Customer Reviews

Vaughan Williams: The Complete Symphonies

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Critics worldwide have criticized this set as being too literal, as if to say the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams need thorough interpreting before they can be great.

I have never understood the charge against this set and have never understood critics that believe the symphonies are not strong enough to stand on their own without interpreter affectation. I agree the cycles by Adrian Boult (both of them) and Vernon Handley are wonderful and perhaps more consistent than this one, but neither conductor read the scores as thoroughly and both sets are a world away from this one in terms of sound.

The London Symphony Orchestra plays wonderfully throughout this set, from the Sea Symphony to the final note in Symphony 9. Meanwhile, they turn in one of the most underrated cerebral performances of "Pastoral" Symphony 3 ever committed to disc, LP, tape or wax cylinder.

The Thomson recording of 3 is a wonderful, literal, visceral and hyperintelligent reading of music that is normally spoiled by interpretation. Thomson also outstandingly in Vaughan Williams greatest symphonies including the "London" Symphony 2, the wartime Symphony 4 and Vaughan Williams most wonderful creation, Symphony 5.

I was a tad let down by "Antarctica" Symphony 7 when I first heard it. Today, however, it seems to fit well in the Thomson worldview representing the thoughts of Vaughan Williams and not his interpreters. The criticism that Thomson was not "atmospheric" in this recording deflects what it actually is: the music Vaughan Williams envisioned in his head at the time he composed it.

Vaughan Williams collaborated with Boult in his earliest recordings. He is said to have thought one way about the music, then told Boult, "But you play it the way you think correct." I guess this means there is no such thing as "definitive" Vaughan Williams, eh?

If you subscribe to that theory, you should hear this set for dynamic sound and playing. Among the integral sets availble, even if it does not project the atmospheric creations other interpreters have put on disk, Thomsen fares well against the best (Boult mono and stereo, Handley, Previn) and the rest (Bakels, Haitink, etc.) and sounds better than any of them.

This a beautifully played set. I had heard nothing about production flaws until I read the other reviews. The set I bought was fine. When I am feeling particularly like an anglophile, there are few things better to listen to then these performances of the Vaughan Williams symphonies. Thomson shows flexibility and breadth of expression in the diverse sorts of sounds that Vaughan Williams calls for. From what Sir Adrian Boult called the "modal blessedness" of the 3rd, to the jarring and dissonant 4 & 6(Vaughan Williams himself wasn't entirely sure what he thought of the 4th upon hearing it for the first time, "but this is what I meant by it.") with the tranquil 5th in between to the vast, craggy, and often inhuman landscapes of 7,8,9, the Thomson-molded sound can best be described as "British." The pastoral meloncholy, which is a peculiarly British mood, expressed in the early symphonies is dealt with masterfully as is the cool, detached and dissonant music of the later symphonies. Keeping in mind to what degree Vaughan Williams was rooted in English folk music and how oddly indifferent he was to the German symphonic tradition of Beethoven, Bruckner, & Mahler, these recordings, more than any others I've heard seem to express just what Vaughan Williams had in mind. In the midst of applauding Thomson's conducting, I would be remiss in not mentioning the fine playing of the London Symphony Orchestra. The brass in particular are excellent; playing often with the cold clarity and precision called for, and avoiding gushy sentimentality (even in 2,3, & 5). It is an all-round excellent set, and for what it's worth, I highly advise it.

However much some of the other complete Vaughan Williams symphony cycles have to recommend them, I don't know that the composer would have cottoned to their tendency to either sentimentalize the music or play up its lyrical elements at the expense of sterner stuff. The late Bryden Thomson did neither, and the result is one of the most clear-eyed, tough-minded, and convincing VW cycles available--comparable to Adrian Boult's almost-complete 1950s series. Paradoxically, that sharp focus actually heightens the sense of mystery in passages such as the opening movement of the Eighth Symphony and the enigmatic final pages of the Sixth. Only "A Sea Symphony" is less than a total success, and even there the expansive final movement impresses. This 5-CD set omits the shorter works that served as makeweights in the individual issues, but Chandos has reissued some of those recordings elsewhere.

A great set! While perhaps not as consistent as Handley's set (now on CfP), Thomson's achieves some very notable highpoints (particularly the 'London' Symphony and nos. 4, 5 and 6), and his performances are always eloquent and at times revelatory.

