Search - Ralph Vaughan Williams, Kees Bakels, Bournemouth Sinfonietta :: Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 2; The Wasps

Magnificent reading.

jean couture | Quebec city - Canada | 04/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kees Bakels introduces one of the most attractive recordings of this Symphony, the second in the cycle. The 'London Symphony' could have been described either as a symphony about a Londoner and his perception of the city, or just a sort of musical fantasy about London Town. The latter is, perhaps, the friendliest assertion vis-a-vis the composer's impression and original intent. Actually, the Bournemouth and their leader have done an appealing and emotionally powerful reading.



In fact, Bakels is so good that i do not hesitate to place his recording next to the "very best". One of my favorite readings is from Roger Norrington (Decca). It is paired with a quite nice Tallis Fantasia. Norrington's confident direction and LPO's virtually flawless playing do make for a strong account of this symphony ; here the four movements possess a special trait, a sensitivity of their own. I have much difficulty trying to depict with words what it is, but it is great. Norrington's reading is inspired - you can sense the poetry, the soul of the city---which the London Philharmonic Orchestra has powerfully "portrayed" in what is a classic 'London Symphony'. The opening is, actually, quite atmospheric - like a slow awakening in the midst of the morning mist. Sometimes there is drama (with just the right touch), as if the journey across London was suddenly filled with nostalgia or a sense of yearning. That makes clear contrast with the more lively moments (for example, the Scherzo). In my opinion, Norrington is one of the best i have heard, so much so that it can rival exceptional (though different) readings such as Henry Wood, Thomson, Bakels and even the sturdy LPO/Boult on Decca.



Another enjoyable LPO recording, but not quite as much as the latter, is Adrian Boult in his EMI days. The sound is finely balanced, yet it doesn't match musically the stature of his previous mono recording ; I still prefer, as well, what Norrington or Bakels have artfully reached in their own rights. Performances by Previn are also very good, above all his RPO direction for Telarc---a stunner, albeit admittedly rugged sonics. There are, also, the likes of Barbirolli, Hickox (the gripping original version) and the convincing Davis/BBC that, perhaps, you should investigate.



The 'London Symphony', as a "representative" work, is no easy task and not all conductors or orchestras do succeed at making the magic happen in this "very English" symphony. I must mention an old mono recording of the late 1930's by Henry Wood who gave a prime performance, typically one of the best on record in spite of reduced sound. Chances are there's no greater interpretation to that symphony. Rarely have i heard such blooming, regal sounds that confer the work an unaffected restraint with plain eloquence.



The Naxos under review is a nice surprise. To quote an other reviewer on this page, it "ranks with the best." Absolutely! The beauty and finesse of this most amazing symphony are flawlessly captured by conductor and orchestra ; small nuances and quiet melodic passages are revealed gracefully, with details making it all sound "very English" (in example, some sequences in the 'Lento' [2] and 'Nocturne' [3]). Bakels's perceptive direction and a safe comprehension of the score from the Bournemouth are, at times, almost visceral. Similarly to Norrington, he produces the most beautifully "atmospheric" prelude as the first movement launches.



Perhaps more than any other, this symphony requires silence. At different places, including the very opening of the first movement, the sound is so low that you can hardly hear what's goin' on (unless you boost the volume considerably). There's a lot of subtle details riding beneath the surface (a characteristic also true for many other works by VW). It is said the composer considered the 'London' as his favorite among his own symphonies.



In conclusion, this cd introduces a substantial interpretation---one of my first choices for this work (by the way, the 'Overture to the Wasps' is also very good). Although the recording itself is not perfect per se (at times the softest passages seem too reticent), it never gets in the way of dynamic range and grandeur, coming through with aplomb. As one of the most successful performances of the Symphony No.2, this cd clearly deserves recommendation.*****"

English Excellence

Hayward H. Siegel | East Meadow, New York United States | 03/24/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I concur with the prior reviewers of this recording, that it is excellent. The Symphony is like a very large-scale tone poem about London, England. It can either be interpreted as depicting what actually occurs in the City, or depicting one's impression of life in the City. The Symphony commences very quietly, almost inaudible, which portrays the waking-up of city life in the early morning hours. It then musically pictures the various daily activities in the City, only to close peacefully and quietly, to portray the City going to sleep in the late night hours. However, at the very end, we realize that this will all start over the next morning. The Symphony is scored for a large orchestra, and the orchestration is brilliant, as is generally the case with Vaughn Williams' symphonies. British folk themes are constantly heard, to remind one that you are in London, England. In the first and fourth movements, the harp mimics the sound of Big Ben. The music made me reminisce about the times I was in London. Kees Bakels and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra performed this composition with energy and passion, and has done a service to British Music. The Wasps is an enjoyable overture, which starts with the strings sounding like the insects. There is also use of British themes in it. In fact, due to its position on the CD, and its use of similar British themes, as was heard in the prior composition on the CD, one might get the impression that the overture is a supplemental piece to the symphony."

Enriching

David Saemann | 08/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must start off by noting that my copy of this CD features some extraneous clicking sounds in the last movement of the symphony. I purchased my copy over a decade ago, so perhaps the problem has been corrected. The sound engineering on this CD is by the legendary producer of audiophile recordings Brian B. Culverhouse. It lacks just the slightest bit of presence one finds on recent CDs, but it features an extraordinarily wide dynamic range, which does wonders in clarifying the sounds of these pieces. Naxos, as usual, discovered Kees Bakels before he became a name conductor leading the Malaysian Philharmonic. Here he leads a rather objective but beautifully paced performance of A London Symphony. It lacks the electricity of the EMI Barbirolli LP I grew up with, but it makes its points stylishly and builds up its climaxes naturally and persuasively. The Bournemouth Orchestra plays well, if with just a bit less enthusiasm from the strings than they showed for their then Music Director, Andrew Litton. The Wasps Overture is very good, too, if not quite as bracing as Sir Malcolm Sargent's or, on acoustic 78's, the compser's own. Particularly at Naxos's bargain price, this is an excellent CD with which to introduce someone to Vaughan Williams or to provide an interesting insight on what he called his favorite of his symphonies."