Ralph Vaughan Williams - Norfolk Rhapsody No.1

Played by the New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ralph
• vaughan
• williams;
• norfolk
• rhapsody;
• no
• 1;
• sir
• adrian
• boult;
• english;
• folk;
• new
• philharmonia
• orchestra;
• yt:stretch=4:3
• yt:crop=16:9
• yt:quality=high

[deviantrake]

I agree completely, Vaughan Williams is by far my favourite English composer.

[fauxsham]

There's something about VW's work, that I can't quite put my finger on, but, its that indefinable quality of making you feel bigger inside than outside, the music is THAT good, its almost too much to listen to, this piece, fantasia on a theme by thomas tallis, lark ascending, the wasps etc etc, they all have "it" beautiful

[Klassiskmus]

Just a thought from my little compilation of rhapsodies: Will you learn anything about the differences and similarities between English and Swedish culture and mentality by comparing the theme from 5:35 with the theme at about 5:00 from Alfven's 3. swedish rhapsody?

I think you can learn a lot about history, culture and mentality from music, though of course it primarly tells about the composer.

[windstorm1000]

@fauxsham You said it----and as you said, one can hardly put one's finger on why his music swells one's heart and spirit--but it does--all without fortes and big brass sound (though VW can do this as well). I think listeners are drawn to the peacful sound of his compositions--and how the world really should be.

[kyfriends]

@meekayx3

If you enjoyed this, you might like his arrangement for "On Board a Nighty-Eight"

[JuanSabini]

kyfriends: I agree.

[C666B]

Never surpassed by anything else he did.

[271250cl]

Reply for @alger3041. Two films were made about RVW in 2008, the 50th anniversary of his death, Tony Palmer's film (available on DVD) was called "O Thou Transcendent" - a quotation from the Walt Whitman poems that RVW set to music in "A Sea Symphony". John Bridcut made film called "The Passions of Vaughan Williams" which focused on the way the composer's personal life influenced his music. Both are excellent.

[TK42138]

@alger3041

I've always felt a connection with his music. Especially his less well known works. I'm not a musician or composer but one can really get a sense of his moods, outlook, call it what you will - but one thing's for sure - he was a complicated man. If you've not already seen it I recommend the BBC4 documentary that was about him shown few years ago. Can't recall the title though.

Agreed - the Boult version seems to have the edge. Tribute to Boult's interpretation.

[alger3041]

@TK42138, I see that you did get to hear the Boult performance of this work, which as I stated I feel is much better than the Marriner.

And I fully agree with your pictorial description of the impression received, as I stated on the other post.

But I always say, that one must feel free to draw one's own impressions. Yours happen to be very similar to mine.

[alger3041]

@kyfriends - I know this piece, and I especially paid attention to what was playing at 8:45 that you were so entranced with.

It is the final phrase, based upon the middle section, here far more sedate - the final phrase, as I say, which leads back into the very opening gesture of the piece with which it began.

A perfect summing up.

[Gavrilux]

I totally agree. He was not simply doing music. He was helping people to use music to find the inner voice. That was probably his mission on that life.