This recording is something of an addendum to the critically and commercially successful cycle of Ralph Vaughan Williams' symphonies issued by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Andrew Manze. It was recorded in 2017 but not issued until late 2019; some of these pieces are better known than any of the symphonies, and the album could easily have served general listeners as an introduction to the series. Of course, it can still serve that purpose. Perhaps no Vaughan Williams work is more familiar than The ...
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This recording is something of an addendum to the critically and commercially successful cycle of Ralph Vaughan Williams' symphonies issued by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Andrew Manze. It was recorded in 2017 but not issued until late 2019; some of these pieces are better known than any of the symphonies, and the album could easily have served general listeners as an introduction to the series. Of course, it can still serve that purpose. Perhaps no Vaughan Williams work is more familiar than The Lark Ascending, and perhaps the marketers thought the album would present a less distinctive product if offered first. As it happens, The Lark Ascending is the big news here. All of the performances have the rich sound and deliberate, detailed orchestral work that has characterized the symphony performances, but The Lark Ascending is extraordinary. Violinist James Ehnes -- who despite his sterling reputation, gets no billing on the cover -- displays flawless intonation here, and his...
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