I love the music of Ralph Vaughn Williams! His harmonies are lush and gorgeous, and the results are divine. Here we have the last of the RVW Symphonies, #9 (naturally, this gives people more reason to believe the "Curse of the Ninth"). In this symphony, he employs not only the large orchestral forces that include triple woodwinds, but he adds to those woodwinds with 2 alto saxes and a tenor sax. The result is very beautiful, and it makes the third movement simply mischevious-sounding as a result. He also includes a flugelhorn, which adds a nice mellow touch to the opening of the second movement. As for the concerto, the writing is intense, and the soloist is worked hard. In both of these recordings, Bryden Thomson (and Howard Shelley as pianist in the concerto) leads the LSO to victory, both sonically and structurally. The orchestra is dead on, and it shows. Every little twist in the music is heard, and the doom feeling one gets at times in the symphony is well-conveyed in this marvelous recording from Chandos. Also, the piano is well balanced with the orchestra in the concerto, and Shelley is a marvelous interpreter. I am more than happy to endorse this one, and I think you will be quite pleased with it.