Vaughan Williams: The symphonies

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

personally speaking I'd rather listen to RVW6 than Sibelius 6 any day of the week!

What?! Even Thursdays???!!!

These two magnificent works are so different, I couldn't make the call between them. I rejoice that I have them both, and would rather listen to them any day of the week (Bank Holidays possibly excepted) than ... Well; I don't want to upset anyone. Keeping OT, " ... than RVW's Sea Symphony", which I hope won't be too controversial.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well, now, you see; here's the thing. I got the case off the shelf - and the disc isn't in it!

You think that's bad! I found an empty LP case recently - one of the discs of Mendelssohn's Elijah that simply wasn't there. How can anyone lose an LP?

[Pabmusic]

What?! Even Thursdays???!!!

These two magnificent works are so different, I couldn't make the call between them. I rejoice that I have them both, and would rather listen to them any day of the week (Bank Holidays possibly excepted) than ... Well; I don't want to upset anyone. Keeping OT, " ... than RVW's Sea Symphony", which I hope won't be too controversial.

Agreed entirely.

[EdgeleyRob]

Sir Colin Davis's recent death reminds me that he gave terrific performances of RVW4 with the New York Philharmonic (it's in one of their own multi-CD boxed sets) and RVW6 with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra (BR Klassik) but as far as I know he never bothered with any of the others. I'd have thought he might have recorded at least one complete RVW symphonies cycle instead of rather unecessarily duplicating three of Sibelius's (one with the Boston SO and two with the LSO). I guess he thought Sibelius the superior composer, though personally speaking I'd rather listen to RVW6 than Sibelius 6 any day of the week!

Aha,so it's not just me then !

What?! Even Thursdays???!!!

These two magnificent works are so different, I couldn't make the call between them. I rejoice that I have them both, and would rather listen to them any day of the week (Bank Holidays possibly excepted) than ... Well; I don't want to upset anyone. Keeping OT, " ... than RVW's Sea Symphony", which I hope won't be too controversial.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Don't worry, ER. Just because someone else doesn't like a work does not mean you can't appreciate it.

That's one hell of an emoticon...

[EdgeleyRob]

One CD I had disappeared without trace years ago when we had some cleaners in. I can't believe they took it, though maybe they threw it away! Perhaps it'll turn up when/if we move.

I don't always put CDs back in their cases, usually because there's a case missing, so rather than have them lying around loose I put them itno another case which I expect to be opened again soon. For goodness sake don't put CDs into those huge box sets - 50 or more, unless at the very least they belong to the set. That's a sure way to lose them almost for ever!

This rings a bell here.
I have occasionally put for example what I think is a Brahms cd into the player,only for the sound of Jimi Hendrix to come out of the speakers.
Another example,I've just tested the boxed set theory.
My Slatkin 6 disc box of RVW Symphonies contains the following
-
2 cds that actually belong there.
The Haitink RVW 5 cd.
A disc of Chopin waltzes.
Bax 5 (Naxos).
Monty Python live at Drury lane.

Then there are the records that you have forgotten you own.

I was reminded quite recently by a friend that she still has my Kubelik Mahler Symphony box,she borrowed it around 18 months ago and I had completely fogotten that it wasn't on my shelves.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Don't worry, ER. Just because someone else doesn't like a work does not mean you can't appreciate it.

By "not too controversial" I presumed that few would regard The Sea Symphony as a better work than the Sixth. But to those "few" who do (if "few" they are), I'd like to apologize. It must be terrible for you.

And, of course, just because someone else doesn't like a work does not mean that they can't appreciate it.

That's one hell of an emoticon...

An "overemoticon"?


Back on topic - I've found my Bakel #9 (hiding in my Haitink set???????!!), so shall try again later.

[EdgeleyRob]

By "not too controversial" I presumed that few would regard The Sea Symphony as a better work than the Sixth. But to those "few" who do (if "few" they are), I'd like to apologize. It must be terrible for you.

And, of course, just because someone else doesn't like a work does not mean that they can't appreciate it.


An "overemoticon"?


Back on topic - I've found my Bakel #9 (hiding in my Haitink set???????!!), so shall try again later.

See what I mean Ferny

Keep meaning to have a good sort out of my cds but never seem to find the time.

[Petrushka]

Searched high and low for my Previn/Ashkenazy Prokofiev Piano Concertos Decca Duo set but it seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. I'm always ultra careful about putting CD's back correctly so this is a bit of a mystery.

[Flosshilde]

I have occasionally put for example what I think is a Brahms cd into the player,only for the sound of Jimi Hendrix to come out of the speakers.

There's always a silver lining.

[verismissimo]

... " ... than RVW's Sea Symphony", which I hope won't be too controversial.

... and I thought it was just me!

[EdgeleyRob]

There's always a silver lining.

Harsh,but

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In reply to Ferney, I suppose I don't really consider whether one VW symphony is superior to another. The 6th is a truly amazing work, but there are days when I would prefer one of the others (even A Sea Symphony). The interesting thing is that the composer himself must have been satisfied with his first symphonic attempt, as he never revised it, as he did with his no. 2.
My favourite has to be no. 5.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The 6th is a truly amazing work, but there are days when I would prefer one of the others (even A Sea Symphony). The interesting thing is that the composer himself must have been satisfied with his first symphonic attempt, as he never revised it, as he did with his no. 2.
My favourite has to be no. 5.

Mine, too! Arguments over the value of Sea Symphony are pointless; you either like it or you don't. (If there were any point to such arguments, I might say that RVW didn't revise it because there's no way even he could turn this poorly-cobbled together series of beginnings into a decent work, whilst realizing that the twelve minutes or so of excellent material don't really belong anywhere else. Nothing for it but to pop off to Paris to see if Ravel could help!)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have played the Bakels/BournemouthSO #9.



How I've overlooked this extraordinary performance ... !?!?!

It's coupled with a decent (but no more) recording of the Fifth which preceeds it and which may have suliied my expectations for the Ninth. But this is really good: I wouldn't disagree with anyone who regarded this as the best recording of the work - takes its palce with Boult and Handley as far as I'm concerned.