A rare ovation for Vaughan Williams in Germany
OrchestrasWe hear that the Baden-Baden audience erupted last night after a performance of VW’s second symphony by the SWR Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the boyish Finn, Tarmo Peltokoski.
The first half of Bernard Herrmann’s Vertigo Suite and Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra was unremarkable.
But the post-interval reading of A London Symphony was ecstatic, with Peltokoski returning several times to receive the cheers, hugging the score to his chest in fron of SWR television cameras.
This was his debut with SWR and the VW was his call.
Some of the best Vaughan Williams performances are led by non-Brits. Among U.S. record collectors, the composer gained enthusiasts from the series made by Andre Previn for RCA.
Ditto Leonard Slatkin.
How is that set with PO not more acclaimed? It is by far my favorite.
The LSO toured Germany last month playing VW5 under Pappano. Standing ovation each night after the VW5.
I heard Previn as a guest Conductor for the San Francisco Symphony conduct Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.
I was one of the most sublime moments of live music I had ever witnessed.
The audience raised the roof when it was over. Amazing.
And after the Previn set came an acclaimed series on RCA conducted by another American, Leonard Slatkin, with the Philharmonia–still at the top of reference performances according to several critics.
I can’t speak for how Germans respond to Vaughan Williams, but this American thinks VW is a first-rate symphonist, and his symphonies are criminally underplayed here in the U.S. I’ve only heard symphonies #3-6 performed live in the U.S. over the many years I’ve been attending concerts. And almost always, they are concerts conducted by U.K. conductors. VW may yet get his day outside the U.K., as he deserves.
(I will admit, though, that Elgar’s symphonies are a nut I have not yet cracked – even with some effort on my part.)
Sadly RVW’s play outside England has been in a 70-year decline. If you knew how he used to “get his day” in the United States, and saw the names involved, you would weep.
Six years ago I suggested to Deutsche Grammophon that they should record a cycle with nine different conductors, breaking their taboo on British symphonies.
The boss replied positively, as did many agents in Europe. Then they recorded all the symphonies of Schmidt, Price, Rott, Nielsen and Ives.
Both RVW and Elgar symphonies are woefully neglected in the US. In my part of the country, the southwest, every a symphony of either appears in concert audiences are very enthusiastic and appreciative. But so many orchestras are so stuck on the central European repertoire. It took me some time for Elgar’s symphonies to register but when they did…wow, what stunningly great music. The 2nd is one of my absolute favorite works written by anyone from any country at any time. It’s beautiful, powerful and deeply affecting work…but it reveals its secrets slowly.
Totally agree with all your points.
Previn basically got drummed out of LA by management (Ernest Fleischmann) because of too much VW and other alleged fluff. Martin Bernheimer never forgave him for replacing his completely-different-in-everything predecessor.
Wow, never the 1st? That’s his most popular symphony, I wager.
VW symphonies should be performed much more often. His personal sound is always evident, and so his specific idiom.
I told on here before that Tarmo Peltokosk has genius. He’s the best young conductor of his generation.
Time will tell. You guys are so quick with your “genius”-naming…
A rare ovation for Vaughan Williams… anywhere
Here’s another performance in Germany of a Vaughan Williams symphony that got a wonderful response from the audience: VW5 with Andrew Davis and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsQGFlcqUmA
Same reaction in Philadelphia some years ago. A wonderful symphony!
When was that performance? I remember Ormandy doing the 3rd in 1972 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl9Jc4ni1yA ) and Dennis Russell Davies conducting the 8th, probably in the early 80s, but RVW’s symphonies seem to be rare visitors to Philadelphia.
Here Davis’s leadership is distracting. He’s moving too much. The music is still.
Result: no legato.
LOL….
At his appearance at the Final Proms in 2022 Sir Andrew conducted, among other works, the 4th symphonies of VW and Tippett. They are available for listening on BBC Radio 3 but only for the next two days.
Andrew Manze in Hanover and Roger Norrington in Stuttgart have done quite a lot of Vaughan Williams in the recent past.
Andrew Manze also did some excellent performances with the NDR Radiophilharmonie
Our New York Repertory Orchestra (in NYC) has performed the RVW 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 9th in the past several years.
Just saying…
The slow uptake might be due in part to the UK’s own past failure to show confidence in VW. Comments about cows spring to mind. I also think VW lacks the more immediate appeal of Mahler, although I’m sure some will disagree.
The UK seems to have moved on, I’m glad to say.
I was at the concert in Baden-Baden. The Vaughan Williams began rather unpromisingly, with a chorus of loud coughs during the hushed opening, but after the audience had settled down, they seemed increasingly engaged. Peltokoski’s passionate conducting and some first rate playing from the SWRSO prompted a spontaneous applause after the first movement. The scherzo was unusually slow, but it was refreshing to hear a different perspective and the concert finished with five curtain calls – a far more enthusiastic reception than Richard Strauss received. I think Peltokoski clearly showed that this music was anything but provincial and given the opportunity, would appeal to any audience.
Zarathrustra is never unremarkable! Neither is Heldenleben which was panned by YouTube channel blow hard because “it doesn’t work”! They are remarkable late Romantic masterpieces that are performed regularly by all the major orchestras and conductors worldwide.
Pappano has started a new VW cycle for LSO Live. 4+6 are out and 5 was recorded recently in April. One of the 2 performances of 5 is currently here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001yr8g?
partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
I don’t think rattle ever played a vw symphony in Berlin or even in London when chief of LSO. Yet he’s chosen to play no.5 next season in London. Go figure, I say to myself.
Rattle has never been much of a friend to Vaughan Williams. Pappano thankfully has a completely different attitude, which should result in some fine performances from the LSO.
The secret with RVW2 is getting a wide dynamic range. The image of RVW being mono-dynamic is wrong. It accordingly needs a venue which will preserve the dynamic range. Tempi mustn’t sag. Getting a ‘British’ sound is beside the point. Non-British conductors and players are eminently able to do it justice and probably arrive at it with fewer preconceptions.