Toward the Unknown

Track Listings

1. Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region

2. Vaughan Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody

3. Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis

4. Vaughan Williams: Five Variants on 'Dives and Lazarus'

5. Mendelssohn: The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) Overture

Tracks:

Concerto Grosso For String Orchestra: I. Intrada - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto Grosso For String Orchestra: II. Burlesca Ostinata - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto Grosso For String Orchestra: III. Sarabande - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto Grosso For String Orchestra: IV. Scherzo - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto Grosso For String Orchestra: V. March And Reprise - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Oboe And Strings In A Minor: Rondo Pastoral. Allegro moderato - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Oboe And Strings In A Minor: II. Minuet and Musette. Allegro moderato - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Oboe And Strings In A Minor: III. Finale (Scherzo). Presto - doppio piu lento - Lento - Presto - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Violin And String Orchestra In D Minor (Concerto Accademico): I. Allegro pesante - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Violin And String Orchestra In D Minor (Concerto Accademico): II. Adagio - tranquillo - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Violin And String Orchestra In D Minor (Concerto Accademico): III. Presto - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Bass Tuba And Orchestra In F Minor: I. Prelude. Allegro moderato - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Bass Tuba And Orchestra In F Minor: II. Romanza. Andante sostenuto - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Concerto For Bass Tuba And Orchestra In F Minor: III. Finale - Rondo alla Tedesca. Allegro - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Two Hymn-Tune Preludes: Eventide. Lento sostenuto - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Two Hymn-Tune Preludes: Dominus Regit Me. Andante con moto - Ralph Vaughan Williams_

Tracks:

The Lark Ascending - Andante sostenuto - Allegretto tranquillo - R. Vaughan Williams
Piano Concerto In C Major: I. Toccata. Allegro moderato - Largamente - Cadenza - R. Vaughan Williams
Piano Concerto In C Major: II. Romanza. Lento - R. Vaughan Williams
Piano Concerto In C Major: III. Fuga chromatica... - R. Vaughan Williams
Piano Concerto In C Major: III. ...con Finale alla Tedesca - R. Vaughan Williams
Partita For Double String Orchestra: I. Prelude. Andante tranquillo - R. Vaughan Williams
Partita For Double String Orchestra: II. Scherzo Ostinato. Presto - R. Vaughan Williams
Partita For Double String Orchestra: III. Intermezzo. Andante con moto - R. Vaughan Williams
Partita For Double String Orchestra: IV. Fantasia. Allegro - R. Vaughan Williams
Toward The Unknown Region - Grave ma non troppo - R. Vaughan Williams

Customer Reviews:

Incomparable English Music........2006-01-13

Hard to believe I am the first review since this CD was a 1994 release.
The versions of ALL these pieces are as good or better than any that have preceded or come after. Most Vaughan Williams afficianados will already have most or all of them. But this CD is A MUST anyway...
First off...Chandos has even outdone itself regarding the sound quality. Everything here is like hearing it for the first time. The cleanest, clearest, richest, warmest sound I have ever heard put to these great compositions. With a wide dynamic range, the smoothest bottom and great front to back depth. you will hear things you've never heard before. Just plain hair raising Gorgeous.
The Concerto Grosso is beautifully done. revealing the kinship with The Tallis Fantasy more so than any I've ever heard. Just The Best on record. The Lark Ascending has never sounded richer on CD and the Oboe concerto brings a new standard for the competition. Not just the Oboe, but the warm sensual pastorale playing behind it. Also the seldom heard Two Hymn-Tune Prelude is Beautiful and serene. Everything else on this CD is at the top of it's game also. A Must for all fans of this greatest of English composers.

Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem and Other Works

Average customer rating:

Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem and Other Works

Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Vaughan Williams: An Oxford Elegy/ Flos Campi/ Sancta Civitas/ etc.
Hodie / Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Vaughan Williams: The Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains
Vaughan Williams: Sir John In Love
Vaughan Williams: Complete Concertos

ASIN: B00005Q2X8
Release Date: 2005-07-13

Tracks:

Toward The Unknown Region - London Phil Chor/John Alldis
Dona Nobis Pacem: I. Agnus Dei (Lento) - Sheila Armstrong/John Carol Case/London Phil Chor/John Alldis
Dona Nobis Pacem: II. Beat! Beat! Drums! (Allegro Moderato) - Sheila Armstrong/John Carol Case/London Phil Chor/John Alldis
Dona Nobis Pacem: III. Reconciliation (Andantino) - Sheila Armstrong/John Carol Case/London Phil Chor/John Alldis
Dona Nobis Pacem: IV. Dirge For Two Veterans (Moderato Alla Marcia) - Sheila Armstrong/John Carol Case/London Phil Chor/John Alldis
Dona Nobis Pacem: V. The Angel Of Death Has Been abroad (L'istesso Tempo) - Sheila Armstrong/John Carol Case/London Phil Chor/John Alldis
Dona Nobis Pacem: VI. O Man Greatly Beloved - Sheila Armstrong/John Carol Case/London Phil Chor/John Alldis
Fant (Quasi Vars) On The Old 104th Psalm Tune - Peter Katin
Magnificat - Helen Watts/Ambrosian Singers/Christopher Hyde-Smith

Tracks:

Partita: I. Prld (Andante Tranquillo) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Partita: II. Scherzo Ostinato (Presto) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Partita: III. Intermezzo (Homage To Henry Hall) (Andante Con Moto) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Partita: IV. Fant (Allegro) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Con Grosso: I. Intrada (Largo) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Con Grosso: II. Burlesca Ostinata (Allegro Moderato) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Con Grosso: III. Sarabande (Lento) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Con Grosso: IV. Scherzo (Allegro: Tempo Di Valse) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Con Grosso: V. March (A La Marcia) And Reprise - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Fant On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - Philharmonia Orch/Sir Malcolm Sargent
Romance in D flat - Larry Adler/Eric Gritton
The Lark Ascending - Jean Pougnet

Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem/Four Hymns/Toward The Unknown Region/O Clap Your Hands/Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Re

Average customer rating:

Best's is best
Great recording, especially the lesser-known works
Great modern-day recording
A superior recording

Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem/Four Hymns/Toward The Unknown Region/O Clap Your Hands/Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Re

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music · Five Mystical Songs · Fantasia on Christmas Carols · Flos Campi / Sixtieen Soloists · Thomas Allen · Nobuko Imai · Corydon Singers · ECO · Matthew Best
Barber: Prayers of Kierkegaard/Bartok: Cantata profanna/Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem
Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem, etc / Bryden Thomson
Vaughan Williams: Over hill, over dale
Vaughan Williams - Along the Field on Wenlock Edge · Merciless Beauty · Ten Blake Songs, and others / Ainsley · The Nash Ensemble

ASIN: B000002ZSU
Release Date: 1994-02-01

Tracks:

Dona nobis pacem. I. Dona nobis pacem
Dona nobis pacem. II. Beat! Beat! Drums!
Dona nobis pacem. III. Reconciliation
Dona nobis pacem. IV. Dirge for Two Veterans
Dona nobis pacem. V.
Four Hymns. I. Lord! Come away!
Four Hymns. II. Who is this fair One?
Four Hymns. III.Come Love, Come Lord
Four Hymns. IV. Evening Hymn
Toward the Unknown Region
O clap your hands (Psalm 47)
Lord, Thou hast been our refuge (Psalm 90)

Amazon.com

Vaughan Williams's contribution to 20th-century choral music is substantial, but several of his works inexplicably remain in relative obscurity, one of them being the unabashedly Brahmsian (and a little Wagnerian) "Toward the Unknown Region." This "song" for chorus and orchestra, Vaughan Williams's first major choral piece, is a richly romantic setting of a poem by Walt Whitman, whose ideas greatly impressed many young artists and musicians in the late 19th century. Another rarely heard work is his Four Hymns, for solo tenor, viola, and strings. This wonderfully sonorous and inventive piece deserves much greater notoriety--an event that certainly will be helped by John Mark Ainsley's fine performance here. The monumental Dona Nobis Pacem-the best known of the works on this program--also receives a strong, dynamic, and compelling reading that places it among the best on disc. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Best's is best.......2006-05-31

