"English Folk Song Suit is one of my favorite pieces ever! I first heard the song when I played it in Windensambe. It's an exciting piece to play and to listen to. I would recommend this Cd to anyone with an intrest in great music."
Balanced & Refined English Folk Song Adaptations
rodboomboom | Dearborn, Michigan United States | 02/03/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Vaughan Williams is certainly one of the consummate English composers who took the folk song of his country and compsed delightful orchestra works around them.
This budget worthy 2-CD set displays this in two parts, the first performed by the Acadamey of St.Martin in-the-Fields while the second disc features more period instruments with the New Queen's Hall Orchestra and the London Philharmonic.
Celia Nicklin is superb with the Oboe Concerto nusancing this pastoral yet lively offering. Iona Brown likewise contributes a fine solo violin performance with "The Lark Ascending"
The strings also provide a strong offering on the "Tallis Fantasia", one of his strongest compositions on this selection.
Excellent example of this prominent English composer's love with folk song interpretation, in this recording done passionately and naturally."
I love this composer
Ruthie Ann | Oldenburg, IN USA | 03/17/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"While not all his works are to my taste, his pastoral ones are so gorgeous that you don't really care that the more boisterous ones are wanting."
Beautiful Music
ChristianFamily | Virginia | 01/29/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Each piece on this CD is wonderful to listen to. My 2 year old daughter takes her nap everyday with this CD playing softly in the background. This CD is a great deal as it includes 2 CD's including Vaughan Williams: Fantasies; the Lark Ascending; Five Variants. Which is also a wonderful CD, we got it for 2 friends at our church. But better to get this CD with 2 CD's for the price of one. My favorite is Fanatasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis!"
Inspiring, noble, and also relaxing!
Ariel Segal | Silver Spring, Maryland USA | 06/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Hi. I am familiar with a lot of classical music. However, I knew little about the oeuvre of Vaughan Williams. What a great find! Getting so much of his instrumental work is truly a bargain. He evokes the English countryside and folk traditions very effectively. "The Lark Ascending" is relaxing while also being a virtuoso piece of work. Makes me wonder if J.R.R. Tolkien, with his love for rural England, ever attended a concert by Vaughan Williams...