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Vaughan Williams: The Collector's Edition | 
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| Creators: Benjamin Luxon, Brian Etheridge, Christopher Keyte, Colin Wheatley, Geoffrey Shaw, Henry Newman, John Barrow, John Carol Case, John Noble, John Shirley-quirk, Leslie Fyson, Mark Rowlinson, Raimund Herincx, Rowland Jones, Stephen Roberts [baritone], Stephen Varcoe, Steve Davis [engineer], Terence Sharpe, Thomas Allen, Thomas Hampson
Label: EMI Classics
Category: Music
List Price: $62.98
Buy New: $45.48
You Save: $17.50 (28%)
New (22) Used (4) from $45.48
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 5930
Format: Box Set, Collector's Edition
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 30
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5.1 x 2.4
EAN: 5099920663629
ASIN: B00156ZWV0
Release Date: July 8, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
Disc 1
| • | 1. A Song for All Seas, All Ships. Behold, the sea itself | | • | 1. A Song for All Seas, All Ships. Today a rude brief recitative | | • | 1. A Song for All Seas, All Ships. Flaunt out, O sea, your separate flags of nations! | | • | 1. A Song for All Seas, All Ships. Token of all brave captains | | • | 1. A Song for All Seas, All Ships. A pennant universal | | • | 2. On the Beach at Night, Alone. On the beach at night, alone | | • | 2. On the Beach at Night, Alone. A vast similitude interlocks all | | • | 3. Scherzo: The Waves | | • | 4. The Explorers. O vast Rondure, swimming in Space | | • | 4. The Explorers. Down from the Gardens | | • | 4. The Explorers. O we can wait no longer | | • | 4. The Explorers. O thou transcendent | | • | 4. The Explorers. Greater than stars or suns | | • | 4. The Explorers. Sail forth | | • | 4. The Explorers. O my brave soul! |
Disc 2
| • | 1. Lento - Allegro risoluto (molto pesante) | | • | 2. Lento | | • | 3. Scherzo (Nocturne) - Allegro vivace | | • | 4. Andante con moto - Maestoso alla marcia (quasi lento) - Allegro - Maestoso alla marcia (alla 1) | | • | 1. Fantasia: Variazioni senza tema | | • | 2. Scherzo alla marcia (per stromenti a fiato): Allegro all marcia | | • | 3. Cavatina (per stromenti ad arco): Lento espressivo | | • | 4. Toccata: Moderato maestoso |
Disc 3
| • | 1. Molto moderato | | • | 2. Lento moderato | | • | 3. Moderato pesante | | • | 4. Lento | | • | 1. Allegro | | • | 2. Andante moderato | | • | 3. Scherzo: Allegro molto | | • | 4. Finale (Allegro molto) con epilogo fugato (Con anima) |
Disc 4
| • | 1. Rondo pastorale: Allegro moderato | | • | 2. Minuet and Musett: Allegro moderato | | • | 3. Finale (Scherzo): Presto - Lento - Presto | | • | 1. Preludio: Moderato - Allegro - Tempo 1 | | • | 2. Scherzo: Presto misterioso | | • | 3. Romanza: Lento | | • | 4. Passacaglia: Moderato - Allegro - Tempo primo - Tempo del Preludio |
Disc 5
| • | 1. Allegro | | • | 2. Moderato - | | • | 3. Scherzo: Allegro vivace | | • | 4. Epilogue: Moderato | | • | 1. Moderato maestoso | | • | 2. Andante sostenuto | | • | 3. Scherzo: Allegro pesante | | • | 4. Andante tranquillo |
Disc 6
| • | 1. Prelude: Andante maestoso | | • | 2. Scherzo ostinato: Presto | | • | 3. Intermezzo (Homage to Henry Hall): Andante con moto | | • | 4. Fantasia: Allegro | | • | 1. Prelude (andante maestoso) | | • | 2. Scherzo: Moderato | | • | 3. Landscape: Lento | | • | 4. Intermezzo: Andante sostenuto | | • | 4. Epilogue: Alla marcia moderato, non troppo allegro |
Disc 7