Deeming a particular recording 'best' is highly subjective but the pun could not be resisted. All the same, of the four recordings of 'Dona Nobis Pacem' that I own, this is my favourite. (As someone once asked me, why would you own four recordings of the same piece? My answer, because that's all that are available.) No one recording of this cantata is superlative in every single respect. For example, Thomson's features the best soprano performance, that of Edith Wiens. Hickox with the LSO has perhaps better orchestral playing and terrific crescendos, and the best 'Beat Beat Drums' section. But I prefer Best's recording for two reasons. First, because of his attention to nuance. The trailing voices on the phrase 'this soiled world', the ominous, distant tympani in the Agnus Dei, the way the Dirge section builds, then fades to piano on "All the channels", and the complex segues from trumpet to organ to strings in the final section, all reveal a loving attention to the details of this hugely variegated score. Second, and more important, this performance most eloquently captures the passion of the subject and of Whitman's poetry. For example, the baritone solo and violin in the 'Reconciliation' section are so well paced and achingly well played and sung. 'Reconciliation' is perhaps the most important section of the oratorio, and Best's version is unsurpassingly sublime. The fact that there are perhaps fewer voices in the choir is evident in the final 'Glory to God', but I feel that overall the singing is more expressive than say, Shaw's version where the choir's velvety smoothness and fullness fails to convey any excitement at all. The soprano, Judith Howarth, is lovely and ethereal especially in the sustains of the opening passages. As for the rest of the recording, the 'Four Hymns' pair well with the Cantata. 'Toward the Unknown Region', an earlier Vaughan Williams work, is also well done, and provides another wonderful Vaughan Williams' setting of Walt Whitman's work. I could say more, but recommend this recording without reservation.

Great recording, especially the lesser-known works.......2004-07-07

About half this CD is given over to "Dona Nobis Pacem," Vaughan Williams' 1936 anti-war cantata. Other recordings of this work exist--notably Robert Shaw's Grammy-winning Telarc recording, and Richard Hickox's EMI recording. While this version doesn't quite match the grandeur of Shaw and Hickox, it is still a very good recording in its own right.

What makes this CD worth the money, though, is the generous "fillers" that complete the CD. John Mark Ainsley is magnificent in the "Four Hymns" (scored here for tenor, viola, and string orchestra), and the Corydon forces do an admirable job with "Toward the Unknown Region" and "O Clap Your Hands."

But my personal favorite track on this CD has to be the finale, "Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge," which skillfully combines a Biblical version of Psalm 90 with the first verse of Isaac Watts' famous poetic version (O God, our help in ages past). It is a surprising work, yet RVW's handiwork is obvious and unmistakeable.

If you're a fan of RVW, this CD is definitely worth the money.

Great modern-day recording.......2002-06-20

This was actually the second recording of the Dona Nobis Pacem that I purchased. I can't decide if I prefer this modern-day recording or the historical recording (released by Pearl) with the composer conducting. If you enjoy Vaughan Williams or choral music, both should actually be in your library, but this recording's greater sound quality probably qualifies it more for the more casual listener. Enjoy both of them from time to time!

A superior recording.......2000-10-20

Matthew Best and the Corydon Singers have made one of the finest, precise recordings of RVW's choral works. No muddy sound from a cathedral, it is clear and precise. The range of warmth and excitement appropriate to each piece will satisfy choral afficionados. Ainsley's interpretation of "Four Hymns" is arresting. "O clap your hands" makes my heart quicken. If you've wanted the "Dona Nobis" THIS is the recording.

Average customer rating:

Unmistakeably Vaughan Williams
From darkness to illumination

Vaughan Williams: Willow Wood

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel
Morton Gould: Fall River Legend; Jekyll and Hyde Variations
Gerald Finzi: I Said to Love; Let Us Garlands Bring; Before and After Summer
Hovhaness: Symphonies Nos. 4, 20 & 53; The Prayer of St. Gregory
Vaughan Williams: Over hill, over dale

ASIN: B000BK53FQ
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

Toward The Unknown Region
Willow-Wood
The Voice Out Of The Whirlwind
Five Variants Of Dives And Lazarus
Darkness And Light
The Song Of The Zodiac
The Messengers Of Speech

Customer Reviews:

Unmistakeably Vaughan Williams.......2006-01-26

It has been said that everything Vaughan Williams wrote has a characteristic "sound," even if no two of his works sound alike. This disc exemplifies that idea: every piece here resonates with the sonorities that made Vaughan Williams famous, and yet they are very different works.

