Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, In the Fen Country, Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E Minor, The Wasps Overture, Variations for Orchestra, Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus
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Music CD Cover
Composer: Ralph Vaughan WilliamsConductor: Neville Marriner
Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Edition: Music CD
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 1995-04-11
Music Label: Philips
Soundtracks:
- Overture
Free Music Notes for Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, In the Fen Country, Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E Minor, The Wasps Overture, Variations for Orchestra, Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus
Free Music Review: A Sterling Compilation
Hit: 5 Stars
This recording features exquisite performances, flawless sound, and a very well-chosen program. A previous reviewer categorized the playing as "wooden," but I disagree; perhaps the sublime subtlety of some of these pieces struck that listener as being timidity on the part of the orchestra, especially after the rousing opener, the "Wasps Overture."
I own a number of Vaughan Williams recordings, but this compilation is by far my favorite [it is rarely out of my CD player]. The symphonies are masterworks and the multitudes of songs and choral works are very effecting, but these orchestral works are magnificent in their breadth of styles -- Vaughan Williams really knew how to make use of all the colors an orchestra can create, alternating from huge tuttis to quartet soli; he was a master of writing, for lack of a better phrase, "just the right amount of music" at any given moment, never afraid to have the majority of the orchestra tacet for dozens of bars so that simplicity may reign.
When I first got this CD, I was unfamiliar with the "Norfolk Rhapsody" or "In the Fen Country", but was soon very happy to have encountered them. Though this recording contains the oft-recorded Tallis Fantasia, this is by far the best reading of that magnificent work -- Marriner brilliantly gives all of Vaughan Williams' orchestration tricks their due, from the manipulation of using simultaneous unison and divisi writing to emphasize harmonics, to a striking short section of sustained chords played con sordino that sounds like a church organ; it's simply gorgeous and breathtaking. Above all, I'm grateful this recording does not include the Greensleeves Fantasia that seems to be on virtually every other Vaughan Williams recording.
This recording makes a superb introduction to Vaughan Williams for neophytes [I've gifted this CD to numerous people over the past few years]. Though British music has a reputation for being pretty but restrained, Vaughan Williams' works are passionate, extremely melodic, fetchingly harmonic, and at times achingly bittersweet. A passionate Englishman -- what a concept!
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, In the Fen Country, Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E Minor, The Wasps Overture, Variations for Orchestra, Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus Poster
This 1993 digital recording is not likely to be surpassed for warmth of conception and smoothness of execution. Sir Neville Marriner is at the top of his form, the interpretations are first rate, and the strings of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields play with polish and great beauty. The recorded sound is superb. --Ted LibbeyClassical Music CDs
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