| • | 1. Overture | | • | 2. Entr'acte | | • | 3. March Past the Kitchen Utensils | | • | 4. Entr'acte | | • | 5. Ballet and Final Tableau | | • | Prelude | | • | Fugue | | • | 1. Toccata - Allegro moderato | | • | 2. Romanza: Lento | | • | 3. Fuga cromatica (Allegro) con | | • | finale all tedesca |
Disc 8
| • | 1. Toccata - Allegro moderato | | • | 2. Romanza: Lento | | • | 3. Fuga cromatica (Allegro) con | | • | finale all tedesca | | • | Scene 1. Introduction - | | • | Scene 1. Sarabande of the Sons of God | | • | Scene 2. Satan's Dance of Triumph | | • | Scene 3. Minuet of the Sons of Job and Their Wives | | • | Scene 4. Job's Dream - | | • | Scene 5. Dream of the Three Messengers | | • | Scene 6. Dance of Job's Comforters - | | • | Scene 7. Elihu's Dance of Youth and Beauty - | | • | Scene 7. Pavane of the Sons of the Morning | | • | Scene 8. Galliard of the Sons of the Morning | | • | Scene 8. Altar Dance | | • | Scene 9. Epilogue |
Disc 9
| • | 1. March (Seventeen Come Sunday) | | • | 2. Intermezzo (My Bonny Boy) | | • | 3. March (Folk Songs from Somerset) |
Disc 10
| • | 1. March (Seventeen Come Sunday) | | • | 2. Intermezzo (My Bonny Boy) | | • | 3. March (Folk Songs from Somerset) | | • | Dawn Patrol | | • | 1. Intrada: Largo | | • | 2. Burlesca ostinato: Allegro moderato | | • | 3. Sarabande: Lento | | • | 4. Scherzo: Allegro, tempo di valse | | • | 5. March (A la marcia) and Reprise | | • | 1. Prelude: Allegro moderato | | • | 2. Romanza: Andante sostenuto | | • | 3. Finale: Rondo alla tedesca (Allegro) |
Disc 11
| • | (Allegro moderato) | | • | Pipe Dance | | • | Bowl Dance | | • | Morris Jig: 'Go and 'list for a sailor' | | • | Folk Song: 'A Bold Young Farmer' | | • | Folk Song 'The Jolly Thresherman' | | • | Solo Jig | | • | 1. Easter | | • | 2. I got me flowers | | • | 3. Love bade me welcome | | • | 4. The Call | | • | 5. Antiphon | | • | Prelude |
Disc 12
| • | Theme: Andante maestoso | | • | Var. 1: Poco tranquillo | | • | Var. 2: Tranquillo cantabile | | • | Var. 3: Allegro | | • | Var. 4: Canon (Allegro) | | • | Var. 5: Moderato sostenuto | | • | Var. 6: Tempo di valse | | • | Var. 7: Arabesque (Andante sostenuto) | | • | Var. 8: Alla polacca | | • | Var. 9: Adagio | | • | Var. 10: Fugato (Allegro moderato e risoluto) | | • | Var. 11: Chorale | | • | Eventide | | • | Dominus regit me | | • | 1. Allegro pesante | | • | 2. Adagio | | • | 3. Presto | | • | Rhosymerdre | | • | Hyfrydol | | • | 1. Allegro moderato | | • | 2. Minuet and Trio: Tempo di minuetto | | • | 3. Romance: Andante sostenuto | | • | 4. Finale: Rondo capriccioso (Allegro molto - Pochettino piu mosso) |
Disc 13
| • | 1. Fantasia: Allegro giusto | | • | 2. Scherzo: Allegro furioso, ma non troppo | | • | 3. Tema con variazioni (Andante - Var. 6: Allegro) | | • | 1. Prelude: Lento ma non troppo | | • | 2. Scherzo: Prestissimo | | • | 3. Alla sarabanda: Lento | | • | 4. Burlesca: Allegro modersto | | • | 1. Adagio (Lovely on the Water) | | • | 2. Andante sostenuto (Spurn Point) | | • | 3. Larghetto (Van Dieman's Land) | | • | 4. Lento (She borrowed some of her mother's gold) | | • | 5. Andante tranquillo: The Lady and the Dragoon | | • | 6. Allegro vivace (As I walked over London Bridge) | | • | 1. Prelude: Allegro appassionato | | • | 2. Romance: Largo | | • | 3. Scherzo: Allegro | | • | 4. Epilogue: Greeting from Joan and Jean (Andante sostenuto) |
Disc 14
| • | 1. 'Agnus Dei' (Lento) - | | • | 2. 'Beat! beat! drums!' (Allegro moderato) - | | • | 3. Reconciliation (Allegro moderato) - | | • | 4. Dirge for Two Veterans (Moderato alla marcia) - | | • | 5. 'The Angel of Death has been abroad' (L'istesso tempo) - | | • | 6. 'O man greatly beloved' |
