I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships - London Philharmonic Choir
II: On The Beach At Night, Alone - London Philharmonic Choir
III: Scherzo: The Waves - London Philharmonic Choir
IV: The Explorers - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
Track Listings (5) - Disc #2
Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - London Philharmonic Orchestra
I: Lento - Allegro Risoluto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Scherzo (Nocturne): Allegro Vivace - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Andante Con Moto - Maestoso Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Track Listings (8) - Disc #3
I: Molto Moderato - Margaret Price
II: Lento Moderato - Margaret Price
III: Moderato Pesante - Margaret Price
IV: Lento - Margaret Price
I: Preludio: Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Scherzo: Presto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Romanza: Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Passacaglia: Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Track Listings (8) - Disc #4
I: Allegro - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II: Andante Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III: Scherzo: Allegro Molto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
IV: Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
I: Allegro - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II: Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - New Philharmonia Orchestra
IV: Epilogue: Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Track Listings (10) - Disc #5
I: Prelude: Andante Maestoso - London Philharmonic Choir
II: Scherzo: Moderato - London Philharmonic Choir
III: Landscape: Lento - London Philharmonic Choir
IV: Intermezzo: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Choir
V: Epilogue: Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Choir
I: Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: March Past Of The Kitchen Utensils - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
V: Ballet And Final Tableau - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Track Listings (8) - Disc #6
I: Fantasia (Variazioni Senza Tema) - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Scherzo Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Cavatina - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Toccata - London Philharmonic Orchestra
I: Moderato Maestoso - London Philharmonic Orchestra
II: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
III: Scherzo: Allegro Pesante - London Philharmonic Orchestra
IV: Andante Tranquillo - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Track Listings (8) - Disc #7
Serenade To Music - Norma Burrowes
In The Fen Country - New Philharmonia Orchestra
The Lark Ascending - Hugh Bean
Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 - New Philharmonia Orchestra
English Folk Song Suite - London Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - London Symphony Orchestra
Untitled - London Symphony Orchestra
Untitled - London Symphony Orchestra
Track Listings (16) - Disc #8
I: Toccata: Allegro Moderato - Victor Babin
II: Romanza: Lento - Victor Babin
III: Fuga Chromatica (Allegro) Con - Victor Babin
Finale Alla Tedesca - Victor Babin
Introduction - London Symphony Orchestra
Sarabande Of The Sons Of God - London Symphony Orchestra
Satan's Dance Of Triumph - London Symphony Orchestra
Minuet Of The Sons Of Job And Their Wives - London Symphony Orchestra
Job's Dream - London Symphony Orchestra
Dream Of The Three Messengers - London Symphony Orchestra
Dance Of Job's Comforters - London Symphony Orchestra
Elihu's Dance Of Youth And Beauty - London Symphony Orchestra
Pavane Of The Sons Of The Morning - London Symphony Orchestra
Galliard Of The Sons Of The Morning - London Symphony Orchestra
Altar Dance - London Symphony Orchestra
Epilogue - London Symphony Orchestra
Adrian Boult's credentials in this repertoire are unassailable, and to have nearly all his stereo Vaughan Williams recordings for EMI so elegantly packaged and enticingly priced will be incentive enough for many a prospect... more »ive purchaser. There's much to treasure here, not least those gently perceptive accounts of the first three symphonies, as well as the Fifth and the Ninth. All the same, the fires burned more brightly on Boult's earlier mono cycle for Decca, and there's some oddly listless orchestral playing to contend with in both the Sinfonia Antarctica and the Eighth, especially. The Fourth and Sixth, too, find the New Philharmonia in less than ideally tidy form. The disc of shorter orchestral items and the gorgeous Serenade to Music offer mostly unbridled pleasure (with Hugh Bean a memorably serene soloist in The Lark Ascending), as does Boult's fourth and final recording of Job, though here, too, tension levels are markedly lower than on either of his mono versions. No matter, for all its ups and downs, the present anthology undoubtedly offers fine value for the money. --Andrew Achenbach« less
Adrian Boult's credentials in this repertoire are unassailable, and to have nearly all his stereo Vaughan Williams recordings for EMI so elegantly packaged and enticingly priced will be incentive enough for many a prospective purchaser. There's much to treasure here, not least those gently perceptive accounts of the first three symphonies, as well as the Fifth and the Ninth. All the same, the fires burned more brightly on Boult's earlier mono cycle for Decca, and there's some oddly listless orchestral playing to contend with in both the Sinfonia Antarctica and the Eighth, especially. The Fourth and Sixth, too, find the New Philharmonia in less than ideally tidy form. The disc of shorter orchestral items and the gorgeous Serenade to Music offer mostly unbridled pleasure (with Hugh Bean a memorably serene soloist in The Lark Ascending), as does Boult's fourth and final recording of Job, though here, too, tension levels are markedly lower than on either of his mono versions. No matter, for all its ups and downs, the present anthology undoubtedly offers fine value for the money. --Andrew Achenbach
CD Reviews
Consider Supplementing This Core Set
Jeffrey Lipscomb | Sacramento, CA United States | 02/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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.
"
Boult's final tributes to Vaughan Williams
John Austin | Kangaroo Ground, Australia | 06/26/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
""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."
RVW collection...and more...
jean couture | Quebec city - Canada | 11/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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'.
______
*****"
Magnificent Remastering of Historical Recordings
Roger Lakins | North Bergen, New Jersey | 01/02/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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."
Great stuff - but one fact put right!
Mr. Ian A. Macfarlane | Fife, Scotland | 01/08/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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."