Vaughan Williams: The symphonies

[seabright]

I don't see any mention so far of the splendid 1964 stereo RVW6 broadcast from Barbirolli and the Boston Symphony in an all-English music set issued by Music & Arts (CD-251(2)) that also included Elgar 2 and music by Purcell and Delius. Mention of the Boston SO also reminds me of the sensational RVW8 from 1954, again a stereo broadcast, that was conducted by Charles Munch and released on the 'Pristine Audio' label a while back. As it happens, it's also on You Tube and the 'comments' under the video sum it up well enough: "What a wonderful performance" and "Easily the most persuasive performance of RVW8 I've ever heard." Click the link and decide for yourselves! ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Two4qjxmw

Another wonderful non-British RVW performance was given by the Flemish Radio Orchestra under Richard Egarr. This was of the 9th Symphony and needs to be issued on CD, as it is one of the finest readings of the work I know. If anyone knows Mr Egarr, please ask him to get the ball rolling! ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foioL-VR2eU

[Barbirollians]

Barbirolli also took the Ninth with him to either his Boston or late 1950s New York tours - a work he never recorded - would be great if a radio recording of that emerged .

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Barbirolli also took the Ninth with him to either his Boston or late 1950s New York tours - a work he never recorded - would be great if a radio recording of that emerged .

[EdgeleyRob]

I've a vague recollection of a mention in one review of the original release, but I wasn't bothered (was it the first stereo RVW5?). For a long time that symphony was holy ground for me. It helped me at a really difficult time of my life.

I can relate to this,RVW's music has saved me many times and continues to do so.

[EdgeleyRob]

The Romanza finds its way into A Pilgrim's Progress, and there it could claim to be even finer.

Or the Romanza finds its way into the 5th Symphony from A Pilgrim's Progress (The House Beautiful).

[Ferretfancy]

Or the Romanza finds its way into the 5th Symphony from A Pilgrim's Progress (The House Beautiful).

Actually, it all started back in the 1920s with his The Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains

[Pabmusic]

Or the Romanza finds its way into the 5th Symphony from A Pilgrim's Progress (The House Beautiful).

Actually, it's rather more than that. Here's Michael Kennedy comparing the 1943 symphony and the 1951 morality:

First movement: The three-note figure which is the basis of the Preludio's development section (full score, p. 12) is to be found in the introduction to Act II, Scene 2, when Pilgrim meets Apollyon.

The second subject, with its wonderful change into E major (full score, p. 7), occurs in the morality (Act I, Scene I, vocal score, p. 10) while Evangelist tells Pilgrim to go to the Wicket Gate, and recurs while the Interpreter welcomes Pilgrim (vocal score, p. 26) and later describes to him the room prepared for him (vocal score, p. 30).

Third movement (Romanza): The opening of this movement, and its cor anglais theme (full score, p. 70) occur at the beginning of Act I, Scene 2 (vocal score, p. 21) to some of the words which were originally inscribed above the slow movement of the symphony: 'He hath given me rest by his sorrow and life by his death'.

The climax of the Romanza's animato section (full score, p. 81) on the brass may be referred to Pilgrim's 'Save me' (vocal score, p. 24) and some of the woodwind phrases (full score, p. 80) derive from the meno mosso accompaniment (bar 2 vocal score, p. 26) and culminate in the violin solo (full score, p. 88).

Fourth movement (Passacaglia): The basis of the passacaglia theme (full score, p. 90) occurs in the morality in the accompaniment tp Pilgrim's inquiries to the Interpreter (vocal score, p. 29 and p. 30, at andante sostenuto). The tenth bar of p. 30 of the morality vocal score is a link with the scherzando section of the symphony movement (full score, p. 98) - see oboe and trumpet parts especially - and 'Who would true valour see' is a derivative from, or parent of, the brass paeans in the symphony (full score, pp. 100-2).

Kennedy, Michael: A Catalogue of the Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams, [OUP, 1964] p. 219

[BBMmk2]

Must play these works again, and compare, the5th Symphony and A Pilgrim's |Progress9A House Beautiful)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Actually, it's rather more than that. Here's Michael Kennedy comparing the 1943 symphony and the 1951 morality:

Thank you Pabs.

