Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music; The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on Greensleeves; English Folk Song Suite; In the Fen Country; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1
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Free Music Notes for Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music; The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on Greensleeves; English Folk Song Suite; In the Fen Country; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1
Free Music Review: one of my favorites
Hit: 5 Stars
I recently watched an interview on PBS with the composer John Corigliano. In the interview Corigliano was lamenting the current state of criticism within classical music. An intellectual elite have imposed their aesthetics on a generation of composers and listeners. This aesthetic essentially boils down to whether music is complex and "deep" enough to be considered good. If the music is merely entertaining of beautiful to listen to the critics say it is worthless drivel. Corigliano voiced his disagreement with this aesthetic (one which I share). People should not be ashamed of a piece of music simply because they like it. I mention all this in order to say that if I were the kind of person who got ashamed of music simply because of its beauty, then this disc of works by Ralph Vaughan Williams would probably be among the first inductees into my hall of shame.
This music is beauty in motion...from the stunningly sunny "Serenade to Music" to the aching "Lark Ascending," there is not a bad piece of music on this disc.
Since I am not a particularly shame-filled person, I find myself free to mention that I have found the "English Folk Song Suite" and "Norfolk Rhapsody No 1" two of the best pieces of music to listen to while reading the works of Tolkien.
It says something about the greatness of a work when you really like all the pieces and have no clear-cut favorite among them...such is the case with this disc and me. I give it my highest recommendation.
Free Music Review: Rapturing "Serenade"....
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm reminded of what classical music making is really all about every time I listen to the 'Serenade'. Take an exquisite passage from one of history's greatest English writers (Shakespeare), act V scene I from the Merchant of Venice, add the superb engineering talent of Christopher Parker, and what one gets is a world class but intimate recording of outstanding English musicians. Vaughn Williams wrote some of the most endearing English music and the 'Serenade' is the high point of this disc. The 16 soloists perform admirably and their accompaniment from Boult and the London Philharmonic is excellent. The other works presented on this disc are performed with just as much detail and passion.
A great disc, a great recording!
Free Music Review: Some of the most exquisite music of the 20th century.
Hit: 5 Stars
For my money, 20th-century classical music never gets more resplendently beautiful than "The Lark Ascending" and "Serenade to Music." The former has melodies of such piercing loveliness that it's like a gift to the soul; the latter, in my humble opinion, is as masterful a musical setting of a Shakespeare text as has ever been composed. Sir Adrian Boult's versions were the first I ever heard, and to my mind no one--not even Sir Neville Marriner--has ever surpassed Boult in this repertoire. One might regret the lack of the Tallis Fantasia and "Dives and Lazarus" on this CD, but for the exquisite performances of "Lark Ascending" and the Serenade, it is emphatically worth the money.Free Music Review: An excellent piece of work!
Hit: 4 Stars
I have just recently played Seventeen Come Sunday for a middle school honor band and I must say it was fantastic. I have rarley ever played something so beutiful and exciting at the same time.Free Music Review: A wonderful Vaughan Williams collection
Hit: 4 Stars
Vaughan Williams is known for writing some of the most beautiful music and the Serenade to Music is proof of that. In it the composer takes text from the last act Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and places it with some of the most magical and lyrical music of his output. It is delicious and luscious and is the reason to buy this CD. In the Fen Country and The Lark Ascending do not sound as inspiring as more recent recordings but are still quite good. I also prefer the English Folk Song Suite in its intended Military Band setting. Overall, this is a good collection of Vaughan Williams orchestral music, though it lacks Dives and Lazarus and the haunting Tallis Fantasia. There are better all-digital performances available of these works, but not together on one CD.