Prom 46 (16.8.12): Vaughan Williams – Symphonies Nos. 4, 5 & 6

[Serial_Apologist]

Fascinating though - thanks S_A.

If you've sussed me out as a "Schoenberg loyalist", you wouldn't be far wrong, John.

That said, for all that I wrote in message 217, I really do love the music of Vaughan Williams, Holst (especially), and the composers who in many respects came in their wake like Ireland, Scott, Bax, Howells, Finzi. One often suspects that ones intuitive sympathies towards some figure who has been misrepresented may have some deeper meaning, and if you have not already got Christopher Norris's book "Music and the Politics of Culture" (Lawrence & Wishart 1989), I would strongly recommend having a read of it: it changed my perspective on Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Delius, and a whole range of musical issues otherwise unrelated.

[JohnSkelton]

and if you have not already got Christopher Norris's book "Music and the Politics of Culture" (Lawrence & Wishart 1989), I would strongly recommend having a read of it: it changed my perspective on Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Delius, and a whole range of musical issues otherwise unrelated.

Thanks again. I don't have the book and haven't read it, though I am acquainted with its author . I'd better get on to it!

[teamsaint]

I would have agreed with you had I not attended this concert. As it turned out, this grouping was inspired and inspirational for the musicians and the RAH audience alike.

The proof of the pudding etc.

I wasn't quite sure about the programming, although I wanted to go. Ferney (I think) rightly suggested that it would be a unique event, and worthy of the effort in any case...he was right !!

[heliocentric]

Thanks again. I don't have the book and haven't read it, though I am acquainted with its author . I'd better get on to it!

Me too.

I find the objections to the three symphonies being programmed end to end rather strange. Unlike amateur51 I wasn't there myself, though actually I wish I could have been, and as I've said I'm not even that keen on two out of the three pieces. If I were an RVW admirer I would have been there and in a state of exaltation from start to finish. The Royal Albert Hall is a long way from Saturn, needless to say, but then so is the Argyle Works.

[Alf-Prufrock]

I was unable either to see or hear the VW concert because of a committee meeting scheduled for that evening. (Why I don't resign, I don't know.) I did however record the BBC4 transmission and have now seen and listened to the concert in toto.

As with many here, it was a shattering experience. In the last movement of the 5th I found myself shedding copious tears. I do tear up (as some say) rather easily, but this was entirely unexpected. I felt utterly torn apart by the beauty of the music.

Nothing will convince me that VW is a second-rate or inadequate composer, as I have sometimes been informed over the past sixty years.

[Tony Halstead]

In the last movement of the 5th I found myself shedding copious tears. I do tear up (as some say) rather easily, but this was entirely unexpected. I felt utterly torn apart by the beauty of the music.

Nothing will convince me that VW is a second-rate or inadequate composer, as I have sometimes been informed over the past sixty years.

[An_Inspector_Calls]

VW is one of the composers I would take to my desert island, but I don't think much of this kind of programming. One VW symphony in each of three concerts would be much better, instead of cramming them altogether. It seems churlish to complain about such riches, but it's unimaginative, and somehaow reminiscent of the Mozart/Schubert-festes.

Quite agree.

And tonight we'll have the same thing - 105 minutes of Prokofiev! not to mention Friday when we'll have 150 minutes of Peter Grimes!!! Ridiculous.

[Ferretfancy]

Quite agree.

And tonight we'll have the same thing - 105 minutes of Prokofiev! not to mention Friday when we'll have 150 minutes of Peter Grimes!!! Ridiculous.

Do you prefer your Britten in bleeding chunks? No doubt Sarah Walker will oblige one morning.

[Northender]

Am I the only person to assume - possibly incorrectly - that the reference to the completeness of the forthcoming Peter Grimes is humorous?

[PJPJ]

Am I the only person to assume - possibly incorrectly - that the reference to the completeness of the forthcoming Peter Grimes is humorous?

No - I think AIC thought it humorous, too.

(so did I......)

[salymap]

That makes two of us then, FF. It's that annotation (I don't like Elgar's Apostles, Kingdom, Gerontius, or for that matter Mendelssohn's Eliah, either) which this music causes to let me feel not comfortable.

Why be uncomfortable about the Victorians?. When I was looking after the vocal score section of the Hire Library I was fascinated by the vocal scores of things like Stanford- Battleof the Bsltic, Stainer- The Crucifixion, works by Maunder, Parry, and others. In my lunch hour I sometimes 'delved' into dusty corners and found vs with long gone programmes left in them, instructions for carriages to be at the door at 10.20pm and other 50year old relics.

Off topic but can't understand this 'discomfort' thing.

back to RVW - I love 1 to 6 but admit I have never caught up properly with the last 3 symphonies after the poor old composer was told in the reviews that he should have given up after the sixth symphony and we all partly believed that.

[Stanley Stewart]

#236 Re the complete symphonies of RVW, saly, I spent a happy 55 mins viewing a South Bank Show (1994), directed by Ken Russell, in which he was guided through the complete cycle by Ursula VW on the basis of 'only connect' with, as expected, several startling images and an illuminating background to the compositions. In turn, how disappointing that the beeb did not acquire the rights to this documentary to show it as a companion piece to the RVW Prom; an ideal guide to an audience unfamiliar with an overview of his work. I made a DVD transfer of this programme some time ago, alongside the Quest for Reginald Goodall and Song of Farewell, (1996), Eric Fenby's 'take' on the Delius years. Decided to make a separate DVD recording of the South Bank Show to complement a recording of last week's RVW 4, 5 and 6 Prom. A stimulating afternoon on a day of high humidity!

[Serial_Apologist]

#236 Re the complete symphonies of RVW, saly, I spent a happy 55 mins viewing a South Bank Show (1994), directed by Ken Russell, in which he was guided through the complete cycle by Ursula VW on the basis of 'only connect' with, as expected, several startling images and an illuminating background to the compositions. In turn, how disappointing that the beeb did not acquire the rights to this documentary to show it as a companion piece to the RVW Prom; an ideal guide to an audience unfamiliar with an overview of his work. I made a DVD transfer of this programme some time ago, alongside the Quest for Reginald Goodall and Song of Farewell, (1996), Eric Fenby's 'take' on the Delius years. Decided to make a separate DVD recording of the South Bank Show to complement a recording of last week's RVW 4, 5 and 6 Prom. A stimulating afternoon on a day of high humidity!

I dopn't suppose there's any way of acquiring a copy of said DVD, Stanley?

[salymap]

I dopn't suppose there's any way of acquiring a copy of said DVD, Stanley?

I wondered too,S-A but didn't like to ask. Anyway, thanks, as always, for an interesting post Stanley.

[amateur51]

I wondered too,S-A but didn't like to ask. Anyway, thanks, as always, for an interesting post Stanley.

Yes indeed, Stanley - what a wonderful DVD