Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872-1958)

[Ferretfancy]

auferstehen 2

It's sometimes hard to remember how strange some music sounded to me when I was young, and only part of VWs music was available on record, but I do remember we had 78s in the school collection of Flos Campi, and I loved the oriental other worldliness of it. "The Flowers of the Field", it's a setting of part of The Song of Solomon for viola, chorus, and orchestra, and is rather unusual Vaughan Williams, perhaps influenced by his studies with Ravel. Our 78s featured the wonderful William Primrose playing the viola, and you can still hear it on CD courtesy of Dutton. I hope you enjoy it.
I envy you, there's some wonderful exploring to do!
Bws.
Ferret

[Auferstehen2]

Thanks ferretfancy,

I learn more from these boards everyday than I would if I wiki’ed. I didn’t even know Vaughan Williams and Ravel studied together.

Regarding my purchase of 45 CDs that Chris (#4) was surprised by, the reason is simple.

Here in Malta we are severely restricted in choice, having only ONE decent record shop in Valletta, which seems to display only old Naxos CDs. We are not allowed to download MP3s from Amazon, Spotify and other software isn’t available, obviously no BBC TV (only radio), which means no watching the Proms or the Vienna NYD concert, and only one orchestra (pretty okish actually).

When I mentioned before that I’m a Manchester United Season Ticket holder and asked for any music shops around Manchester, some kind soul mentioned Forsyth in Deansgate. The rest is history. It is only because of space in my suitcase that I didn’t add to my £250 purchase (with no discount!!!).

Most of the CDs are the NBC Broadcasts of live Toscanini concerts and rehearsals. I tell you all, I have never heard such music making as this.

I’m back in Manchester in April for the Chelsea Champions League game, and will again raid the www.guildmusic.com website.

Thanks to all,

Mario

[barber olly]

The 7CD-box contains all his symphonies, and I wonder whether I should start numerically, or whether there's a better way of learning his symphonic repertoire. All symphonies are with various British orchestras, all conducted by Vernon Handley.

I'd welcome any advice,

Thank you,

Mario

2 good start as to my mind gives the spread of VWs ideas,then 5,3,4,6,7,8,9,1.

Hope you enjoy your journey, when completed you should add Job and Wasps Suite.

[Don Basilio]

This reminds me. When I visited Malta I was amazed how it reminded me of the Cotwolds: all that honey coloured limestone and dry stone walls. Just drop the temprature by half, and ignored the baroque church domes on the horizon, and you could be in RVW country. (Vaughan Williams was born at Down Ampney in the Cotswolds, and his opera Hugh the Drover is set there.)

I'd be interested if you notice any of the supposed Englishness in the music.

[JoeG]

By coincidence I am off to Malta tomorrow so if I hear the strains of RVW out of a open window I will know who the resident is likely to be. Otherwise it seems that it may truly be the 'Land without music'. Luckily I am going to see the old buses before they are scrapped rather than to buy CDs :-) I am hoping to find some traditional Maltese music in bars bit not sure if I will track any down - any ideas Auferstehen2?

The sequence suggested by barber olly sounds good though I would probably put 6 before 4 but probably only because I didn't hear 4 until quite late. Being a fan of folk music I can also rcommend the Folk Song Suite - I love RVW's arrangement of 17 Come Sunday.

[BBMmk2]

Thats a great arrangement JoeG! It comes nicely in his English Folksongs Suite, which is a classic in band terms.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I’m back in Manchester in April for the Chelsea Champions League game...

Did you know that Shakespeare supported Manchester United? He must have done, because he didn't live in Manchester.

[Auferstehen2]

By coincidence I am off to Malta tomorrow so if I hear the strains of RVW out of a open window I will know who the resident is likely to be. Otherwise it seems that it may truly be the 'Land without music'. Luckily I am going to see the old buses before they are scrapped rather than to buy CDs :-) I am hoping to find some traditional Maltese music in bars bit not sure if I will track any down - any ideas Auferstehen2?

The sequence suggested by barber olly sounds good though I would probably put 6 before 4 but probably only because I didn't hear 4 until quite late. Being a fan of folk music I can also rcommend the Folk Song Suite - I love RVW's arrangement of 17 Come Sunday.

