Search - Ralph Vaughan Williams, Adrian Boult, Henry J. Wood :: Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge; Serenade to Music; Song of Thanksgiving; Old King Cole

"How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank"-

Todd Nolan | Seattle, WA USA | 04/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD with the original soloists who debuted Vaughan William's Serenade to Music alongside conductor Sir Henry Wood has better sonics than one might suppose with a span of almost 70 years. Many archived recordings from the old LP days are now transferred so well that most, if not all, of the surface noise that LPs had are absent. But sometimes a grainy quality remains, so it was surprising to hear the excellent sound on this new release. I have several recordings of the Serenade, and a few different versions, including the purely orchestral one that Wood requested from the composer, and a choral one with no soloists. If one were to introduce someone to Vaughan William's music, the quintessential Tallis Fantasia, Five Variants of Dives & Lazarus, the first three symphonies (the 5th is my favorite), Lark Ascending and any of his beautiful songs or choral works might be choices you'd pick out for them (maybe the sweet Tuba Concerto). I would think every short-list would have to include this little jewel set to verses of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, its so typical of the VW sound. For those who aren't fond of "refurbished" recordings from the '30s-'60s, however, there are plenty of recent recordings for you to choose from for both the Serenade and the song-cycle Wenlock Edge, another piece that has several different versions, besides many recordings. This Wenlock is also an original recording. Like another VW song-cycle (House of Life), this is gorgeous music that stays with you the rest of your life.



The Song of Thanksgiving pops up on a couple Vaughan Williams CDs in the last several years, and the Old King Cole ballet suite rounds out this welcome disc. The budget price just adds to the sweetness of this moonlit, luscious music."

Re-Issue of the Year

Ian A. White | England | 08/20/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As will be the case with most people, I suspect, I bought this CD for "On Wenlock Edge" and I will limit my comments to that item.



What makes this rendition, then, after 53 years and numerous other recordings (at least three new ones, this year, alone, including a very good one by James Gilchrist) such that it is still the one I would take to a desert island with me? Most of the credit, inevitably, has to go to George Maran, the American soloist in the work. It seems to me that he achieved, when he made this recording, an instinctive identification with A E Houseman's protagonist which is unlike anything I have heard in any other. With his soft-edged, slightly husky tenor voice, he gives expression to the melancholy introspection of the poems and of VW's incomparable music for them, which makes for an uniquely haunting, benchmark performance.



Much gratitude to ALTO for preparing and issuing this excellent CD transfer. Do not hesitate to buy it - cheap at thrice the price!

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