Even devoted fans of RVW's music may own only two of the works on this disc: "Toward the Unknown Region" and "Five Variants on 'Dives and Lazarus'." Both receive good recordings here, although better versions of both are available (on Hyperion and EMI, respectively).

But, of course, I suspect most RVW fans will be more interested in the rarer works on this disc. The shortest of these, "The Voice Out of the Whirlwind," is set to Biblical texts, and has a bit of a Holstian influence. That influence can also be seen, to an extent, on his cantata "The Sons of Light," to a libretto by his wife Ursula, which here gets its first recording on CD.

The final work--and the namesake of the disc--is "Willow-Wood," to words by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (to whom Vaughan Williams returned for his song cycle "The House of Life"), which, amazingly, receives its first performance in nearly a century (it was last performed in 1909). The resemblance to his early works is fairly obvious, as are comparisons to his "Magnificat" for alto, women's chorus, and orchestra.

While I wouldn't rush to call any of these definitive performances, it is hard to pass up a CD at a bargain price that fills in gaps as this one does.

From darkness to illumination.......2005-12-07

THIS NEW CD made by the Naxos label is a major release that sheds new light on the famous English composer. First, the material spans nearly the entire career of Ralph Vaughan Williams. From `Willow-Wood' (1903) to `The Sons of Light' (1951), we embark on a journey of unforgettable, fascinating music. As a result, this disc further upholds the record company's commitment to modern music. The CD is part of Gramophone's Editor Choice for December 2005.

I'll begin first with the cantata `The Sons of Light', mainly because it is (subjectively) what i prefer---despite the fact that all the album is uniformly excellent. For years, i was eagerly hoping for the release of that work on CD : Ultimately, this is not the premiere recording since `The Sons of Light' has been recorded previously by Willcocks on the little-known Lyrita label (SRCS 125 LP). Still, it appears for the first time on CD. Interestingly, the texts were written by Ursula Vaughan Williams (Ursula Wood) ; these poems talk about "celestial imagery (sun, moon, and the signs of the Zodiac)" and, more specifically, "the creation story which starts with the passage of the sun as expressed in Greek myths." Needless to say, the score accommodates the texts ideally. Unfortunately, i haven't heard the Lyrita but can attest as to the Naxos's wonderful merits.

As i listened, i began to write down my impressions. `The Sons of Light' has something special, this is not entirely "typical" VW. The work is vigorous ; there's a Holstian, mystic quality to it that i find compelling and intriguing. What a nice coupling this work could make, in concert or on disc, with Holst's `Planets'! In that musical territory we aren't that far from Whitman's borders. This disc contains great performances, it is not just "the usual good CD" one should expect to be released once in a while. In my opinion, it is worthy of being inscribed on the short list of "compact discs of the decade". The very opening of the work, starting with `Darkness and Light', soon hurries with in-your-face impacts of sound---its opening is as vast as the universe Whitman contemplates in `On The Beach At Night, Alone' from `A Sea Symphony'. I fully agree with Lewis Foreman (who wrote the notes to this CD) that VW's `The Sons of Light' is "the least heard of his major works." Overall, a great performance by the Royal Liverpool chorus makes for wondrous, aptly done fluctuations of pace and intonation---revealing that what we have before us is another work of genius. There's a strange (though appropriate) "remoteness" to the work, a feeling of "coldness" close in mood to the Sinfonia Antartica ; reviewer Mike Wheeler ([...]) remarks pertinently that "the film-score `Scott of the Antarctic' leaves its mark on the orchestral writing", the works belonging to the same creative period. Instrumentation is rather odd in the second part, `Song of the Zodiac', though it is truly effective and captivating---with perhaps bits and pieces of echoes from `Job', `Sancta Civitas' and `A Song of Thanksgiving' as far as music is concerned. But, in fact, this is quite unlike anything else i have heard from Vaughan Williams. The percussion department is especially persuasive. The third part, `Messengers of Speech', is sensational and, to quote Foreman once more, comes back "to the creation story as told in the heavens, now celebrating the letters of the alphabet---because, as the poet puts it, `nothing can exist until it is named'." The grandiose-sounding, triumphant conclusion brings a great, triumphant album to an end. And if `The Sons of Light' originates from the void, from those "unknown regions" depicted by VW in his renowned earlier work, then its music seems to emanate from a blackness out of which ultimately springs the light.

