Search - Ritchie, Boult, London Symphony Orchestra :: Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5

The highest degree

10/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These performances of two great symphonies by Brit composer Vaughan Williams are part of the legendary Decca sessions, from the early 1950's. The fact that it was recorded inside a very good sounding Kingsway Hall did help even if we're talking of monophonic sound. Producers John Culshaw and Ken Wilkinson were doing great things in those days. The composer was present at the sessions, thus giving the recordings a sort of 'endorsement' if you will. There never was--and there will never be--a better version of the Fifth Symphony. The momentum, playing, conducting and accuracy of the recording itself all conspired to produce an account worthy of cult status. The highest degree in musicality, this is what Sir Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic Orchestra did achieve ; and the results are even better than my current favourite--Boult's 1960s version on EMI (also with the London Philharmonic Orchestra). After all, the old recordings of the Third and Fifth symphonies belong to the 'Golden Age' of mono and stereo, the 'Kennedy-era', which created many legends and was rarely surpassed since then. Among the pioneering deeds regarding the Symphony No.5, Sir John Barbirolli's wartime recording (1944), with his relatively modest but dexterous Halle Orchestra, remains an exceptional reading, one with grandeur and solemn grace. And I do not think the latter betters, on all counts, Boult's legendary performance. For sure, Barbirolli's is also worthy of the term 'legendary' but some sonic limitations play havoc with the 1944 Halle recording. From a musical standpoint, the Philharmonia's effort, from 1962 (again with Barbirolli at the helm), is also very good--it is a superb reading--but does not equal, or let alone approach, his own Halle. All things considered, I still prefer Boult's 1960s LPO account over the 1962 Philharmonia (both released by EMI), perhaps just the way I favoured Boult's 1953 recording over the 1944 Barbirolli. Great 'modern-day recordings' of the Fifth Symphony include a splendid Thomson/LSO on Chandos, as well as a classic Vernon Handley/RLPO and the gorgeous Previn/RPO (on Telarc). I do NOT care for the Haitink/LPO (EMI). The ever fascinating Third Symphony ("Pastoral") received a very decent interpretation from Boult (1950's), but here I do prefer his arguably unsurpassed version for EMI--with the New Philharmonia Orchestra. In any case, the "Pastoral" probably never 'sounded' better than under Boult, above all his two 1960s versions (the other was done with the BBC Symphony Orchestra), not forgetting a very fine version from Vernon Handley (RLPO, EMI Records). Get this one for the Fifth, above all, it is essential VW."