVW No. 6 'live' on 10 April 1970 though I don't know if it was the German premiere (Orfeo C 265 921 B). Colin Davis also played this with the same orchestra in 1987 (BR Klassik 900705).

One real RVW curiosity is what was presumably the Japanese premiere of the "Sea" Symphony on 13 July 1973. This was performed by the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Kazuyoshi Akiyama, with Sakae Himoto, soprano, and Koichi Tajiona (baritone). It's sung in English and I suppose the effect is similar to what a Japanese choral work would sound like if performed at the Proms in Japanese by an English choir and soloists! The broadcast was issued on LP (Nippon Columbia OP 7103) but never on CD and as can be heard on the You Tube upload of the Scherzo the balance favours the orchestra at the expense of the chorus. It's still pretty lively though! ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ktJ4qhtoE

Of course, there's also the only non-British cycle of all nine RVW symphonies, in what must have been their Russian premieres in 1988-89, conducted by Rozhdestvensky and issued on Melodya a year or so ago. This set received some quite good reviews when it was issued, even though Gennady's reputation as a notorious non-rehearser was noticeably evident throughout!

[seabright]

Another non-British orchestra plays RVW on a recent You Tube upload ... It's the 5th Symphony with baton-less Andrew Davis conducting the Hessischer Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra, formerly the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. I don't know if RVW gets played much in Germany but when he does it usually seems to be a British conductor on the rostrum ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo5aHgwsGe0

[akiralx]

Another non-British orchestra plays RVW on a recent You Tube upload ... It's the 5th Symphony with baton-less Andrew Davis conducting the Hessischer Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra, formerly the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. I don't know if RVW gets played much in Germany but when he does it usually seems to be a British conductor on the rostrum ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo5aHgwsGe0

Yes I spotted that, beautiful performance - there is also a film of the London Symphony by the Spanish Radio and TV Orchestra under Carlos Kalmar.

The Hessischer Rundfunks Youtube page is a goldmine for concert films.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Got given the Previn box recently I already knew the recordings of 1, 2, 3 and 5, but it's very good to have them at last on CD.

Having read reviews over many years I approached 4 and 6 with some anticipation of being disappointed, but IMHO (and that of a friend) the 4th is absolutely brilliant! Somehow where the Decca Boult, played pretty much at random for comparison, seems to ease off in the exposition for what I'm guessing he regards as 2nd subject territory, Previn, perhaps feeling that this thematic material is very much the same sort of stuff, just blazes through without any relaxation of tension, creating a much more frightening unity.

Wasn't quite so thrilled by the 6th on one hearing, but didn't feel it let the side down either.

Views anybody??

[EdgeleyRob]

Got given the Previn box recently I already knew the recordings of 1, 2, 3 and 5, but it's very good to have them at last on CD.

Having read reviews over many years I approached 4 and 6 with some anticipation of being disappointed, but IMHO (and that of a friend) the 4th is absolutely brilliant! Somehow where the Decca Boult, played pretty much at random for comparison, seems to ease off in the exposition for what I'm guessing he regards as 2nd subject territory, Previn, perhaps feeling that this thematic material is very much the same sort of stuff, just blazes through without any relaxation of tension, creating a much more frightening unity.

Wasn't quite so thrilled by the 6th on one hearing, but didn't feel it let the side down either.

Views anybody??

The 6th is generally considered to be the weakest of the Previn's set by those who know more about these things than me.
Like you LMP,I find it OK,probably no more than that.
Having said that his 1st movement 'BIG TUNE' (the one I never want to end) is maybe one of the best ever.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Having said that his 1st movement 'BIG TUNE' (the one I never want to end) is maybe one of the best ever.

Rob: I presume that is the the big, lush stings-and-harp tune? Must listen again but you may have put me off slightly

Why? Because I tend to feel that that tune is just too gorgeous for its context in the rest of the movement, indeed the whole symphony, so I'd probably prefer it played down rather than up. Sad case ain't I??

