Customer Reviews

Vaughan Williams: The Complete Symphonies / Orchestral Works

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My first exposure to V W's symphonies happened back in the 1970's courtesy of Boult's earlier recordings (#1-8 on London and Decca LPs, and #9 on an Everest LP). Later I acquired all of Boult's stereo recordings on Angel LPs. Here we have the latter recordings in their best-ever transfers. Despite strong competition from Handley (EMI) and Previn (RCA), I feel that over-all this Boult set (Boult II) remains THE one to own in good stereo sound. However, Boult's earlier set (Boult I - now available on Decca CDs in top-notch transfers) features even better performances of Symphonies 4, 6 and 9. I own them both, along with a few individual symphony readings by other conductors. Here's a brief summary of the performances:

#1. I won't mince words here: This Sea Symphony is absolutely dazzling, the finest I have ever heard. Boult I was also pretty extraordinary, but Boult II's superb stereo sound and slightly stronger vocal line-up make it a clear first choice.

#2. Boult I is a more energetic performance than Boult II. Sonically, however, Boult II offers a far more vivid listening experience. I am also rather fond of Barbirolli's first recording (on Dutton, paired with his magnificent 8th). My favorite "live" 2nd is a superb Malcolm Sargent reading, available only in an expensive 10-disc set from the Chicago Symphony. That set is well worth owning: it also contains what I feel are the finest-ever recordings of three great Third Symphonies (Mahler's, Prokofiev's and Roussel's), in readings by (respectively) Martinon, Kondrashin and Munch.

#3. Boult II is my favorite here, just ahead of Previn (RCA).

#4. Boult II simply lacks the incredible rhythmic snap and commitment of Boult I, which is my favorite account along with the Stokowski (Cala) and the composer himself (Dutton, paired with Barbirolli's fine 5th). In V W's own reading, the influence of the composer's contemporaries (especially Honegger, Janacek and Roussel) sounds more noticeable than in any other recording.

#5. Boult I and II are both excellent. Despite II's better sound, I think I prefer I's greater exuberance (especially in the 2nd mvt.) Likewise, I am very fond of both Barbirolli readings (Dutton and EMI), but retain a slight preference for the mono Dutton (which also has V W's own hell-for-leather rendition of the 4th).

#6. Boult I is far better than the slightly soggy Boult II: the former is my favorite performance of the work, despite the mono sound. At the end is a touching little speech given by the composer, in which he thanks Boult and the orchestra for their incredible pianissimo playing in the Epilogue: Indispensable. In stereo, the inexpensive Bakels (Naxos) is excellent.

#7. It's almost a toss-up here, but Boult II ultimately wins out on the basis of sound. But Boult I is no sonic slouch, and Sir John Gielgud's stately narration is a handsome dividend.

#8. Here I feel that, while Boult II is clearly superior to Boult I, neither comes even close to matching the classic first studio recording by Barbirolli, to whom the work is dedicated. The latter is coupled on Dutton with Barbirolli's fine #2 (both in stereo). Barbirolli's studio effort is FAR better played than his live 8th on BBC Legends.

#9. Boult I, this time in clear stereo sound (licensed from Everest), is in every way superior to Boult II, which is curiously detached. Unfortunately, the excellent "Job: A Masque for Dancing" that was Everest's discmate has not been retained. That's a pity: nobody ever did it better, although the Boult II is very satisfying.

All of the smaller works included on Boult II (the Boult I set has just the 9 symphonies) receive fine performances. Especially noteworthy is the Serenade to Music: it even eclipses the classic first-ever recording by Sir Henry Wood (on Dutton). In the Tallis Variations, there are wonderful versions worth hearing from Silvestri (EMI), Stokowski (Bridge) and Barbirolli (EMI). Silvestri also recorded a superlative Wasps (EMI).

If recorded sound is your uppermost concern, then Boult II will prove the more satisfying. But if you want to hear Boult's V W interpretations at their finest, then owning both sets becomes essential.