`Willow-Wood' is a cantata for baritone, women's chorus and orchestra (it was designed for baritone and piano early in 1903). The words are by Dante Gabriel Rossetti's `The House of Life' from which the composer made a well-known song cycle. The orchestrated version has been first performed in September 1909 but soon was forgotten and never heard again---until now. Actually, Naxos reminds me of BIS with their Sibelius rarities and, in the recent years, Hyperion, in their enterprising revival of unreleased material pertaining to Vaughan Williams. This new Naxos offering sprang to life from an audacious project. As a result, `Willow-Wood' feels like---and is, indeed---a pioneering interpretation : To quote Mike Wheeler, it reveals "a fascinating glimpse of Vaughan Williams in his pre-Raphaelite phase, recognizably by the composer of Songs of Travel, and with moments of whole-tone harmony linking it to his 1903 orchestral piece In the Fen Country." Right from the start, i sensed a melodic "attitude" in typical VW's fashion. All the same, the song cycle `The House of Life' is stamped by folk music and sounds familiar, whereas `Willow-Wood' has a sort of Ravelian or Debussian poetic quality, unusual chez VW. Indeed, it tends to remind me quite a bit some passages of Ravel's `Daphnis et Chloe'. The work sounds different from everything else i have heard by the composer. His orchestration is absolutely stunning, notably in its imaginative poise. And, surprise! ...There's a wordless chorus, as in the Antartica (or, delightfully, much like Ravel in `Daphnis et Chloe'). Roderick Williams, the baritone, is exquisite ; his voice is at once vibrant and mellow, and integrates quite well with the rest of the ensemble. As for the rest of the album, recorded sound is superb and reasonably clear with good dynamic flexibility.

This recording of `The Voice out of the Whirlwind' is a rarity. The motet was composed in the 1940's and is based on words from the book of Job. It is more energic than `Willow-Wood', more in the vein of `A Sea Symphony' or `Job'. It also has much of the vigor of the cantata `The Sons of Light'. This is an excellent work although admittedly obscure. The Royal Liverpool singers are first-rate. Likewise, the orchestra plays beautifully, with inspiration and dedication. The more familiar Variants of Dives and Lazarus is yet another stupendous composition : The best perhaps is still Willcocks (conducting the Jacques Orchestra, on EMI), but i'm sure Lloyd-Jones comes pretty close---no question about that, it is one of the finest accounts on disc. While `Toward the Unknown Region' (with words from Whitman) receives a thoroughly honest---if not excellent---treatment, it falls a little short by the side of Boult (EMI), Del Mar (also EMI) and Thomson (Chandos). Still, the new rendition has substantial merits, not the least in terms of sound and instrumental/vocal cohesion. *****

Arnold: The Return of Odysseus: Milhard: Suite Française; Vaughan Williams: Toward the unknown Region

Average customer rating:

Arnold: The Return of Odysseus: Milhard: Suite Française; Vaughan Williams: Toward the unknown Region

Manufacturer: Divine Art
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000EMGFB2
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Average customer rating:

worth buying
Pure Genius
Everyone needs this CD
Everyone needs this CD
Bill's best yet

Toward the Unknown Region
Torch Song , and William Orbit
Manufacturer: Discovery / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass
The Best of Strange Cargos
Strange Cargo III
Desert Ocean
Ray of Light

ASIN: B000003MWE
Release Date: 1996-01-30

Tracks:

Raphael
Gumbo Ya Ya
Shine On Me
Blue Night
Ruler Of My Heart
Ballad Of Pearl And John
Toward The Unknown Region
Slip Away
Kank Kalika
Field Of View
Shine On Me (Aurora Mix)

Customer Reviews:

worth buying.......2005-10-14

once again, for myself anyway,william orbit's torch song totally envelopes you.orbit fans will know what i mean.just drift away!
there are similar sound from his later stuff,but it doesn't matter it still sounds good.the 1st track is superb!that jingly sound is mesmerising.i am looking forward to really getting into all of the tracks the more i listen to it.i only got the album 2 days ago.no obit fan in their right minds should be without this cd!buy it!