[EdgeleyRob]

Actually, it all started back in the 1920s with his The Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains

Actually, it's rather more than that. Here's Michael Kennedy comparing the 1943 symphony and the 1951 morality:

First movement: The three-note figure which is the basis of the Preludio's development section (full score, p. 12) is to be found in the introduction to Act II, Scene 2, when Pilgrim meets Apollyon.

The second subject, with its wonderful change into E major (full score, p. 7), occurs in the morality (Act I, Scene I, vocal score, p. 10) while Evangelist tells Pilgrim to go to the Wicket Gate, and recurs while the Interpreter welcomes Pilgrim (vocal score, p. 26) and later describes to him the room prepared for him (vocal score, p. 30).

Third movement (Romanza): The opening of this movement, and its cor anglais theme (full score, p. 70) occur at the beginning of Act I, Scene 2 (vocal score, p. 21) to some of the words which were originally inscribed above the slow movement of the symphony: 'He hath given me rest by his sorrow and life by his death'.

The climax of the Romanza's animato section (full score, p. 81) on the brass may be referred to Pilgrim's 'Save me' (vocal score, p. 24) and some of the woodwind phrases (full score, p. 80) derive from the meno mosso accompaniment (bar 2 vocal score, p. 26) and culminate in the violin solo (full score, p. 88).

Fourth movement (Passacaglia): The basis of the passacaglia theme (full score, p. 90) occurs in the morality in the accompaniment tp Pilgrim's inquiries to the Interpreter (vocal score, p. 29 and p. 30, at andante sostenuto). The tenth bar of p. 30 of the morality vocal score is a link with the scherzando section of the symphony movement (full score, p. 98) - see oboe and trumpet parts especially - and 'Who would true valour see' is a derivative from, or parent of, the brass paeans in the symphony (full score, pp. 100-2).

Kennedy, Michael: A Catalogue of the Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams, [OUP, 1964] p. 219

Thanks guys for your comments.

I was more making the point that the opening theme of the Romanza slow movement of the 5th Symphony is taken note for note from act 1 of Pilgrims Progress.

Actually RVW first wrote incidental music for a realisation of PP in 1906.

[seabright]

[QUOTE=Barbirollians;544892]Barbirolli also took the Ninth with him to either his Boston or late 1950s New York tours

JB conducted the NYPO in RVW8 on January 1, 2 and 3, 1959 (source: Howard Shanet's "Philharmonic") but never the 9th with them at that time, so it would be interesting to know with which orchestra he performed it. Stokowski had just given the 9th its US Premiere in Carnegie Hall with his own hand-picked orchestra of New York musicians (25 September 1958) and the broadcast was issued on Cala (CACD 0539). It would be interesting to have details of the JB performance, though I doubt if any commercial studio recording of the "Scherzo" matches Stokowski's ebullient reading ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3DApLXA0ww

[EdgeleyRob]

This may be of interest to RVW and Stokowski fans

http://www.stokowski.org/Stokowski_and_Vaughan_Williams.htm

[Bryn]

Thanks guys for your comments.

I was more making the point that the opening theme of the Romanza slow movement of the 5th Symphony is taken note for note from act 1 of Pilgrims Progress.

Actually RVW first wrote incidental music for a realisation of PP in 1906.

I can't resist the temptation to again ask whether anyone here has a recording of the Radio 3 production of the radio play version with incidental music by RVW broadcast in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I have a rather poor quality cassette recording of it, but have long hoped to find something better.

[EdgeleyRob]

I can't resist the temptation to again ask whether anyone here has a recording of the Radio 3 production of the radio play version with incidental music by RVW broadcast in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I have a rather poor quality cassette recording of it, but have long hoped to find something better.

Sorry Bryn no.

[makropulos]

I can't resist the temptation to again ask whether anyone here has a recording of the Radio 3 production of the radio play version with incidental music by RVW broadcast in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I have a rather poor quality cassette recording of it, but have long hoped to find something better.

Bryn, I have something similar, though I'd be happy to send you mine in case it's any better than yours - let me know.
The 1940s broadcast conducted by Boult (now on Albion) has more atmospheric conducting and is a set I'm delighted to have (in spite of crumbly sound). Even so, Groves and the BBC Northern SO are very good in the 70s remake and the acting cast is terrific.

Incidentally, according to BBC genome, the first broadcast of the Groves/Gielgud version was Sunday 1 May, 1977. And on relistening to the start of the recording I have, it's certainly not bad.