Disc 15
| • | (Lento) | | • | Go, for they call you, Shepherd | | • | Here will I sit and wait | | • | Screen'd is this nook | | • | That sweet city | | • | Come, let me read | | • | Or in my boat I lie | | • | And once in winter | | • | But what - I dream! | | • | No, no, thou hast not felt | | • | Runs it not here | | • | Needs must I, with heavy heart | | • | Soon will the high Midsummer pomps | | • | He hearkens not! | | • | Never more | | • | Yes, thou art gone! | | • | Despair I will not | | • | Why faintest thou? | | • | 1. Sicut Lilium in spinas (Lento) | | • | 2. Jam enim hiems transiit (Andante con moto) | | • | 3. Quaesivi quem diligit anima mea (Lento - Allegro moderato) | | • | 4. Et lectulum Salomonis (Moderato alla marcia) | | • | 5. Revertere, revertere Sulamitis! (Andante quasi lento) | | • | 6. Pone me ut signaculum (Moderato tranquillo) | | • | I was in the spirit (Lento) | | • | And I Saw Heaven opened (Allegro) | | • | And I saw an angel standing in the sun (Meno mosso) | | • | Babylon the great is fallen (Lento) | | • | Rejoice over her O Heavens (Allegro moderato) | | • | And I saw a new heaven (Adagio) | | • | Therfore are they before the throne of God (Poco meno largo) | | • | And I saw a pure river | | • | Holy, Holy, Holy (Andante sostenuto) | | • | Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory (Poco animato) |
Disc 16
| • | 1. Ballad: The Tunning of Elinor Rumming | | • | 2. Intermezzo: Pretty Bess | | • | 3. Burlesca: Epitaph on John Jayberd of Diss | | • | 4. Romanza: Jane Scroop | | • | 5. Scherzo: Jolly Rutterkin |
Disc 17
| • | This is the truth sent from above | | • | Come all you worthy gentlemen | | • | On Christmas night all Christians sing | | • | God bless the ruler of this house | | • | 1. Prologue: Nowell! Nowell! (Vespers for Christmas Day) | | • | 2. Narration: Now is the birth of Jesus Christ | | • | 3. Song: It was the winter wild | | • | 4. Narration: And it came to pass in those days | | • | 5. Choral: The blessed son of God | | • | 6. Narration: And there were in the same country | | • | 7. Song: The Oxen (Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock) | | • | 8. Narration: And the shepherds returned | | • | 9. Pastoral: The shepherds sing | | • | 10. Narration: But Mary kept all these things | | • | 11. Lullaby: Sweet was the song the Virgin sang | | • | 12. Hymn: Bright portals of the sky | | • | 13. Narration: Now when Jesus was born | | • | 14.The March of the Three Kings: From kingdoms of wisdom | | • | 15. Choral: No sad thought his soul affright | | • | 16. Epilogue: In the beginning was the Word |
Disc 18
| • | This is the truth sent from above | | • | Come all you worthy gentlemen | | • | On Christmas night all Christians sing | | • | God bless the ruler of this house | | • | 1. The Conspiracy | | • | 2. Drinking Song | | • | 3. Falstaff and the Fairies | | • | 4. Wedding Chorus | | • | 5. Epilogue | | • | 1. The Vagabond | | • | 2. Let beauty awake | | • | 3. The Roadside Fire | | • | 4. Youth and Love | | • | 5. In Dreams | | • | 6. The infinite shining heavens | | • | 7. Wither must I wander | | • | 8. Bright is the ring of words | | • | 9. I have trod the upward and the downward slope | | • | 1. On Wenlock Edge | | • | 2. From far, from eve and morning | | • | 3. Is my team ploughing | | • | 4. Oh, when I was in love with you | | • | 5. Bredon Hill | | • | 6. Clun |
Disc 19
| • | Kyrie | | • | Gloria | | • | Credo | | • | Sanctus - Osana 1 - Benedictus - Osana 2 | | • | Agnus Dei | | • | Bryn Calfaria | | • | Rhosymedre | | • | Hyfrydol |
