# Vaughan Williams complete symphonies: recommendations?



## Omicron9 (Oct 13, 2016)

Greetings.

My first post on this fine forum; happy to be a part of these fascinating discussions.

I'm comparing complete symphony box sets of RVW. (I did a search here prior to posting, but couldn't find anything; my apologies if I somehow missed it.)

What's your recommendation and why?


Thank you and kind regards,
-09


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Here is the thread worth checking: http://www.talkclassical.com/showthread.php?t=44240

Welcome to the forum!


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## Omicron9 (Oct 13, 2016)

Azol said:


> Here is the thread worth checking: http://www.talkclassical.com/showthread.php?t=44240
> 
> Welcome to the forum!


Many thanks, Azol.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Omicron9 said:


> Greetings.
> 
> What's your recommendation and why?
> 
> ...


I recommend never stick your hand under a lawn mower while you are cutting the grass to check on the blade. Bad things might happen.
Regarding the RVW Symphonies, as with any cycle of Symphonies by 1 Composer, you might be better off getting individual versions of each work from differenct cycles, as no one Conductor, IMO, does all 9 equally well. Having said that, the Haitink cycle on EMI (now Warner, I think) was pretty consistently satisfying.


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## GAJ (Oct 15, 2016)

I believe the old vinyl set of Sir Adrian Boult conducting the RVW symphonies have been reissued a number of times. I feel these are hard to beat. My collection is on the Arte Nova label.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

GAJ said:


> I believe the old vinyl set of Sir Adrian Boult conducting the RVW symphonies have been reissued a number of times. I feel these are hard to beat. My collection is on the Arte Nova label.


I have this set on an EMI reissue and concur. A great set well conducted and played. And at the price it's a great set to have. There are probably greater individual symphonies available but I can't think you could be disappointed with Sir Adrian's interpretation.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Welcome to the forum and hope you find you way around a bit.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

There are lots. I've always been OK with Previn's set and those by Hickox and Handley. Boult's set is also very good, of course, and some people swear by Haitink.


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## R3PL4Y (Jan 21, 2016)

If you are going to get one set, I would go with several other people here and recommend the Haitink


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I have usually accumulated recordings of any composers symphonies by a number of individual conductors first before getting a complete box set. The Vaughan Williams symphonic recordings that I have enjoyed and turned to most include those conducted by Hickox, Barbirolli, and Boult. I have the Boult box and don't feel the need for any other complete set.


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## Omicron9 (Oct 13, 2016)

Pugg said:


> Welcome to the forum and hope you find you way around a bit.


Thank you, Pugg.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

Sir Adrian's box on EMI


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## Jerry (Oct 17, 2016)

My choices for individual recordings would probably be ...

1 - Previn (or Slatkin / BBC for better sound quality)
2 - Hickox
3 - Boult
4 - Boult
5 - Menuhin
6 - Rozhdestvensky
7 - Bakels
8 - Handley
9 - Handley


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

R3PL4Y said:


> If you are going to get one set, I would go with several other people here and recommend the Haitink


I wouldn't! The music isn't in his soul; he doesn't quite 'get' it.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Get the Boult on EMI and the Previn on Sony/RCA and if you want for good measure add in Slatkin. All have been reissued and are available very inexpensively, and all are pretty much top of the pile. No one cycle is absolutely perfect from all that I've heard but with those 3 you can have enough that you will never be feeling a lack or need for something else in my book.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Don't get the Haitink set - the sound might be superb, but like 'Delicious Manager' says above, there's no soul. My recommendation for RVW symphonies is always the Handley set on Classics for Pleasure. Certainly you won't get a better Sinfonia Antartica, and the rest are top-notch too.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

techniquest said:


> Don't get the Haitink set - the sound might be superb, but like 'Delicious Manager' says above, there's no soul. My recommendation for RVW symphonies is always the Handley set on Classics for Pleasure. Certainly you won't get a better Sinfonia Antartica, and the rest are top-notch too.
> 
> View attachment 89554


Agreed. I was a devotee of the Previn/LSO recordings, but got into the Handleys on TC recommendation. Tod brought detail, life and soul to VW' s symphonies, and the other pieces on these CDs are very good. NB the Partita for Double String Orchestra - tremendous piece.


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## Steve Wright (Mar 13, 2015)

techniquest said:


> Don't get the Haitink set - the sound might be superb, but like 'Delicious Manager' says above, there's no soul. My recommendation for RVW symphonies is always the Handley set on Classics for Pleasure. Certainly you won't get a better Sinfonia Antartica, and the rest are top-notch too.
> 
> View attachment 89554


Gosh - perhaps I'm not hearing something (or perhaps I _am _hearing something), but I hear soul aplenty in Haitink's renditions. Been working my way through the set these last few weeks and I find it very captivating. I say this as a Brit who should, I suppose, be able to detect any ''authentic British soul', etc etc, that might be missing here. 
That said, I love the Handley set too. These two cycles have both left the EMI Boult set languishing on my shelves, good though that undoubtedly is too.


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