VW and Boult - new book.

[Pulcinella]

I hope you have lots to say about Job: what a piece to have had dedicated to you.
That to me says a lot about their friendship/association.

[smittims]

There used to be a lovely DVD of Boult conducting Job and the D minor symphony. I remember a time when there was only 'the Boult recording' ; no-one else was asked to record it until ACB had done it four times.

I wish Constant Lambert had recorded it, as, during his lifetime he conducted it more than , probably, everyone else put together, as it was in the Vic-Wells repertoire, when it was often doen in a double-bill with 'Checkmate' , Robert Helpmann dancing Satan and the Red King ( a less strenuous part).

[Bryn]

There used to be a lovely DVD of Boult conducting Job and the D minor symphony. . . .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaughan-Williams-Adrian-Symphony-Masque-Dancing/dp/B00596766Q/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1RD41UWTZECYZ&keywords=vaughan+williams+job+boult&qid=1664094608&s=dvd&sprefix=vaughan+williams+job+boult%2Cdvd%2C239&sr=1-2

[makropulos]

I hope you have lots to say about Job: what a piece to have had dedicated to you.
That to me says a lot about their friendship/association.

I agree, and I do indeed have quite a bit to say about Job (which gets quite a long chapter to itself). As you know, of all the pieces dedicated to him, Job was the one of which he was proudest. How that dedication came about (and how Boult discovered it) is a delightful story too.

[makropulos]

I wish Constant Lambert had recorded it, as, during his lifetime he conducted it more than , probably, everyone else put together, as it was in the Vic-Wells repertoire, when it was often doen in a double-bill with 'Checkmate' , Robert Helpmann dancing Satan and the Red King ( a less strenuous part).

Yes –it would have been wonderful to hear Lambert conduct it. Lambert's earlier performances used his own (brilliantly ingenious) small orchestra version, made with VW's encouragement. We ought to have a recording of that as the material still exists –and Boult actually conducted one concert performance of it, at the QEH in 1973 (not broadcast, unfortunately). As soon as he could, Lambert started to use RVW's full version. It's sometimes said that Boult's 1948 performances at Covent Garden were the first to use the full orchestration for a ballet performance, but as Lambert pointed out in a letter to The Times, he had begun to use it as soon as he had an orchestra (and pit) large enough.

[Pulcinella]

I agree, and I do indeed have quite a bit to say about Job (which gets quite a long chapter to itself). As you know, of all the pieces dedicated to him, Job was the one of which he was proudest. How that dedication came about (and how Boult discovered it) is a delightful story too.

Now I'm even more tempted!
How long does the offer apply for?
I'm thinking of my Christmas present list.

[cloughie]

I agree, and I do indeed have quite a bit to say about Job (which gets quite a long chapter to itself). As you know, of all the pieces dedicated to him, Job was the one of which he was proudest. How that dedication came about (and how Boult discovered it) is a delightful story too.

Boult’s 1950s Decca LPO recording is my ‘go to’ recording - yes he did record it twice again and others have had the benefit of stereo and more modern recording equipment but have they topped it - as usual a matter of personal choice!

[richardfinegold]

Perhaps OT here, but the Boult RVW recordings as remastered by Pristine Audio are definitely a notch better than the standard issue. Gramophone currently is ‘reassessing’ the Sixth from that series

[makropulos]

Now I'm even more tempted!
How long does the offer apply for?
I'm thinking of my Christmas present list.

According to the flyer I have from Boydell, it's until 31 December. And of course I'd be delighted if you're tempted! :)

[makropulos]

Boult’s 1950s Decca LPO recording is my ‘go to’ recording - yes he did record it twice again and others have had the benefit of stereo and more modern recording equipment but have they topped it - as usual a matter of personal choice!

The Decca disc was the version I grew up with, and it's certainly one of my favourites among Boult's recordings of Job. The EMI remake is pretty marvellous though –and had the advantage of being made just after Boult had conducted a run of ballet performances at Covent Garden (I think a little bit of that dance-like character is apparent on the recording). Mind you, if you haven't heard it, the 1977 Prom with the BBCNSO, available from CRQ, is definitely one to hear. This is the performance Boult himself described as 'Alpha plus' in his diary. It also has the advantage of the RAH organ sounding absolutely stupendous in Scene VI.

[Pulcinella]

The Decca disc was the version I grew up with, and it's certainly one of my favourites among Boult's recordings of Job. The EMI remake is pretty marvellous though –and had the advantage of being made just after Boult had conducted a run of ballet performances at Covent Garden (I think a little bit of that dance-like character is apparent on the recording). Mind you, if you haven't heard it, the 1977 Prom with the BBCNSO, available from CRQ, is definitely one to hear. This is the performance Boult himself described as 'Alpha plus' in his diary. It also has the advantage of the RAH organ sounding absolutely stupendous in Scene VI.

The first time I heard Job was with the RLPO under Groves in Liverpool Cathedral.
You can imagine the organ sound there!

[Pulcinella]

Ordered earlier today and apparently already shipped (email just received).
So much for 4 October!

[makropulos]

Ordered earlier today and apparently already shipped (email just received).
So much for 4 October!

Thanks! And I'm delighted you're getting it so quickly. Now that copies are in the warehouse they seem happy to get them out to people, which is great.

Incidentally, that Job you heard with Groves/RLPO in Liverpool Cathedral sounds as if it was rather terrific.

[edashtav]

Thanks! And I'm delighted you're getting it so quickly. Now that copies are in the warehouse they seem happy to get them out to people, which is great.

Incidentally, that Job you heard with Groves/RLPO in Liverpool Cathedral sounds as if it was rather terrific.

I’ve placed my order and am awaiting a pre-publication order for Eric Saylor’s new biography of RVW so the two volumes should complement each other. Many thanks, makropulos, for your kindness in enabling boarders to receive such a generous and enabling discount.

[Master Jacques]

[...] and I think that made him consider their music more than , say, Delius or Britten.

Interesting... I'd never thought about Boult's lack of engagement with Delius, but now you mention it the only Boult Delius recording I have is a rather pedestrian Marche Caprice on a Lyrita LP. I don't know what else there is on disc, if anything, or how often he programmed Delius live. But with Beecham and Barbirolli championing Delius's major works, I expect Boult didn't feel the need to record him.

As for Britten, he had the inevitable Young Person's Guide and Four Sea Interludes (as well as the Rossini adaptations) in his repertoire, and recorded them all; but perhaps Makropulos would know whether he performed any of Britten's less usual concert works live? With Britten recording those exclusively for Decca, there were perhaps few alternatives encouraged on disc during his lifetime.