Ralph Vaughan Williams - A Vision of Aeroplanes - Finzi Singers/Spicer, Bicket

[@jantyszka1036]

Written by a man entering his mid-80's, and still full of energy and passion. Amazing.

[@edwardbatting6784]

A small correction, it was Messiaen himself who gave the British premiere of Nativité at Holborn, not Arnold Richardson, though it was Richardson that invited him

[@Utoobtime27]

What a superb piece it is - and a setting of a major Old Testament chapter to boot! Thanks so much for posting

[@britishcomposers]

On the hugely degraded BBC Radio 3, many listeners requested this work to be played on this morning's Essential Classics. However, the presenter said that their producer thought it too long. Instead, we got Ron Goodwin's 1960's Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines! High time R3 controller Alan Davey was replaced as Radio 3 no longer serves music of this calibre.

[@Stirlingv8]

Beware the devil you know...

[@richarderrington2023]

Wonderful! I thought I knew all VW's choral masterpieces - this was a complete surprise and a revelation! Thanks for posting.

[@KyleNally]

But if you're going to perform it with a mid-level choir, give it a year and start practicing the organ part six months early from *that* date. I happen to share living space with an internationally-recognized concert (and church) organist. He tells me he'd have to give this nearly a year... and his "bad" days at the bench are usually better than most organists' "good" ones (and no, his first name is *not* Cameron). It's a virtuoso composition, very easily a capstone work just for sheer uniqueness vs his other works, accompanied by a virtuoso organ part and sung by a virtuoso choir book, all of which you just either have the chops for, or don't. And if you don't..... it's a long road to the concert! Also, I never knew until meeting this 0erson how *incestuous* organ performance is as a profession. They all know each other, or know something about each other. That's true cost to coast, *and* across the ocean. And they are. All. Nerds. In the best possible organish way, yes, but tip-to-toe nerds all the same. It's fascinating.

[@stormkingfan]

I thought I recognised the chancel even in thumbnail form. Popped in here Good Friday morning.

[@Espiel78]

I love this, and was happy to see it on your channel. Thank you!

[@stephenhall3515]

This work obviously draws a bit on 'Sancta Civitas' in its world gone mad aspects but the very late Ezekiel-based 'Vision...' shows the nuts and bolts of apocalypse in a terrifying way. At least the cantata ends with the coming of Christ but here there is no consolation. In a way this work hints at aspects of the 9th symphony which Vaughan Williams apparently only discussed with Stokowski, a student friend of RVW and Holst and an organ scholar as well. We too frequently dismiss the Polish-English/US citizen and should consider their closeness as young music students. The fact that Stokowski flew to England [he hated flying] because VW needed advice on orchestration (ostensibly) helps to explain a lot about why the composer was secretive. Although the 9th shares a key and some devices with symphony #6, it is a neglected work of international importance, as Shostakovich and Bernstein both stated. Thank you for uploading this rare masterpiece but I, for one, will not be pleading with Chandos until the company finds some good old-fashioned sound engineers instead of twiddlers of knobs and "spotlighting" freaks. There is such a thing as a composer actually writing what he/she wants to reach the ears of other human beings with headphones on.

[@AnOrganCornucopia]

That's OK! Would like to see more interest in this, though - 355 views in 134 days is fewer than three views a day. Considering RVW's overall popularity, I'd like to see this getting a lot more attention. I honestly think it's one of the best things he ever wrote.

[@billnbrooks]

It's a wonderful piece but very difficult to perform - hence its apparent obscurity