Pure Genius.......2004-07-06

If you like William Orbit, you'll flop and twitch over this. It is absolutely brilliant. This is my first exposure to Torch Song, and this collaboration is just what you've been wanting to hear. Sadly it seems to be out-of-print, so grab this one before the used copies are all gone.

This work is incredibly immmersive. Soothing, yet envigorating.

I will treasure mine when it arrives. I've been looking for this one for a long while.

Everyone needs this CD.......2002-02-04

This is one of the best albums ever made. It's always on in my car, at home, at work. It's my favorite William Orbit production, it even surpasses Ray of Light. The instrumentation and vocals are a perfect union. Torch Song's albums are too far and few between. I hope a new one comes out soon!

Everyone needs this CD.......2002-02-04

Bill's best yet.......2000-08-23

This CD is fantastic. Unmistakably William Orbit, this is musically similar to the later Strange Cargo releases in terms of overall feel. Lovers of their "Exhibit A" record may find a bit of a clash of textures and feel, but I don't see how you could be disappointed. A previous reviewer discredited the use of effects on the vocals, however, I think that these effects display the ingenuity and foresight of Mr. Orbit. The end effect being: instead of someone singing along with music, Laurie Mayer is singing the music. Her voices becomes intertwined with the music, similar to the other instruments in the songs. Unfortunately, this may have been necessary as the vocal parts on their own are less than stellar, though not bad. The sound of the songs are dark and syrupy and will remain lodged in your brain. Any fan of down-tempo electronica cannot be without this recording.

Ralph Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7) / Toward the Unknown Region - Bryden Thomson

Average customer rating:

...Excellent performance
Incredible acoustics, sound

Ralph Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7) / Toward the Unknown Region - Bryden Thomson
Ralph Vaughan Williams , Bryden Thomson , Catherine Bott , Roderick Elms , The London Symphony Orchestra , and The London Symphony Chorus
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000AJT
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

I Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No.7): I. Prelude: Andante Maestoso
II Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No.7): II. Scherzo: Moderato
Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No.7): III. Landscape: Lento
Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No.7): IV. Intermezzo: Andante sostenuto
Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No.7): V. Epilogue: Alla marcia, moderato (non troppo allegro)
Toward The Unknown Region

Customer Reviews:

...Excellent performance.......2002-08-16

"Sinfonia Antartica" and "Towards The Unknown Region" so deservely belong on the same c.d and I don't know of any other recording that pairs the two together.

Sinfonia Antartica takes it's origin from the film Scott Of The Antaractic, the 7th of 11 film scores Vaughan Williams would write. He would rework it into a symphony form that would deal with the same cold harsh elements of nature except it won't dedicate all it's focus on Scott but from other sources as well.

The first movement depicts the frozen Antartica with the haunting voice of Catherine Bott and female choir suggesting terror and fascination of the South Pole. The second movement (Scherzo) is on a lighter and playful side that evokes a mental image of whales and penguins. The heart of the symphony is the 3rd movement (Landscape), fragmented themes that interweave with disquietly orchestral colouring that reaches a climax with the sudden burst of sound from a organ. The 4th movement (Intermezzo) although a introduction of a oboe might suggest a warmer side, the movement ends in considerable tragedy. The 5th movement starts off optimistically making references to Captain Scott and crew braving the elements but the return of Catherine Bott and choir implements their fate.

"Towards The Unknown Region" taking it's text from a Walt Whitman poem, is essentially a song for chorus and orchestra and one of Vaughan Williams earliest works to have a huge impact on the public.