Disc 20
| • | 1. Lord come away | | • | 2. Who is this fair one? | | • | 3. Come Love, come Lord | | • | 4. Evening Hymn | | • | 1. Your eyen two | | • | 2. So hath your beauty | | • | 3. Since I from Love | | • | 1. Infant Joy | | • | 2. A Poison Tree | | • | 3. The Piper | | • | 4. London | | • | 5. The Lamb | | • | 6. The Shepherd | | • | 7. Ah, Sun-flower! | | • | 8. Cruelty has a human heart | | • | 9. The Divine Image | | • | 10. Eternity | | • | 1. On wenlock edge | | • | 2. From far, from eve and morning | | • | 3.Is my team ploughing | | • | 4. Oh, when I was in love with you | | • | 5. Bredon Hill | | • | 6. Clun |
Disc 21
| • | 1. Love-Sight | | • | 2. Silent Noon | | • | 3. Love's Minstrels | | • | 4. Heart's Haven | | • | 5. Death in Love | | • | 6. Love's Last Gift | | • | 1. The Vagabond | | • | 2. Let Beauty Awake | | • | 3. The Roadside Fire | | • | 4. Youth and Love | | • | 5. In Dreams | | • | 6. The infinite shining heavens | | • | 7. Whither must I wander? | | • | 8. Bright is the ring of words | | • | 9. I have trod the upward and the downward slope |
Disc 22
| • | 1. The Dark-Eyed Sailor | | • | 2. The Spring Time of the Year | | • | 3. Just as the Tide was Flowing | | • | 4. The Lover's Ghost (Well met, my own true love) | | • | 5. Wassail Song |
Disc 23
| • | 1. Prologue | | • | 2. Wake Now | | • | 3. The Calling of the Bride | | • | 4. The Minstrels | | • | 5. Procession of the Bride | | • | 6. The Temple Gates | | • | 7. The Bell Ringers | | • | 8. The Lover's Song | | • | 9. The Minstrel's Song | | • | 10. Song of the Winged Loves | | • | 11. Prayer to Juno | | • | Where is she? | | • | Where is the bit of new rope | | • | Wait, Nora | | • | You didn't give him his bit of bread? | | • | Bartley will be lost now | | • | They are all gone now |
Disc 24
| • | Act 1. (Allegro vivacissimo) - Buy, buy, buy | | • | Act 1. Cold blows the wind on Costall | | • | Act 1. As I was a-walking | | • | Act 1. Show me the richer man | | • | Act 1. Here come the Morris men | | • | Act 1. Life must be full of care | | • | Act 1. Sweet little linnet that longs to be free | | • | Act 1. Hore-hoofs, horse-hoofs, thunder down the valleys | | • | Act 1. In the night-time I have seen you riding | | • | Act 1. Mary! Mary! | | • | Act 1. Oh, the devil and Bonyparty | | • | Act 1. Yes, I! | | • | Act 1. Are you ready? Go! | | • | Act 1. The drover's won! | | • | Act 1. I tell you there's a price on this man's head |
Disc 25
| • | Act 2. (Lento moderato) Past four o'clock | | • | Act 2. Gaily I go to die | | • | Act 2. Hugh!... Mary! | | • | Act 2. Sweet little home | | • | Act 2. Where's she gone to? | | • | Act 2. Here, queen uncrowned | | • | Act 2. A trollop from the stocks | | • | Act 2. Dropped from the ranks on a winter night | | • | Act 2. March away, John | | • | Act 2. O foolish girl, O radiant soul! | | • | Act 2. Oh! the sky shall be our roof |
Disc 26
| • | Act 1. (Allegro vivace) - What-hoa! | | • | Act 1. How now, Master Shallow | | • | Act 1. O heavens, this is mistress Anne Page | | • | Act 1. Ahem ... I had rather than forty shillings | | • | Act 1. Weep eyes, break heart | | • | Act 1. Do but look on her eyes | | • | Act 1. I see I cannot get thy father's love | | • | Act 1. Vere is dat knave Rugby? | | • | Act 1. I will myself marry Anne Page | | • | Act 1. Master Fenton, I'll be sworn she loves you | | • | Act 1. Back and side go bare | | • | Act 1. I spy entertainment in her | | • | Act 1. Wilt thou revenge? | | • | Act 1. Love my wife? I will be patient | | • | Act 1. When daises pied and violets blue | | • | Act 2. Scene 1. (Allegro moderato e maestoso) | | • | Act 2. Scene 1. Thine own true knight | | • | Act 2. Scene 1. Ask me no reason why I love you | | • | Act 2. Scene 1. Sigh no more, ladies | | • | Act 2. Scene 1. (Maestoso) | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. Bardolph, Bardolph, I say! | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. Give your worship good morrow | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. O that joy so soon should waste! | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. There's one Master Brook below | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. I have long loved her | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. The dew that lies on roses | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. Vere is mine host of de Garter? | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. (Maestoso) |
Disc 27
| • | Act 3. Scene 1. Interlude. (Andante moderato) | | • | Act 3. Scene 1. Interlude. Yet hear me speak | | • | Act 3. Scene 1. Interlude. Beauty clear and fair | | • | Act 3. Scene 1. Interlude. Fair and fair and twice so fair | | • | Act 3. Scene 1. Interlude. But listen, good mine host | | • | Act 3. Scene 1. Interlude. I mun be married a-Sunday | | • | Act 3. Scene 2. (Lento) - When we sat down in Papylon | | • | Act 3. Scene 2. How now, Master Parson? - | | • | Act 3. Scene 2. Peace, I say! | | • | Act 3. Scene 2. When I was a bachelor | | • | Act 3. Scene 2. (Allegro) | | • | Act 3. Scene 3. What, John! What, Robert! | | • | Act 3. Scene 3. Alas my love, you do me wrong | | • | Act 3. Scene 3. Have I caught my heavenly jewel | | • | Act 3. Scene 3. Mistress Ford! Mistress Ford! | | • | Act 3. Scene 3. When I was a bachelor | | • | Act 3. Scene 3. Nay, follow him gentleman | | • | Act 3. Scene 3. Mistress Page! ... Mistress Page! | | • | Act 4. Scene 1. (Andante piacevole) | | • | Act 4. Scene 1. Pardon me, wife | | • | Act 4. Scene 1. There is an old tale goes | | • | Act 4. Scene 1. Trib, fairies, trib ... Round about in a fair ring-a | | • | Act 4. Scene 1. (Lento moderato) [Greensleeves] | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. (Vivace) | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. The Windsor bell hath struck twelve | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. Oo Oo! ... Fairies black, grey, green and white | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. Dances of the Fairies (Allegro pesante) - But stay, I smell a man of middle earth | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. Pinch him, pinch him black and blue | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. (Moderato) - Nay, do not fly | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. See the chariot at hand | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. Whether men do laugh or weep | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. Dance (Presto) |
Disc 28
| • | Prologue: Bunyan in Prison | | • | Act 1. Scene 1. The Pilgrim meets Evangelist | | • | Act 1. Scene 2. The House Beautiful | | • | Act 1. Nocturne (Intermezzo) | | • | Act 2. Scene 1. The Arming of the Pilgrim | | • | Act 2. Scene 2. The Pilgrim meets Apollyon | | • | Act 3. Scene 1. Vanity Fair. Buy! What will ye buy? | | • | Act 3. Scene 1. Vanity Fair. I buy the truth! |
Disc 29
