Holst and Vaughan Williams: Making Music English - BBC2, Sat Nov 17th

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Sure - starts at c. 48.31

Ah, thanks - that's the very end of the finale of the St Paul's Suite, with the composer's optional extra wind instruments included. There's also percussion having fun earlier in this version, which Christopher Hogwood recorded with (appropriately ) the St Paul Chamber Orchestra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3RcJ0-tQrE

[Nevilevelis]

Ah, thanks - that's the very end of the finale of the St Paul's Suite, with the composer's optional extra wind instruments included. There's also percussion having fun earlier in this version, which Christopher Hogwood recorded with (appropriately ) the St Paul Chamber Orchestra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3RcJ0-tQrE

Excellent - thank you! I did wonder if it might be ad lib. instruments.

Solved!

NVV

[Ein Heldenleben]

Thank you PG! The paths there look quite accessible for motorbility scooters?

There's a road to the top of Worcester Beacon from Wyche which is there for the local water company and beacon lighting . Its locked and only accessible to permitted cars . I reckon it's probably notability scooter accessible . It is a challenging cycle hill climb so it depends on the power of the scooter motor . The summit route from Herefordshire Beacon is eroded and largely rough track though a relatively easy ( and wonderful ) walk.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I presume it is much less costly to have those aerial shots with the availability of drones these days (IIRC, the operator got a credit). In any case, it added to the visual appeal of the programme.

[Bryn]

I presume it is much less costly to have those aerial shots with the availability of drones these days (IIRC, the operator got a credit). In any case, it added to the visual appeal of the programme.

Lazy television, indeed.

[oddoneout]

Lazy television, indeed.

That's bit harsh I feel. Yes the ability to do pretty aerial shots can lead to diminution of factual content by substitution but in this programme, where the landscape familiar to the composers played a part in their output I think it had a part to play - and a drone is much preferable to a helicopter or plane for getting said shots.

[Bryn]

That's bit harsh I feel. Yes the ability to do pretty aerial shots can lead to diminution of factual content by substitution but in this programme, where the landscape familiar to the composers played a part in their output I think it had a part to play - and a drone is much preferable to a helicopter or plane for getting said shots.

Just a comment on the use of drones, i.e. "3.1 A person who does no useful work and lives off others. ‘the University takes all the profit and redistributes it to drones like him’"

[Stanfordian]

Goodness me, didn't Holst and Vaughan Williams wrote some superb music.

[Serial_Apologist]

Goodness me, Holst and Vaughan Williams wrote some superb music.

Vaughan Williams seems to expand in magnificence the older I get. I've just now been listening to Barbirolli's recording of the VW Eighth, on a cassette I picked up for a quid at t'local market last year - a work considered by some to be his slimmest of the nine in terms of profundity, but this recording really brought out the contraputal complexity of much of the work, plus the colouristic extravagance of the joyful last movement, almost approximating that of Messiaen's Turangalila and sounding as if an entire Buddhist temple full of musicians had decanted from Lhasa and joined the Hallé.

I'm constantly asking myself which of the two composers' music I love more. Holst could just as powerful and at his best be more inspired and radical than his friend - I've come to love the late works, Hammersmith, the Double Concerto, Choral Fantasia, the Humbert Wolfe songs and that extraordinary Scherzo from the unrealised symphony, more than The Planets or even The Ode to Death - but he could also be more uneven, twee at times; and for all the deep spiritual and political radicalism to which I feel so much attuned, he seldom achieved that huge warm life affirming embrace one feels from Vaughan Williams in works such as the Sea Symphony, Serenade to Music, An Oxford Elegy, and the abovementioned symphony.

[LMcD]

Vaughan Williams seems to expand in magnificence the older I get. I've just now been listening to Barbirolli's recording of the VW Seventh, on a cassette I picked up for a quid at t'local market last year - a work considered by some to be his slimmest of the nine in terms of profundity, but this recording really brought out the contraputal complexity of much of the work, plus the colouristic extravagance of the joyful last movement, almost approximating that of Messiaen's Turangalila and sounding as if an entire Buddhist temple full of musicians had decanted from Lhasa and joined the Hallé.

I'm constantly asking myself which of the two composers' music I love more. Holst could just as powerful and at his best be more inspired and radical than his friend - I've come to love the late works, Hammersmith, the Double Concerto, Choral Fantasia, the Humbert Wolfe songs and that extraordinary Scherzo from the unrealised symphony, more than The Planets or even The Ode to Death - but he could also be more uneven, twee at times; and for all the deep spiritual and political radicalism to which I feel so much attuned, he seldom achieved that huge warm life affirming embrace one feels from Vaughan Williams in works such as the Sea Symphony, Serenade to Music, An Oxford Elegy, and the abovementioned symphony.

Are we talking about the Sinfonia Antartica? This sounds more like a description of the last movement of the 8th.....

[Serial_Apologist]

Are we talking about the Sinfonia Antartica? This sounds more like a description of the last movement of the 8th.....

No the Eighth! I'll correct it right away!

[silvestrione]

Vaughan Williams seems to expand in magnificence the older I get. I've just now been listening to Barbirolli's recording of the VW Eighth, on a cassette I picked up for a quid at t'local market last year - a work considered by some to be his slimmest of the nine in terms of profundity, but this recording really brought out the contraputal complexity of much of the work, plus the colouristic extravagance of the joyful last movement, almost approximating that of Messiaen's Turangalila and sounding as if an entire Buddhist temple full of musicians had decanted from Lhasa and joined the Hallé.

I'm constantly asking myself which of the two composers' music I love more. Holst could just as powerful and at his best be more inspired and radical than his friend - I've come to love the late works, Hammersmith, the Double Concerto, Choral Fantasia, the Humbert Wolfe songs and that extraordinary Scherzo from the unrealised symphony, more than The Planets or even The Ode to Death - but he could also be more uneven, twee at times; and for all the deep spiritual and political radicalism to which I feel so much attuned, he seldom achieved that huge warm life affirming embrace one feels from Vaughan Williams in works such as the Sea Symphony, Serenade to Music, An Oxford Elegy, and the abovementioned symphony.

I'm ashamed to say I don't know any Holst apart from The Planets and Egdon Heath. Could you recommend a 'starter' recording/collection for those late pieces you mention?

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm ashamed to say I don't know any Holst apart from The Planets and Egdon Heath. Could you recommend a 'starter' recording/collection for those late pieces you mention?

Hi silvestrione

Forgive me, I'm off out now. I'll cobble together some recommendations for you tomorrow.

[ardcarp]

Forgive me butting in, but The Hymn of Jesus* is good if you want a large scale work. The Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda are rather good too. The St Paul's Suite (for strings) is easy listening and as different from The Planets as you can get. Ditto his two Suites for Military Band. Lots of lovely part songs if you like unaccompanied choral music, some being folk-song arrangements or folk-song influenced, e.g. I Love my Love. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3BozJwWkMI) I could go on. Gustav was quite prolific.......

*The text isn't a standard piece of Christian piety; this link explains it rather well.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2017/06/alternative-scriptures-holsts-hymn-jesus/

[Bryn]

I'd say go for this one:



Lots of fine works in decent performances. including The Wandering Scholar and Ode to Death.