Vaughan Williams's Veranda

[Irons]

They played the 'Romanza' from the 5th Symphony on BBC Radio 3 yesterday (Hallé Elder- a highly regarded recording). It was played slowly with a full-on sentimental treatment - I thought it was terrible and nearly turned the radio off. I much prefer either Barbirolli recording or, best of all, the composer's own recording, Hickox is also good. I like the emotion to be understated in Vaughan Williams and generally find it more affecting for being so.

You know exactly how you stand with Boult as never guilty of over-egging the pudding, to coin a phrase. 5th not the strongest of either of his sets as maybe a tad too unbending, and I do prefer Barbirolli in both 2 & 5. But for only a single set on a desert island, Boult for me.

[LKB]

You know exactly how you stand with Boult as never guilty of over-egging the pudding, to coin a phrase. 5th not the strongest of either of his sets as maybe a tad too unbending, and I do prefer Barbirolli in both 2 & 5. But for only a single set on a desert island, Boult for me.

I feel the same. Among his peers, Boult seems to have the best sense of RVW's emotional intent and balance. And he never delivered anything but quality.

[Kalevala]

Ummmmmmm......

K

[vandermolen]

You know exactly how you stand with Boult as never guilty of over-egging the pudding, to coin a phrase. 5th not the strongest of either of his sets as maybe a tad too unbending, and I do prefer Barbirolli in both 2 & 5. But for only a single set on a desert island, Boult for me.

Which set Lol - Decca or EMI/Warner?

[foxandpeng]

K

 

[Kalevala]

Though not all cats have the predatory instinct, and if you have watched some of my links/youtube uploads elsewhere that I had linked to, you will (and I was and have been) amazed at how animals (including cats) will nurse and look after other animals' offspring.  I'm dumbfounded by what I've seen and am continually amazed about how kind animals can be and the friendships/bonds that they form.

We have so much to learn from them.

K

[Irons]

Which set Lol - Decca or EMI/Warner?

You have me stumped there, Jeffrey. The freshness of Decca or wisdom of EMI? Even finding impossible to cherry pick from each set.

[foxandpeng]

Though not all cats have the predatory instinct, and if you have watched some of my links/youtube uploads elsewhere that I had linked to, you will (and I was and have been) amazed at how animals (including cats) will nurse and look after other animals' offspring.  I'm dumbfounded by what I've seen and am continually amazed about how kind animals can be and the friendships/bonds that they form.

We have so much to learn from them.

K

Agreed. I have an immense appreciation for the little blighters.

[vandermolen]

You have me stumped there, Jeffrey. The freshness of Decca or wisdom of EMI? Even finding impossible to cherry pick from each set.

I love both sets and grew up with the later (EMI) set + the Decca Eclipse No.6.

[LKB]

I love both sets and grew up with the later (EMI) set + the Decca Eclipse No.6.

EMI for me. I'm old enough that l should be wise enough, and yet l consistently find that is not the case. 

[Christo]

A new favourite, bought in July in Oxford's Blackwells Music Shop, where the very helpful lady behind the cash register pointed me to this new CD -- she had it on special display in the window because of the "Oxford motif." She also pointed me to the wonderful new book on Vaughan Williams as a folk music collector in Norfolk, The Captain's Apprentice: Ralph Vaughan Williams and the Story of a Folk Song, by Caroline Davison, which I enjoyed reading in Morocco in August.

[LKB]

I've been reading an excerpt from The Captain's Apprentice, and let me say that I am most impressed.

I'm going to acquire the book, and I encourage anyone else with an interest in RVW to do so.