We are definitely NOT a “Land without music”! Hmph!!!

More seriously though JoeG, I am happy to meet you if you wish – the first cool Cisk is on me! Just tell me where you’re staying and we’ll meet up. Alternatively, at the Upper Barracca in Valletta, overlooking our magnificent Grand Harbour, extreme left hand side, ok? No, I shan’t be wearing a flower in my lapel! What time?

This is, as they say, a genuine offer.

Best wishes,

Mario

[Ferretfancy]

Auferstehn2

I have happy memories of Malta, but it was rather a long time ago, 1954 to be precise! I was in a Royal Artillery regiment stationed at Tigne Barracks just across the Grand Harbour from Valletta. This was the beginning of a great time of change for Malta, which still had its huge British Naval base, but not long afterwards Dom Mintoff's government got us out. I understand that there are now tourist hotels where the barracks stood, and a good thing too!
I was interested to see your comments about radio on the island, back then there was only a cable rediffusion service with 2 channels. Every morning it opened up with a recording of Ave Maria sung by Gigli!
At a general election, the church issued dire broadcast. threats against anybody who voted labour, but Mintoff won after sending his cohorts round the town to cut the cables under cover of darkness.
I was only 19 at the time, and it all seemed a very exciting place to me, as we were nearly always starving it was good to take a bus round the harbour for a mixed grill, the cakes were good too!
Some time I hope to visit the island as a tourist and see how much it must have changed. I don't think that we National Service rookies behaved ourselves very well, but one of my colleagues fell in love with a Maltese girl and planned to marry her, I'm not sure if it came to pass.
Enjoy the Manchester trip!
Bws.
Ferret

[Auferstehen2]

Ferretfancy, you really will get me into trouble (I lived in London for some 35 years, before working in Asia for the next 10, prior to retiring to Malta in 2004), so I'll just say that from what I've heard during those Mintoff years, life was not pleasant at all, and I do wonder whether Malta has ever recovered from that dark period.

Your knowledge is pretty accurate, and the Church is as silly as ever - they are singularly responsible for my losing the faith.

Mario

[JoeG]

It would be good to meet, Mario and see how you are getting on with the RVW - I'll send you a private message as I am not sure of our schedule yet but some time at the Upper Barracca sounds good!

[Auferstehen2]

Someone here (or maybe it was on the old BBC boards) suggested hearing a new work ten times before making a decision. I think this was wise.

The London Symphony (Vaughan Williams’ 2nd symphony) is perfectly acceptable. By that I mean that I was actually surprised by how quickly I took to it, thinking it was going to be far more modern. I’ll give this a few more “listens” before moving on, as suggested, to No 5.

Back to Forsyth’s in Manchester in April, where a further substantial “Guild Music” purchase will no doubt be made of more Toscanini rehearsals. I must also look for the Lisa Della Casa CD which was recommended to me under my Strauss 4-last songs thread.

Thanks,

Mario

[Suffolkcoastal]

I would also suggest you try Hickox's recording of the original 1913 London Symphony. This is over 20 minutes longer that the final revised version (RVW continuallly revised the work right up until the 1940's). The 1st movement is identical but the other three movements contain large amounts of music cut from the final version and some of the cut material is much more harmonically daring. The scherzo comes over as a much darker and somewhat disturbing movement and points the way to his later symphonies.

[Op. XXXIX]

2 good start as to my mind gives the spread of VWs ideas,then 5,3,4,6,7,8,9,1.

Hope you enjoy your journey, when completed you should add Job and Wasps Suite.

I agree, 2 is a great place to start. Wasps Suite is something to look forward to, and perhaps the two piano concerto some day? It is not a work everybody admires -I've read some rather wretched commentary- but I have always loved it.

[salymap]

No 6 has always been my favourite from its first performance, which I think I attended, one of them anyway.
I know and love all the others,in no particular order,up to no 6, but the last three symphonies have always given me problems as the reviews and comments that the 'old boy' should have stopped at 6 and had 'gone off' were widespread and I believed them for a time. It must have been hard for RVW to keep composing at that time.