I can't say that all 9 Vaughan William Symphonys that Bryden Thompson conducts with the London Symphony Orchestra on the Chandos label are top notch, some shine more than others and "Sinfonia Antartica" to me sticks out above other recorded works of the same Symphony and it does help to have a great companion piece along side it.

Incredible acoustics, sound.......1999-11-23

I own just about every commercial version of Sinfonia Antartica that has been in print in the last 10 years or so, and this is one of my favorites. If you think that the Slatkin sounded a bit dry for the imagery of the Landscape movement, then this CD is for you. I think the Chandos engineers outdid themselves on this one, capturing the natural reverb of the building while not losing any clarity.

However, there is one interesting pecularity to me about this recording: the big organ solo at the end of the Landscape movement is not big at all. In fact, it is rather quiet, and seems like it might have been subdued during mixing. At first, I thought this to be a huge drawback to an otherwise fantastic recording. But, after comparing this with my other recordings, I valued the chance to actually hear the orchestra creating a swirling, rising tide of sound from beneath organ. This especially contrasts the Haitink, where the organ solo is completely at the other end of the dynamic spectrum, obliterating the orchestral swells with pure sonic weight. I like both, so I end up with both at hand when I get the urge to listen to this piece.

As an added bonus, the CD comes with "Towards the Unknown Region," which, if you haven't heard it, is also excellent, and a nice contrast to the winter chill of Sinfonia Antartica.

Some others wrote regarding the Vaughan Williams Chandos CD series that they are having problems with playback. Alas, my copy never quite makes it through "Towards the Unknown Region" anymore. However, it did play well at one time, so I think it was damaged by me somehow (although I don't remember when!).

If you love this piece, do yourself a favor and buy this recording. This work is one in which the different interpretations vary quite wildly, so you end up finding something you like in each one. There's a lot to like in this one.

Also, check out the "Koss Classics" recording--the cymbal crash at the end of the introduction of the first movement is worth it alone! Some of my friends like the Slatkin because it includes a gigantic bass drum roll during the buildup before the organ solo in the Landscape movement. Not one of my favorites, but that little "addition" in that recording is of some interest.

Tracks:

Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region
Vaughan Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Vaughan Williams: Five Variants on 'Dives and Lazarus'
Mendelssohn: The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) Overture

Customer Reviews:

THE recording of "Toward the Unknown Region".......2006-01-02

I do not possess this particular compilation, so cannot comment on the Mendelssohn.

The Vaughan Williams' items have appeared in several previous compilations, one of which I still have.

I have heard several other recordings of "Toward the Unknown Region" - Matthew Best, and the recent Naxos disc "Willow Wood".

They are very good, but del Mar's version goes up in flames.

Buy it for that track alone!

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Variants

Average customer rating:

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Variants

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005GQN
Release Date: 2000-05-23

Tracks:

Toward The Unknown Region - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 In E Minor - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Five Variants Of 'Dives And Lazarus' - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
1. The Conspiracy - Bournemouth Symphony Chorus
2. Drinking Song - Bournemouth Symphony Chorus
3. Falstaff And The Fairies - Helen Field
4. Wedding Chorus - Bournemouth Symphony Chorus
5. Epilogue - Bournemouth Symphony Chorus

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Recommended Music:

Osmosis [Import]

Toscanini: Maestro Furioso, Vol. 3 (Box Set) [Box set]

Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2

Music: Last Thing I Need Is You [CD-single]

Trainspotting #2: Music From The Motion Picture, Vol. #2 [Soundtrack]

Warzone [Explicit Lyrics]

Tommy (1969 Original Concept Album) [Original recording remastered]

Walking Dead, Pt. 2 [CD-single] [Import]

Umdoumdoum [Import]

Wagner: Die Walkure, Gotterdammerung - Highlights [Import]

Underground Network

Todo Sentimento [Import]

trapped in the hatrixx [Explicit Lyrics]

Primal Solos

Gospel Favorites

1. Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region
2. Vaughan Williams: Norfolk Rhapsody
3. Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
4. Vaughan Williams: Five Variants on 'Dives and Lazarus'
5. Mendelssohn: The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) Overture