Search - Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Rawsthorne :: Symphony 8 / Land of Hope & Glory / Street Corner

The "new" best VW Symphony 8

Ahmed E. Ismail | Cambridge, MA United States | 01/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In a review of Haitink's RVW Symphonies 8 and 9 on EMI, I said that they were the best, "for now." The 8th has been finally outclassed--by a performance from 1967!That this recording is by Barbirolli should not be too much of a surprise, as he was in fact the symphony's dedicatee, and a favorite conductor of Vaughan Williams himself. There is a natural rapport between the two, which allows Barbirolli to go beneath the surface of the music, and find the deeper meanings not at first evident on the page.The first movement of the symphony is stately in its grandeur, like other recordings, yet even at its triumphant climax, the music still feels somewhat restrained. This same sense of foreboding--which Vaughan Williams himself pointed out when asked about the symphony--lasts through the defiant Scherzo for brass instruments, and the heartwearming Cavatina for strings, until the very final moments of the concluding Toccata. Even here, Barbirolli manages to make the collection of "all the 'phones and 'spiels known to the composer" even more lively and prominent than does Haitink or his other rivals. However, compared to other recordings, the final bars of this performance hold one more surprising detail, which confirms that the symphony is in fact in a minor key and also supports the idea that there's something deeper than the "Turandot"-inspired tintinnabulation. All in all, a tour de force. [Listen to this recording, and the endings of all other performances will seem like a cop-out.]There's much more to this disc than the Eighth Symphony, and happily most of it is on the same inspired level. The Rawsthorne and Bax works are new to me, but very welcome additions to my collection. I also enjoyed the Delius, and while Walton's "Crown Imperial" is fervently played, the orchestral ensemble is not quite what it could be. And, while I'm glad to have another recording of Kathleen Ferrier, the recording of "Land of Hope and Glory" does have a lot of background noise to filter out. Without the liner notes, one would have thought that "Land" was recorded in the mid-1930's, not the early 1950's. [All the other works were recorded between 1967 and 1969, and are in perfectly good sound.]This disc is a must-have for Barbirolli enthusiasts, RVW fans, and anyone interested in hearing British music in a non-pastoral vein. . . ."

A Barbirolli Treasure Trove

The Night Owl out on the Town | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It has been interesting to watch the legacy and reputation of this wonderful conductor actually grow and intensify in the years since his death. Much respected in England, he was something of a footnote in this country. Thanks to his wife Evelyn Rothwell and his many fans and admirers, most of his recordings and many of his concerts have been restored and released on disc. Many more lovers of this music know him now from these recordings than from actual concerts these days.

Why does he stand out as the reputations of glitzier conductors fade? I think it is the obvious emotional connection and dedication he has to the music. Barbirolli makes you feel like he knows the score, loves the music and wants you to feel connected to it as well.

Here is an excellent sampling. The Vaughan Williams 8 was dedicated to him and, though he recorded it in the studio, there is a little extra adrenalin flowing in this live debut performance. The Bax and Walton and Rawsthorne speak of his enthusiastic advocacy of British music. The Bax was arranged from an oboe quintet by Barbirolli, and is performed by his wife Evelyn, Lady Barbirolli, who died in 2008. I can't imagine any other interpreters doing more for it.

The last band is scratchy and dim but catches events at the reopening of Manchester's Free Trade Hall the then home of the Halle orchestra whose interior had been destroyed in the blitz. It captures two of England's finest musicians Kathleen Ferrier and Barbirolli collaborating at what must have been a highly emotional event peforming Elgar's Land of Hope and Glory. It's a great souvenir and some of the occasion comes through, if allowances are made for the recording which was recently discovered.

If you like what you hear, I would urge to seek out Barbirolli's other great recordings of Elgar, the Vaughan Williams Second Symphony, the RPO Sibelius 2, his Madame Butterfly with Bergonzi and Scotto, his recordings of Delius and Butterworth and Percy Grainger, as well as his Halle Brahms 4, NPO Mahler 5 and many. many others. There is good reason his reputation has never dimmed. Great music-making never goes out of fashion."