Lark Ascending - The Soft Sounds of Vaughan Williams (London)

Ralph Vaughan Williams (Composer), Barry Wordsworth (Conductor), Neville Marriner (Conductor), Adrian Boult (Conductor), New Queen's Hall Orchestra (Orchestra), Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Orchestra), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: New Queen's Hall Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Barry Wordsworth, Neville Marriner, Adrian Boult
• Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Audio CD (April 15, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0000042HD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #162,429 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Lark Ascending, romance for violin & orchestra

2. Fantasia on Greensleeves, for harp, flute & strings (arranged by R. Greaves; from the opera 'Sir John In Love')

3. Oboe Concerto in A minor: I: Rondo pastorale

4. Oboe Concerto in A minor: II: Minuet and Musette

5. Symphony No. 2 in G major ('A London Symphony'): Lento

6. Concerto grosso for strings in 3 groups: Sarabande

7. English Folk Song Suite, for orchestra (orchestrated by G. Jacob)

8. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, for 2 string orchestras

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to Vaughan Williams, December 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lark Ascending - The Soft Sounds of Vaughan Williams (London) (Audio CD)

This excellent CD provides a wonderful introduction to Vaughan Williams' work. It contains his more popular works, the most notable being the Lark Ascending, Fantasia on Greensleeves, and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. The latter is wonderfully performed, with a lush sound that underscores the beauty of the melody. Vaughan Williams is unfortunately underrated as a composer. I hope his works will experience a renaissance of sorts. Perhaps this CD will contribute to it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am so glad I bought this album!, November 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lark Ascending - The Soft Sounds of Vaughan Williams (London) (Audio CD)

I bought this album because it had two pieces I acutally knew the names of (Lark Ascending & Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis) and adored, never thinking I would also come to love the other pieces. Well I did and now am on a search to find more good works by Vaughan Williams! This is one of my most played cds and still gives me shivers with each listen :-)

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good if not for the oboe..., March 18, 2001

By 

Ian Wisekal (Long Island, NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lark Ascending - The Soft Sounds of Vaughan Williams (London) (Audio CD)

This recording features wonderful renditions of many of Vaughan Williams' most heralded compositions. The Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis is one of the best I've heard, as are most of the other pieces on this CD. However, the (incomplete) Oboe Concerto is of mediocre quality. Being an oboist, I am naturally critical of oboe playing, but I must say that at times even an untrained ear can discern the utter lack of taste that went in to playing the wonderful concerto, which I much enjoy playing myself. A good CD to help people come to love Vaughan Williams, but don't buy it for the Oboe Concerto - you'll be wasting your money.