"You got the score right into you and through you into the orchestra."

So wrote Vaughan Williams to the thirty year old conductor Adrian Boult in 1918 after a performance of A London Symphony. Subsequently Boult conducted and championed Vaughan Williams' works constantly. Many times he recorded and premiered them. This slim-line box, containing all the symphonies and many other items, all recorded in stereo and mostly in the warm Kingsway Hall acoustic between 1967 and 1975, ought therefore to be self-recommending.

It must be said that Vaughan Williams as a composer has tended to polarize listeners. Detractors say that he had neither the architectural vision nor the construction skills necessary for a symphonist. They point to the fact that he himself hesitated to name and number many of his works as symphonies, and that one of them is merely a re-cycled film score. They contain, moreover, many awkward and ungainly rhythmic figures that tend to cheapen them. Champions argue that the music is wonderfully evocative of its time, that many beauties are to be found therein, and that at least three of the works deserve to remain in the international repertoire forever.

Internet browsers, wondering which Vaughan Williams purchases to make, need to balance several factors before selecting this box. The octogenarian conductor, Sir Adrian Boult, directs with authority and knowledge, but nevertheless does not always elicit the very best performances (as in No 7) available or the very best performances of his own recorded versions (as in No 2 and No 6). Against this must be balanced the benefits of relatively modern recording and reprocessing, together with the benefits of low cost and compactness.

Perhaps there are no other internet browsers who, like me, heard Vaughan Williams conduct. At an orchestral concert in London in the early 1950s, devoted to his works, he conducted his own Fourth Symphony. As a young audience member I reckoned that he obviously was not the world's best conductor. A tall, big-framed figure, he kept his eye on his own score and beat time with the baton. Nowadays, I am happy to recommend and own this box of his works, while ensuring however that other versions of them are in my collection.

THIS nice looking blue box is also a nice sounding set of CDs, introducing some perennial works by Vaughan Williams. My only reproach goes to the rather "clumsy" sleeves (each disc is packed individually though): They all present the same plain design and don't have the ease of use of a jewel case. True, EMI intended to "cut corners" in order to significantly reduce the price of that collection (good idea or not, they didn't fail to their promise inasmuch as the cost is much lower than having to buy separately every individual disc). What you don't have are sophisticated CD inserts with nice color paintings or National Geographic sorts of photos, but what you get is a very good record set offering Boult's classic recordings for a low price. Two thumbs up for a most complete booklet introducing each work and providing further details about the recordings (sessions took place in the late 1960's and early 70's, during Boult's EMI-Angel era).

Some important works do not appear in the collection (or were they simply not recorded by this conductor?). Such is the case with the Mass in G minor, Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus and Toward the Unknown Region. Still, the nine symphonies and various orchestral works are there---in an unabridged edition. The overall quality is good and for this i would grant EMI a 8/10.

In terms of viability and investment, you'll probably never find better renditions of the Sea Symphony and the Pastoral. The "least interesting stuff" from this cycle is, to be honest, a no-more-than-average version of the 8th Symphony, arguably forgettable (better in his Decca years, although the best accounts came from Barbirolli). Other than that, there's a breathtaking 5th, a decent London and a classic reading of the Antartica. Orchestral highlights include Boult's quite magnificent 'Serenade to Music' plus a rarely recorded 'Concerto for two pianos' coupled with the exhilarating Masque for Dancing, 'Job'.
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*****

For both the serious or casual listener of Vaughan Williams music, I consider these recordings a must! Only a scant few conductors (John Barberolli, Thomas Beecham, and Adrian Boult), could do justice to his compositions. One slight(very slight) flaw is that the second piece of his English Folk Song Suite(My Bonny Boy), is a wee bit quick in tempo. Other than that, this collection is truly outstanding. Let me also state that since this review is being written on Thanksgiving, there isn`t a "Turkey" in the lot! Sorry for the pun.

