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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Every so often a CD comes along where just one track takes your breath away, and no matter what the disc cost it immediately becomes priceless in your collection. Here the track in question is 21), an arrangement by VW for voice, violin and piano of the folksong "How cold the wind doth blow", also known as "The Unquiet Ghost". I'd never heard this arrangment by VW before (he arranged it a number of times), and was literally blown away. The singing, by the wonderful Robert Tear, and the equally wonderful accompaniment from Hugh Bean and Philip Ledger (the former made the best recording EVER of The Lark Ascending, with Boult, by the way), allied to the timeless melody and tragic words, will break your heart. It is as simple as that.
The rest of the disc is almost as marvellous - that is meant as praise, for track 21 is in a class of its own. Buy it now, while it is cheap and available.
The rest of the disc is almost as marvellous - that is meant as praise, for track 21 is in a class of its own. Buy it now, while it is cheap and available.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I once owned these songs on LP and - long after I'd ditched my LP collection for CD's - I remembered them and hoped that one day they would re-appear on compact disc.
Folk song was in RVW's blood, of course; if not from birth, from the time when he began collecting old songs from elderly singers in East Anglia, and it was folk song from which - with English music of the Tudor age - he forged his own inimitable musical voice. So these songs must have had a special place in the composer's heart.
Back in the early years of the 20th century, those eager to preserve folk-song thought that the only way to keep them in the public consciousness was to turn them into 'art-songs', performed either by trained soloists with instrumental accompaniment or by choral groups. These settings are in that tradition, of course. RVW, Holst, Cecil Sharp and the other collectors could not have anticipated the rise, later in the century, of interest in singing these songs in a more 'authentic' style by untrained and often unaccompanied singers.
No one sets folk-songs better than RVW. To my ears, his settings are as heart-felt and sincere as Britten's are arch and affected. The performances could not be bettered and, as the previous reviewer says so eloquently, track 21 "How Cold the Wind Doth Blow" is a deeply moving masterpiece.
Folk song was in RVW's blood, of course; if not from birth, from the time when he began collecting old songs from elderly singers in East Anglia, and it was folk song from which - with English music of the Tudor age - he forged his own inimitable musical voice. So these songs must have had a special place in the composer's heart.
Back in the early years of the 20th century, those eager to preserve folk-song thought that the only way to keep them in the public consciousness was to turn them into 'art-songs', performed either by trained soloists with instrumental accompaniment or by choral groups. These settings are in that tradition, of course. RVW, Holst, Cecil Sharp and the other collectors could not have anticipated the rise, later in the century, of interest in singing these songs in a more 'authentic' style by untrained and often unaccompanied singers.
No one sets folk-songs better than RVW. To my ears, his settings are as heart-felt and sincere as Britten's are arch and affected. The performances could not be bettered and, as the previous reviewer says so eloquently, track 21 "How Cold the Wind Doth Blow" is a deeply moving masterpiece.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is one of those cd's that when you first listen to it you sit and think 'yes, what a great buy'
The music is simply amazing with Robert Tear singing with such warmth and brilliant musicianship.
I now live in NZ and this cd really gives me a vivid picture of England (or how it use to be).
This cd is really worth the time. Buy it!
The music is simply amazing with Robert Tear singing with such warmth and brilliant musicianship.
I now live in NZ and this cd really gives me a vivid picture of England (or how it use to be).
This cd is really worth the time. Buy it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great for relaxing!
The late Robert Tear has a fine and lovely crystal clear voice which just makes this Album so much more enjoyable. I love the type of singing that is only accompanied by Piano. Read more
Published 9 months ago by FAMOUS NAME
Not for me...
Sometimes you try and sometimes you buy, I was unlucky, I bought! This is not a bad CD but I just don't like it. I will stick with the Lark, the Themes and my mate Lazarus. Phil.
Published 23 months ago by Philip Connolly
VW Folksongs
I knew this product from an old LP. Good to hear it in its digital perfection. The only problem I experienced was getting itunes to recognise all the tracks.
Published on 7 April 2010 by Mr. A. Brown
Beautifully and Quintessentially English Music
The Vaughan Williams arrangements contained on this album are played with true passion and respect- almost reverence- for the great composer's music and his love of English folk... Read more
Published on 24 Aug 2009 by R. Horrigan
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