[EdgeleyRob]

Rob: I presume that is the the big, lush stings-and-harp tune? Must listen again but you may have put me off slightly

Why? Because I tend to feel that that tune is just too gorgeous for its context in the rest of the movement, indeed the whole symphony, so I'd probably prefer it played down rather than up. Sad case ain't I??

It's too gorgeous yes but it has to be there.
It makes what comes after,which we don't want to come,but it has to,all the more devastating.
You can't have the end of the world without the world itself,so it must be played up,and having you wish it wouldn't end
Remember this ?

[rauschwerk]

Someone once wrote of a Solti performance of Mahler 9, "...he knows how Mahler 9 should go, but not why." It's the same with Previn's VW6. I suppose commercial pressures meant that his cycle had to be completed within a few years, whether or not he really felt ready to record every single symphony. I have just listened to two and a half movements. The experience should have been quite hard to take at this time of the morning, but regrettably it was just a tad boring.

The recording is not too vivid, either. The winds (including the crucial saxophone) are backwardly balanced and I can hardly hear the bass drum (those rolls so crucial in the opening bars!) I'm a great admirer of Previn's work but in this symphony give me Hickox any time.

[EdgeleyRob]

Found this,not sure if it's already been mentioned

Pastoral Symphony
Philadelphia/Ormandy

https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=35s&v=rl9Jc4ni1yA

[seabright]

This article looks interesting: "On the Reception of Vaughan Williams's Symphonies in New York, 1920/1–2014/15" ... This would take in the World or New York premieres of the nine symphonies under the batons of the likes of Albert Coates, Artur Rodzinski and Leopold Stokowski, amongst many others. The on-line blurb reads as follows:

"This article considers the reception of Ralph Vaughan Williams's nine symphonies (and a few non-symphonic works) in New York City (and, occasionally, its suburban environs), from the American premiere of A London Symphony on 30 December 1920 to a performance of Symphony No. 6 on 10 December 2014. The author argues that the reception rolls out across five distinct periods: (1) 1920/1–1922/3: the New York premieres of A London Symphony, A Sea Symphony and A Pastoral Symphony (in that order), all to greetings that were lukewarm at best; (2) 1923/4–1934/5: Vaughan Williams's reputation grew meteorically, and A London Symphony became something of a staple; during this period Olin Downes of the New York Times became Vaughan Williams's most ardent champion among New York's music critics; (3) 1935/6–1944/5: Symphonies 4 and 5 made their New York debuts, and a rift opened between the pro-Vaughan Williams New York Times and the negative criticism of the New York Herald Tribune, one that would follow Vaughan Williams to the grave and beyond; (4) 1945/6–1958/9: premieres of Symphonies 6, 8 and 9, as Vaughan Williams's reputation in New York reached its honours- and awards-filled zenith; and (5) the long period from 1959/60 to the present day, which can be described as 20 years of decline (1960s–1970s), another 20 in which his reputation reached rock bottom (1980s–1990s) and, since the beginning of the new millennium, something of a reassessment, one that is seemingly unencumbered by the ideologically driven criticism of the past. Finally, Appendix I provides a chronological inventory of all New York Philharmonic programmes (along with those of the New York Symphony prior to the two orchestras' merger in 1928) that include any music (not just the symphonies) by Vaughan Williams. Appendix II then reorganizes the information of the chronological list according to work, conductor, venue and premieres."

Hopefully we'll be able to read this article in full on-line sometime, as it sounds fascinating! ...

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14723808.2015.1129160

[pastoralguy]

My parents had a 45rpm of Previn and the LSO playing the 'big tune' extract from their recording of the 6th Symphony. It was used as a theme tune for a tv series called, iirc, 'Family at War'. I seem to remember the record made it into the pop charts!

The flip side was the last movement of the 8th symphony which, as a small boy, quite fascinated me since it was like nothing I'd ever heard before.