I agree with Roger Lakins, who first reviewed this set (q.v.) on every point of judgement - these are great performances which you can absolutely trust as true to the spirit of the music. However, they were not made under the personal supervision of RVW, who died in 1958. That was true of Boult's earlier set. made originally for Decca in the 50s, a set of 1-8, not 9, which was not recorded at the time. This older set is available on a cheap British label called Belart, and many critics would rate it even more highly than the EMI set under review here. But no-one should hesitate about this set - it's still first-rate.

What is a definitive recording? Is such a thing even desirable? If so, these may be the closest we will get to an understanding of how Vaughan Williams intended his symphonies to be performed. These recordings, however, go so much further than simply being an encyclopedic collection. Boult and Vaughan Williams enjoyed a mutually beneficial collegiality and warm friendship. Boult gave the premier performances of many of these works. Most, if not all, of these recordings were made under the attentive supervision of the composer. The wonderful biography of the composer, which was written by his second wife, chronicles many of these events in a most humanly interesting way. On the other hand, Michael Kennedy's monumental book analyzing the complete works of the composer adds some technical details about these recordings, which are of interest to anyone devoted strongly enough to RVW to want to have his complete symphonic output on cd.

All of the recordings are better than very good. The technical work of remastering has been done to perfection. The performances are full blooded, expressive and exciting. Everyone will have his own favorite among these discs, but to this listener the `Tallis Fantasia' and `Sinfonia Antarctica' stand out over other recordings of the same works. The "Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis" was originally composed for and performed in a cavernous cathedral space at a Three Choirs Festival. This performance communicates the mysticism of the work in a way in which I have never heard anyone else succeed. Likewise, "The Sinfonia Antarctica" or "Symphony No. 7" is here performed with the poems and excerpts from Scott's journal read by a young Sir John Gielgud before each movement. This does very much to enhance the total effect. Remembering that this was initially film music, later adapted into a symphony, only heightens one's estimation of the composer. Vaughan Williams was a bold and progressive artist, firmly rooted in the great mainstream tradition. As he labeled Holst and himself: they were `heirs and rebels' of the great tradition. To any serious musician or music lover, this collection is essential.

The VW symphonies have done remarkably well on disc. Complete cycles by Previn, Haitink and Tod Handley all make substantial claims. Individual symphonies from Richard Hickox, Andrew Davis, Vaughan Williams himself and, of course, 'Glorious John' Barbirolli (as VW christened him) also demand attention. But, if you're looking for a complete overview of the Vaughan Williams symphonic canon (plus quite a lot of substantial extras) then this Boult set is probably still the best all-round recommendation.

Even he has a substantial rival in his earlier self on Decca, conducted under the gaze of the composer who delivers a touching speech of thanks to the players at the end of the pianissimo finale of the Sixth Symphony. This earlier Decca version probably has the edge for urgency and thrust in the quicker movements, but the sound on these later discs benefits enormously from the full warm stereo production typical of EMI in the 70's and also benefits from Sir Adrian's lifetime experience of these works.

In many ways, it is the earlier symphonies that come off best in this series. A wonderfully full-blooded Sea Symphony with a finely disciplined chorus, excellent soloists in John Carol Case and Sheila Armstrong (though she can't eclipse the magical Isobel Baillie in the older Boult set), and a rich Kingsway Hall acoustic get the set off to a fine start. The London Symphony was always special with Boult: he managed to achieve an ideal balance of symphonic thought with the touches of Edwardian period colour. The jingles of the hansom cab in the London fog and the cries of the street vendors come off particularly well here. But don't ignore Hickox's magnificent recording of the substantially longer original version. The Pastoral, too, is beautifully sustained in Boult's hands: the succession of slow, mostly quiet movements always glows with Pastoral intensity for him. Maybe his disciple, Vernon Handley, penetrates deeper into the dark echoes of the composer's experiences as an ambulance driver in the Great War.

