Marriner's evergreen 1972 recording of favorite shorter works by Vaughan Williams has yet to be surpassed for warmth of conception and smoothness of execution. The soloists in these accounts (among them William Bennett in ... more »the Greensleeves Fantasia and Iona Brown in the Lark Ascending) are all first-rate, and the Academy's strings play with polish and great beauty of sound. The analog recording is excellent, and Marriner's remarkable empathy for the music comes across effortlessly. Some listeners may prefer the richer sonority and arrestingly mystical manner of Marriner's 1993 digital remake of the Tallis Fantasia for Philips, but this disc offers the most desirable coupling of other works and remains a first choice for those interested in getting to know the composer's finest short essays. --Ted Libbey« less
Marriner's evergreen 1972 recording of favorite shorter works by Vaughan Williams has yet to be surpassed for warmth of conception and smoothness of execution. The soloists in these accounts (among them William Bennett in the Greensleeves Fantasia and Iona Brown in the Lark Ascending) are all first-rate, and the Academy's strings play with polish and great beauty of sound. The analog recording is excellent, and Marriner's remarkable empathy for the music comes across effortlessly. Some listeners may prefer the richer sonority and arrestingly mystical manner of Marriner's 1993 digital remake of the Tallis Fantasia for Philips, but this disc offers the most desirable coupling of other works and remains a first choice for those interested in getting to know the composer's finest short essays. --Ted Libbey
"This is the one I fell in love with so many years ago,and it was the first Vaughan Williams CD I purchased.I own everything of his on CD now,but this CD is my favorite.The beauty of "The Lark Ascending" is indescribable.I'll just say that it takes you away to a better,more peaceful time,and no matter how frazzled your nerves are,it will mellow you but good.The Thomas Tallis Fantasia piece is so gorgeous.Listen to the first few bars,and imagine yourself standing next to a ruined castle,the walls encumbered with ivy,the sun filtering through the ruins....That is the effect it has on me every time I listen.The Greensleeves Fantasia is another sumptuous composition,as are the Variants.I think old Ralph(Rafe) was the very best composer for strings.Second would be Delius.
If you fall in love with this CD,I would recommend that you listen to Ralph's "Sinfonia Antartica." Completely unlike anything on this CD,but astounding nevertheless.Really...everything he composed is wonderful,so start with this CD and build yourself a R.V.W. library."
Essential music to own
paul blanchard | 04/01/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A four piece CD that packs an outstanding punch, the first work 'Theme by Thomas Tallis' has one of the top melodies ever written by any composer thus far. Very lush, sweeping, and beautifully haunting without being mawkish, a must have for a person new to Vaughan Williams work.'Lark Ascending' shows the artistry of Vaughan Williams in displaying the interweaving of textures of violin solo's within the symphony of instruments. Again a very powerful melody blended by the interplay of the symphony and lovely violin solo by Iona Brown.The other two works on this CD compliment the above mentioned pieces with their stunning richness of full symphonic textures of melodies and movement.This is a CD one must have who is new or unfamiliar with Vaughan Williams work, I believe it to be one of the best works of any musician."
The Lark Ascending - Vaughan Williams
paul blanchard | 10/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been looking for The Lark Ascending for years and years. I didn't know the name or the artist I could only identify it by sound. I can't believe I have finally found it. I am getting married one day with The Lark Ascending in the background and I will also have it played at my funneral. I love it to death. I would have paid anything to have a copy and now I do. The Lark Ascending takes my mind away to another world and gives me so much peace and joy at the same time. I cried when I finally found the name and was able to purchase a copy of The Lark Ascending. A very special CD for me. The length of The Lark Ascending is great but I could listen to it all day!! Thank you Ralph Vaughan Williams."
Exquisitely serene
Brianna Neal | USA | 11/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Expressive, delicate and profoundly peaceful, this is the quintessential English pastoral music played by the quintessential British chamber orchestra. Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields are the perfect performers of these four works by Ralph Vaughan Williams: "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis", "Fantasia on Greensleeves", "The Lark Ascending" and "Five Variants of 'Dives and Lazarus'". Sweet violin solos, quiet flutes and strings, and wistful reeds evoke images of a quaint, simple countryside that perhaps never was. But this music makes it real, painting a sound picture of quiet, natural beauty without the worldly intrusions of back-breaking physical labor, high taxes and harsh overlords that English farmers of yore would doubtless have had to contend with. Vaughan Williams (b. 1872, d.1958), a collector of folk songs and arranger of Renaissance tunes, waxes nostalgic with these graceful, dignified and superbly subtle compositions, and you will too upon hearing them. Put this recording on at the end of a stressful day, look at something green and alive, and just feel the tension melt away. Vaughan Williams created many intriguing soundscapes, but these four selections have always been my personal favorites."
An Absolute Beauty
Brianna Neal | 01/21/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a wonderful sampler for those new to the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams. This is an analog recording, but the music is impressively warm and lush in keeping with Williams' writing. Especially noteworthy is Iona Brown's violin in "The Lark Ascending": if there's music more beautiful than this, I sure would like to know about it."