- Original Release Date: 15 July 2008
- Label: Big Eye
- Copyright: (c) 2008 Big Eye Records
- Total Length: 6:07:32
- Genres:
- ASIN: B001HXS6CS
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,426 in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 in MP3 Albums)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By R. T. Boakes
Format:Audio CD
First the bad news. Despite having a sticky label emblazoned with"Digitally Remastered at 96kHz" on the box cover the recorded sound appears (to my middle-aged ears) identical to that on the old Belart re-issues of the mid-1990s. This means that upper frequencies are often thin with an unpleasant ting or ziz to the sound. To make matters worse, on occasion, one has the aural equivalence of listening to the performance while looking down the wrong end of a telescope, with a constricted dynamic range to the sound stage and general lack of body to the sound. While FFRR (full frequency range recording) technique used by Decca in the early 1950s was lauded in its day as peak of realism, these recordings could benefit from some serious intervention of the kind given by Pristine Audio and Dutton Laboratories and that does not appear to have occurred here.
Despite this grouch the vast majority of buyers will be drawn to the `classic' status of these performances. Those who know Boult from his later EMI recordings (of these works and others) might be in for a bit of shock. The Adrian Boult of the late 1940s and early 1950s was not yet a `grand old man' but a highly experienced conductor capable of generating enormous thrust and dynamism from his orchestra, yet this is allied to a peerless grasp of symphonic structure. Listen (for example) to the opening of `A Sea symphony' to get some idea of this. From the opening B flat minor brass fanfare, followed by the choir singing Behold, the sea... Boult achieves a tremendous sense of onward momentum yet he never loses sight of the movement's proportions so that when this phase returns in the major its impact is quite overwhelming.
While Boult brings these qualities to the whole cycle some performances inevitably stand out.... Read more ›
Despite this grouch the vast majority of buyers will be drawn to the `classic' status of these performances. Those who know Boult from his later EMI recordings (of these works and others) might be in for a bit of shock. The Adrian Boult of the late 1940s and early 1950s was not yet a `grand old man' but a highly experienced conductor capable of generating enormous thrust and dynamism from his orchestra, yet this is allied to a peerless grasp of symphonic structure. Listen (for example) to the opening of `A Sea symphony' to get some idea of this. From the opening B flat minor brass fanfare, followed by the choir singing Behold, the sea... Boult achieves a tremendous sense of onward momentum yet he never loses sight of the movement's proportions so that when this phase returns in the major its impact is quite overwhelming.
While Boult brings these qualities to the whole cycle some performances inevitably stand out.... Read more ›
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By M. E. Bean
Format:Audio CD
Since the 1970's the symphonies of RVW began to be performed more frequently and distinguished conductors undertook their own personal journeys to record complete cycles of them. Previn added an international view to set alongside a parallel collection from Boult on EMI. Then Handley, Thomson, and Hickox, through the 1980's and 1990's, re-examined these mighty works from a more modern British standpoint. And alongside the above, a fascinating cycle from Haitink gave us a refreshing and thought-provoking take on the beloved symphonies we thought we had grown to know so well.
My own personal journey had ended, so I thought, with the the Dutchman. Yet something in the back of my mind kept returning me to thoughts of a couple of old Decca 'Eclipse' LPs I'd bought, 30 odd years ago, of the 1st and 6th symphonies, conducted by Boult. I remembered more visceral performances of these pieces, good though Haitink et al had been. I took the plunge and ordered the cd's. I was right! Digitally remastered, the sound has an immediacy which hit me just as dramatically as the old vinyl did when I heard these works for the first time, over 30 years ago. But the new sound has an added clarity which reveals the huge range of orchestral nuances in these superb works.
The recordings date from the early to mid 1950's. Boult and the LPO play as if the scores are hot off the press. His soloists are on top form too. And RVW is in the studio! Just try the plagent tenderness of the 'pastoral' or the chilling intensity of the 'antartica'. No. 4 has never sounded so brutal, nor No. 5 as 'English'.
I think Boult guides us on the most rewarding journey through these greatest of twentieth century symphonies.
My own personal journey had ended, so I thought, with the the Dutchman. Yet something in the back of my mind kept returning me to thoughts of a couple of old Decca 'Eclipse' LPs I'd bought, 30 odd years ago, of the 1st and 6th symphonies, conducted by Boult. I remembered more visceral performances of these pieces, good though Haitink et al had been. I took the plunge and ordered the cd's. I was right! Digitally remastered, the sound has an immediacy which hit me just as dramatically as the old vinyl did when I heard these works for the first time, over 30 years ago. But the new sound has an added clarity which reveals the huge range of orchestral nuances in these superb works.
