Search - Vaughan Williams, Barbirolli, Lso :: Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony; Ireland: A London Overture

Perfect Tempo!

Emily | Phoenix, AZ | 07/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's high time that I write a review for my all-time favorite performance of Vaughan William's 2nd (London) Symphony. I love the John Ireland piece too, Barbirolli's interpretation of the material on this album is masterful, but what really makes it stand head and shoulders above every other performance I've ever heard is his tempo for the third movement of RVW's 2nd symphony. Other conductors have had a tendency to rush through it -- Barbirolli nails it perfectly. Every time I hear it, my spirit soars, and if my knees weren't so creaky I would probably break into a jig.



One of the DJs on our local classical station used to excerpt the third movement on this recording to introduce his show every day, long before I knew who RVW was, and I always stopped to listen. Now I own about 20 recordings of RVW's work, including performances conducted by Adrian Boult, Andre Previn, Bryden Thomson, and Yehudi Mehuhin, but John Barbirolli is the master of the 2nd. If you're going to own just one perfomance of this symphony, this is the one."

JB Does VW Too!

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 11/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"EMI is forever spotlighting Sir Adrian Boult's recordings of Vaughan Williams' Symphonies (it is his performances that grace the EMI Complete Symphonies Box Set), but his labelmate, Sir John Barbirolli's are equally stunning. In fact, the composer himself respected Barbirolli's music making ability enough to have the conductor premiere his 7th and 8th Symphonies. However, on this title from EMI's "British Composers" Series we find JB and the London Symphony Orchestra performing VW's Symphony No. 2, also known as "A London Symphony." The recording is a gorgeous stereo account from 1967, and it is coupled fittingly with John Ireland's "A London Overture," recorded in 1965. Whether you settle on Boult or Barbirolli for this Symphony, you will certainly get a lovely portrait of London."