| • | Act 3. Scene 2. The Pilgrim in Prison | | • | Act 4. Scene 1. The Pilgrim meets Mister By-Ends | | • | Act 4. Entr'acte | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. The Delectable Mountains. Who so dwelleth | | • | Act 4. Scene 2. The Delectable Mountains. The Lord is my Shepherd | | • | Act 4. Scene 3. The Pilgrim reaches the end of his journey | | • | Act 4. Epilogue | | • | [Rehearsal Excerpt]. Act 3. Scene 1. (Vanity Fair) | | • | [Rehearsal Excerpt]. Act 1. Nocturne | | • | [Rehearsal Excerpt]. Act 4. Scene 1. (Mister By-Ends) | | • | [Rehearsal Excerpt]. Act 4. Scene 2. (The Shepherds) | | • | [Rehearsal Excerpt]. Act 2. Scene 1. (The Arming of the Pilgrim) |
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| Customer Reviews:
A steal but.. September 16, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Having enjoyed the companion Elgar set, I bought this immediately when it came out. It is certainly extraordinary value for money, at less than $3 per disc. I am less taken with the content however. Many of the recordings are choral works which are less compelling to this listener than V-W's orchestral works. Moreover, the latter are just not that exciting when compared to other recordings that I already possess. The organization is also rather parsimonious, and short works--often interesting ones--are tucked away amongst very different tracks, making listening more active than I prefer. So, not actually a disappointment but its not dominating the CD player or replacing other versions in my collection. Kudos for the presentation however; the Elgar box is garish, while this is rather pleasing, although it does of course fall for the 'Shropshire lad' conceit that dogged the composer throughout his life.
EMI's Vaughan Williams Collection August 14, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
This splendid set, an amazing bargain, provides most of Vaughan Williams's music in various, sometimes relatively recent, vintages of recordings. VW is a vastly underrated composer. Some of the symphonies are bonafide masterpieces, especially numbers 4 and 6, but the London Symphony (#2) and the 8th and 9th are pretty top drawer as well, if not as stunning as 4 and 6. But then, 3 and 5 are excellent in a more "pastoral" way, though hardly the "cow music" written about in a recent New York Times article. If VW has written any "cow music" my ears have never detected it. The First Symphony, however, a choral work based on text by Walt Whitman, is as uncowlike as you can get but too hysterically pitched for my taste (like Mahler's Eighth).
The sublime Tallis Fantasy is given an expert performance, the marvelous Oboe Concerto is well done. The two string quartets are little known but very worth listening to.
In all, at less than $2 per disk, it's hard to see why anyone would turn it down. The set's only serious defect is the pathetically inadequate documentation. One can hardly figure out who's performing what. The disks themselves lack track numbers, very inconvenient, and the booklet lacks notes. But the set is nicely boxed and at this price it seems churlish to quarrel.
 An extensive glance at Vaughan Williams's work August 4, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is indeed a very good opportunity to have a detailed view at this composer's work at a bargain price. To me, it has always been difficult to get Vaughan Williams's recordings as I'm out of the UK, where most of them are released individually. It is great to have a box like this to get closer to this marvellous orchestrator, with his compositions so full of instrumental colour. The price is excellent, the only disappointment is that thera are no booklet notes at all. At least the CD tracking details are ok.