The Fourth - "I don't know if I like it, but it's what I meant," in VW's famous quote - is full of barely restrained power, but perhaps would benefit from a bit more urgency at times. The Fifth, arguably the most symphonic of all the symphonies despite the Pilgrim's Progress origins of much of its material, gets an authentically profound performance with the LPO. Maybe we are closer to the Pilgrim origins here than to the symphonic arguments behind their transformations. There is serious competition in this symphony from Barbirolli (his 1st recording), from Haitink and from Handley. Haitink is the most 'symphonic', Barbirolli the most impassioned, Handley probably the most balanced.

The Sixth is fine, suitably violent and desolate by turns, but doesn't quite match Boult's blistering earlier recording. The Antarctica is curiously lack-lustre here - Haitink's is the revelatory performance of this symphony. The Eighth has always seemed to be the special domain of its dedicatee, Barbirolli, who had the key to unlocking its mixture of wild and wonderful orchestration (including "all the 'phones and 'spiels known to the composer") with cryptic symphonic argument. The enigmatic Ninth seems to elude most conductors, including Boult here. Handley comes closest to revealing its dark Hardyesque mysteries.

There are two additional discs of extra stuff, all beautifully played. Specially noteworthy are a Serenade to Music that comes close to matching Henry Wood's original line-up of soloists, Hugh Bean as a magically carolling Lark Ascending, a real rarity in the Double Piano Concerto and a great Job, perhaps the VW work closest to Boult's heart.

This set is excellent value for money and, for a complete collection of the symphonies, probably the best all-round recommendation - though Tod Handley runs it pretty close. Maybe the bonus items tip the balance Boult's way.

Done more than 30 years ago, these recordings are still the best available of Ralph Vaughan Williams' orchestral music. The sound is here and there a little dated, but usually strongly competitive with present digital recordings. And the musicianship -- the wisdom of Adrian Boult and the high level of playing and singing -- really carry the day. Teaching a Lifelong Learning Institute on 20th Century Romantic composers this winter, I not only recommended but urged the participants to buy this set.

Vaughan Williams is one of the finest symphonists ever -- a thorough-going craftsman -- whose music connects the English countryside of a hundred years ago to the agonies of war and uproar of the century just past. People will be listening to this music long after the academics have come and gone; and this recording will still be the benchmark.

Of all the sets available, this is the one to get. Each symphony is treated well, particularly the 3rd and 5th, which for me are two of the very greatest symphonies of the 20th century. EMI gathers all of the great recordings of Boult, who was probably the all-around best Vaughn Williams conductor, and issues them in a very nice looking package. (I admit I am a sucker for collections issued or re-issed in small, more easily handled box-sets. EMI leads the way in this respect.)

Vaughan Williams seems to be a composer that not many people talk about as oppose to say someone like Stravinsky or Sibelius, but I'm here to tell you that you can put aside any thoughts you have had about him, because chances are you haven't heard Sir Adrian Boult's readings of this astonishing composer. Boult actually knew Vaughan Willams and premiered some of his works to the general public. Perhaps it is Boult's interpretations that I find to be the most rewarding. Since he had connections with the composer himself there is something very personal about these performances. No question about it. This is an essential box set for any Vaughan Willams fan.

On this release, Boult conducts the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, and the New Philharmonia Orchestra. Obviously these are top orchestras and they all turn in fantastic performances.

This 8-disc box set collects all of Vaughan Williams' symphonies and almost all of his orchestral works. What I find interesting is the omission of such great pieces as "Oboe Concerto" and "Variants of Dives and Lazarus." It's no big deal though, because there is enough music here for you to absorb and listen to for a while.

I would definitely say this box set is worth it's weight in gold. Pickup one as soon as you can, I'm not sure how long this particular set with be made available. In these times, it's hard to say. Enjoy the music!