Bryden Thomson's Vaughan Williams cycle is highly praised by critics and fans alike and for good reasons: it's consistently good. These are clear-headed readings of all the symphonies. Thomson was a great conductor and his dedication to English classical music should not be ignored. If it weren't for Thomson's authoritive readings, then the works of Arnold Bax or John Ireland wouldn't be as well-known as they are today. Thomson conducting these symphonies is like coming home for Thomson in a sense, because RVW is indeed one the greatest English composer that ever lived. He is the greatest English symphonist that ever lived. In terms of originality, melodic/harmonic content, overall emotional gratification, and influence RVW's symphonies are unparalleled in England. Each symphony is like a sound-world unto itself.

These recordings, all recorded from 1987 to 1990, stand as a testament to Thomson's conducting. Masterful, passionate, and direct are words that I would describe this cycle. To my ears, one thing you can tell about Thomson's conducting is it's very clear and precise. He doesn't give into these symphonies more pastoral qualities, especially symphonies 1, 2, 3, and 5, which in the wrong hands can sound way too textural and lack that dynamic clarity these symphonies need. In this sense, Thomson is heading into Adrian Boult territory. Boult is still, in my opinion, the greatest RVW conductor, but Thomson does a really admirable job in this set.

The audio quality, unlike what another reviewer said, is fantastic. It's very typical of Chandos who I don't expect anything less from. The performances from the London Symphony Orchestra are also superb. Incredibly dynamic playing from the LSO.

If you're looking for a first RVW cycle or looking to suppliment a set or sets you already own, then you will find little wrong with the Thomson/LSO cycle. Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, this set does not contain any extras, but there have been some individual releases from Thomson that will compliment this set quite nicely and thus fully completing the Thomson RVW cycle:

Ralph Vaughan Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1; In the Fen Country; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; etc.
Vaughan Williams: Complete Concertos
Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem, etc / Bryden Thomson

Another reason why this complete recording of RVW's symphonies may not suit everyone is that it has a very strange oily, blurred sound quality, as if the works were seen through the fog! In this way the choice of Turner paintings as front covers seems fairly appropriate!

You may think that such a fog would suit the London Symphony best (not kidding, sorry for the cliche!), but the performance of this symphony is perverted more than any other from this set by the outrageously reverberant echo, as if the city was drowning in river Thames as the next Atlantis!

This makes for hardly bearable listening to me, and gives the overall corpus Impressionistic, nearly Debussist tones which may not reflect Thomson's intentions. It also minimizes the impact that the conductor obviously brings to these works.

I haven't listened to all symphonies from this set (I don't think I could have plucked up the courage anyway!!!), but this sound issue is well worth considering before purchasing it. Hardly ever has sound quality kept me feeling as uncomfortable in a stereo recording. So I'm going back to Boult!

The set of discs I ordered in February 2000 all play perfectly. And, by the way, the Thomson recordings are excellent.

I've bought this complete set twice and BOTH TIMES there were discs that skipped or would not play through. I can only assume there's a flaw in the manufacturing process here. (If you've had the same experience with this set, please warn others.)

I also got bad discs! The 4th Symphony is a disaster. I have tried playing it on several machines with no luck.

Fortunately, I purchased a copy of the 4th before they released the complete cycle. I made a CD-R from it and the 5th Symphony.

Nevertheless, a definite bummer. I really like these performances.

I've heard most all the avaliable recordings, Mitropoulos, Stokoswki, Previn, Boult, Barbirolli, Haitink, some fine ones there I'll admit.
But in my humble opinion my first recommend is Bryden Thomson.
The London SO has put their whole hearts into this cycle and it shows.
Now as to glitches inn some of the discs. I may indeed have heard one of 2. I can't recall in last nights listen to the 5th, as the volume was low.
I may have heard a tiny glitch.
I'll give the entire set another hearing. If I hear something I'll post a note.
If I don't I'll edit this comment off.

The Bryden Thomson cycle is the definitive RVW set.
While some favor only some of RVW's syms I happen to admire all of them, especially 4,5,6,7.
RVW, a major 20th century comaposer and a student of Ravel.

EDIT: Listening to cd3, at the end in sym 4, there is A FEW GLITCHES, SHARP SNAPS.
I think there may be one other place in the set that has this sharp snap sound.
hummmm, Not sure what to do, I think Chandos ought to call back this set and offer owners new sets.
I doubt if I'll list it here for sale, I couldn't do that. Most likely I'll give the set toa friend, and buy another.
I'll play the new set all the way through, if it does it, I'll send it back to caiman for a refund and buy another.
This is indeed the finest RVW sym set, and no other will do.
Its a shame the glitch is in one of my favs , the 4th sym.

I'll keep you guys posted

EDIT, what i may also do is just order sym 4/single cd. Thats if there are no other glitches on any other cds.
Just a thought.