 Too cheaply done. July 19, 2008
24 out of 32 found this review helpful
I know people revere Boult and Handley and Hickox as the best of all possible interpreters for British music, along with Groves and Barbirolli and all of the other artists presented here. So please don't take offense as I pick apart this box set -- because it's not as great as some other reviewers make it out to be. Others can tell you why it's good (and it has LOTS of good stuff). Let me criticize it a little. Or a lot.
First, the packaging. I'm getting really tired of these box sets (Elgar on EMI, reissue of Stravinsky set on Sony, etc.) that are missing biographies or descriptions of the works outside of a track listing. Is it so hard to reprint the liner notes from the original releases? Why on earth do they not include a libretto?? I can barely understand a word of these choruses and unless you've heard Sir John in Love or Hugh the Drover before, I don't think you'll be able to figure a whole lot out without resorting to the Internet and digging pretty deeply. Like the Elgar set, about half of this set has vocal works. So it's a huge drawback not to have texts and librettos.
Second, these recordings are old. Fine. But they _sound_ old. I guess if EMI can't add liner notes, they won't spend the time to remaster their recordings before putting them back on the shelves. People who are replacing their vinyl recordings may be celebrating, but those of us who are young enough to have never owned vinyl or 8-track tapes will find that some of these recordings sound antiquated. This is especially true for those impossible-to-decipher vocal works. The songs are blurry and fuzzy (typical of low-end ADD), and there's nothing to be done without the help of a good sound engineer. It's clear much more care was put into the first half, which is full of the orchestral blockbusters that I'm sure have sold much better over time.
Third, EMI was so lazy that they just put the CDs in this set as they were released originally without any consideration of repetition. There are 3 different versions of the Serenade to Music (one for chorus, one for 16 singers, and one with orchetra) under 3 different conductors. It's a charming work, but not _that_ charming. The Piano Concerto in an orchestral version, and then in 2-piano form? Ugh, there's a reason why Vaughan Williams kept editing it -- it's about as dry and bland as overcooked turkey. Two versions of the Fantasia of the Christmas Carols? On my Scrooge days, one is too many.
I suppose the argument can be made that EMI has given choices, so you can pick the version you like best to put on your iPod. By why do that with such marginal works -- if they're going to have 2 versions of anything, it should be the symphonies. Handley's interpretations are five stars in my book -- they were good enough to convince me to sell my Slatkin set.
So, I guess it's a must-buy only because there's nothing more complete out there at such a low price. But lament the fact that it could have -- and should have! -- been so much better.
Great Value, Fine Performances July 18, 2008
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
For lovers of Ralph Vaughan Williams' music, the prospect of obtaining most of his works on 30 CDs for $50 or less should be irresistible. It's a great way to fill in the gaps in your collection, or to become acquainted with RVW's less familiar works. Among the highlights of this box are the Serenade to Music and the Pilgrim's Progress (both conducted by Adrian Boult), Partita for Double String Orchestra (Vernon Handley), Riders to the Sea and Sir John in Love (Meredith Davies), Hugh the Drover (Charles Groves), and On Wenlock Edge and Ten Blake Songs (sung by Ian Partridge). Vernon Handley's recordings of the symphonies have received uniform 5-star reviews on Amazon.
In most cases, the performances and sound quality are very good to excellent. Hard-core fans will appreciate the inclusion of variants of a few works, such as the vocal and purely orchestral versions of the Serenade to Music. As would be expected in a compendium of this sort, a few of the items have performances or sound that is less than ideal. For example, Matthew Best's recording of A Song of Thanksgiving is far better than the one included here, but the Hyperion disc is no longer in print, and a used copy costs half as much as this entire package. The box lacks both notes and texts. Nonetheless, there's more than enough great stuff here to justify the modest price.
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