I discovered RVW decades ago, I caught Norfolk Rhapsody just last night. This is the best music to read and study by. Mesmerizing and sometimes melancholy, but very sensitive. I'm surprised he didn't do more film scores. Still, pure genius. M.
I put this track on while working and there were parts where I literally stopped my work to have my jaw drop. What stunning work by the orchestra and such genius by Williams!
When it comes to landscape architecture, Vaughan Williams's music can be applied anywhere: the Pennines, mist-ridden Scottish Highlands, etc. All it takes is a bit of imagination. Great music BTW
From the recordings I’ve heard (didn’t hear him live) I feel Richard Hickox was certainly the successor to Adrian Boult and John Barbirolli in the canon of English conductors who excelled in music of their homeland.
RVW seems to reach out, yearningly, from the folk-music roots underpinning his compositions. What he creates goes beyond national pictorial representation (though, of course, his music has been used frequently to accompany countryside documentaries on TV, lending itself effectively to early morning, mist-laden landscapes, for instance) to something much, much older, more essential, even mystical. The late Richard Hickox conducts these performances wonderfully....
Max Merry -- ....and your evaluation is still right on target three years later! [Actually, we had another Earthquake here yesterday, just 5.3, so not even felt....but of all the things that will kill me, earthquakes are far down the list.....Hope that by now you've made your peace with Boris!]
On the mysticism, yes, I feel like he takes us back in time in the 5th symphony, as if we were in the time of Arthur. You feel something primordial in the 3rd movement.
For Max Merry, Stevee Gallo and Shakespearean, it was a pleasure to read your comments, with which I heartily agree. I’ve always loved RVW and this piece came as an automatic follow on from a piece I’d recently rediscovered - Poem Op.41 No. 4 from “At Twilight” by Zdenek Fibich which is similar to this Pastoral Symphony. The version I have is by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. These two composers obviously had a similar love of country and nature.
Whilst knowing the second for much less time (since the release of this recording) I think it stands up so well alongside the popular first, and both works capture the singing qualities of the the various folk songs they are derived from - superb works from the pen of the 'voice of English music' and conducted by the maestro who really understood them.
I always thought Vaughan Williams' music would be perfect for a LotR soundtrack with this being the music for the siege of Minas Tirith, the six note horn call being a representation of Boromir's broken horn which in turn represents the dire situation of Gondor during the siege, and 6:28 being the charge of the Rohirrim.
2 rhapsodies - 2 sublime pieces of music!
Absolutely beautiful
Simply stunning 👍
Mammamia!!!!! Che musica pazzesca!!! [!!! What an amazing music!!!] Once again, really THANKS for this upload!
I discovered RVW decades ago, I caught Norfolk Rhapsody just last night. This is the best music to read and study by. Mesmerizing and sometimes melancholy, but very sensitive. I'm surprised he didn't do more film scores. Still, pure genius. M.
For me, it brings a feel of the time he wrote so much.. A sense of atmosphere from the early 1900s, a world gone now.
I put this track on while working and there were parts where I literally stopped my work to have my jaw drop. What stunning work by the orchestra and such genius by Williams!
Listening right now--at work. Great music.
When it comes to landscape architecture, Vaughan Williams's music can be applied anywhere: the Pennines, mist-ridden Scottish Highlands, etc. All it takes is a bit of imagination. Great music BTW
From the recordings I’ve heard (didn’t hear him live) I feel Richard Hickox was certainly the successor to Adrian Boult and John Barbirolli in the canon of English conductors who excelled in music of their homeland.
RVW seems to reach out, yearningly, from the folk-music roots underpinning his compositions. What he creates goes beyond national pictorial representation (though, of course, his music has been used frequently to accompany countryside documentaries on TV, lending itself effectively to early morning, mist-laden landscapes, for instance) to something much, much older, more essential, even mystical. The late Richard Hickox conducts these performances wonderfully....
Max Merry -- ....and your evaluation is still right on target three years later! [Actually, we had another Earthquake here yesterday, just 5.3, so not even felt....but of all the things that will kill me, earthquakes are far down the list.....Hope that by now you've made your peace with Boris!]
On the mysticism, yes, I feel like he takes us back in time in the 5th symphony, as if we were in the time of Arthur. You feel something primordial in the 3rd movement.
For Max Merry, Stevee Gallo and Shakespearean, it was a pleasure to read your comments, with which I heartily agree. I’ve always loved RVW and this piece came as an automatic follow on from a piece I’d recently rediscovered - Poem Op.41 No. 4 from “At Twilight” by Zdenek Fibich which is similar to this Pastoral Symphony. The version I have is by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. These two composers obviously had a similar love of country and nature.
The Lynn Apprentice, a traditional folk song, is the basis for the first track. It is a heartbreaking tale.
I know No. 1 well; No. 2 is new to me. What a wonderful experience!
Number 2 is a reworking of his Six Studies in English Folksong
Subscribing to Rodders is a good thing. Keep sharing all the treasures bru!
Whilst knowing the second for much less time (since the release of this recording) I think it stands up so well alongside the popular first, and both works capture the singing qualities of the the various folk songs they are derived from - superb works from the pen of the 'voice of English music' and conducted by the maestro who really understood them.
I always thought Vaughan Williams' music would be perfect for a LotR soundtrack with this being the music for the siege of Minas Tirith, the six note horn call being a representation of Boromir's broken horn which in turn represents the dire situation of Gondor during the siege, and 6:28 being the charge of the Rohirrim.
Yes, but Sibelius even more so, at least with respect to The Silmarillion.
Ralph Vaughan Williams:Norfolki Rapszódiák
1.e-moll 00:00
2.d-moll 11:25
Londoni Szimfonikus Zenekar
Vezényel:Richard Hickox
Köszönöm hogy értékelted Ralph Vaughan Williams Norfolk-i Rapszódiáit Carlos Revuelta Martí
M