The recordings date from the early to mid 1950's. Boult and the LPO play as if the scores are hot off the press. His soloists are on top form too. And RVW is in the studio! Just try the plagent tenderness of the 'pastoral' or the chilling intensity of the 'antartica'. No. 4 has never sounded so brutal, nor No. 5 as 'English'.
I think Boult guides us on the most rewarding journey through these greatest of twentieth century symphonies.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By pointone
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
Like reviewer Patrick Miller listening to this set was a revelation, I also found Boult's later EMI set somewhat tame.
Possibly it was the composer's presence (except for Symphony 9 due to his death seven hours before the session) that inspired Boult and the London Philharmonic to play the music as if had only just been written, the freshness of the long established works is wonderful.
The "Gramophone Magazine" reviewed most of these recording in April and May 1954 with glowing enthusiasm.
However this recording of the Symphony 6 does not eclipse the recording Boult made following the first performance in 1947 where the players are challenged by a slightly faster speed and the difficulty and excitement of playing a major new work. I recommend having both.
Theses fine performances are captured by Decca's finest mono sound engineering in the incomparable acoustics of the Kingsway Hall.
Possibly it was the composer's presence (except for Symphony 9 due to his death seven hours before the session) that inspired Boult and the London Philharmonic to play the music as if had only just been written, the freshness of the long established works is wonderful.
The "Gramophone Magazine" reviewed most of these recording in April and May 1954 with glowing enthusiasm.
However this recording of the Symphony 6 does not eclipse the recording Boult made following the first performance in 1947 where the players are challenged by a slightly faster speed and the difficulty and excitement of playing a major new work. I recommend having both.
Theses fine performances are captured by Decca's finest mono sound engineering in the incomparable acoustics of the Kingsway Hall.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By n3_biker
Format:Audio CD
These are the performances of the symphonies against which all others must be measured. Boult was associated with RVW throughout his life, being present at the premiere of A Sea Symphony in 1910, later conducting the first perfomances of the 3rd, 4th and 6th symphonies, and of course recording these in 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1958, all in the presence of the great man [except for the 9th, as other reviewers have mentioned - though RVW was actively planning to attend the recording in Walthamstow Town Hall on the night of his death]. I grew up with Boult's later EMI recordings, which I still love, and Previn's and Haitink's cycles are also superb, but there's something special about this set. Still sounding wonderful, despite the years, this is the one I turn to most. The 5th has never sounded more radiant.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great album but very poor sound quality
I really do not expect hiss on a recording of this type. Lacks depth. Where can I find a good quality recording of these great works?
Published 17 days ago by S Addy
5.0 out of 5 stars
fantastic
a brilliant introduction to Vaughan Williams
Symphony no.9 has not been off my Walkman since
I highly recommend this as a purchase
Symphony no.9 has not been off my Walkman since
I highly recommend this as a purchase
Published 1 month ago by matthew andrews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vaughan Williams fans will love this!
Marvellous collection of his symphonies, conducted superbly by Sir Adrian Boult.
I am very pleased that I purchased this collection - I got it right for a change!
I am very pleased that I purchased this collection - I got it right for a change!
Published 1 month ago by RANALD HUTTON
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vaughan William's classic 50's cycle under another guise!
This earlier, 50's cycle of the Vaughan Williams symphonies conducted by Adrian Boult is quite possibly the most riveting in the catalogue, in my opinion. Read more
Published 3 months ago by km.ord
5.0 out of 5 stars
An important note regarding the MP3 download included!
This earlier, 50's cycle of the Vaughan Williams symphonies conducted by Adrian Boult is quite possibly the most riveting in the catalogue, in my opinion. Read more
Published 3 months ago by km.ord
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awsome recording
What a fantastic set of Cd's. Can't believe the price. I would recomend this box set to anyone serious about Vaughan Williams.
Published 9 months ago by Mr. J. E. Palmer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Taking my passion for Vaughan-Williams music a stage further
Having long loved the Vaughan-Williams music I knew well (The Lark Ascending, Thomas Tallis etc) I decided to explore some of his (to me) less familiar work. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mind traveller
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Value!!
Let me start off by saying that the sound quality on some of these recordings is not fantastic. But as a newcomer to Vaughan Williams I found this collection to be perfectly... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Andy Bullemor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definative recordings
There are moments of magic such as the slow movement of the 2nd symphony where you can almost smell the smog and damp of an autumn dusk in a London square. Read more
Published 23 months ago by stickwagger
3.0 out of 5 stars
Vaughan Williams Symphonies
When I saw this it looked exceedingly good value, and I suppose in its way it is. What I didn't realise is that its a very old recording, and therefore the quality isn't what you... Read more
Published on 14 Sep 2010 by Mr. B. H. E. Fuller
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