Vaughan Williams Symphony No 2 1913 version

Ralph Vaughan Williams 2nd symphony in its original (1913) version.
BBC National Orchestra of Wales play in this performance from 19 July 2005. The conductor is Richard Hickox.
This performance is already on KZbin, but this video is better quality and has the correct image ratio.
I. 0:00:00Lento - Allegro risoluto
II. 0:16:00 Lento
III. 0:33:10 Scherzo (Nocturne)
IV. 0:44:40 Finale - Andante con moto - Maestoso alla marcia - Allegro - Lento - Epilogue

[@hyweljames788]

A beautiful performance by the National Orchestra of Wales of the rarely heard 1913 version of 'A London Symphony' by Vaughan Williams, conducted by the much-missed Richard Hickox. Terrific sound quality and visual perfection. A jewel to be cherished.

[@williamwells6089]

What a profound loss that Maestro Hickox is no longer with us. His performance of the original 1913 version of Vaughan Williams' London Symphony is powerful, thrilling, and virtuosic in every respect. The 1913 version also offers a unique window into the compositional evolution of one of Vaughan Williams’ greatest symphonies. The final version wouldn't be published for another 22 years.

[@berliozophile]

Well said. I have that CD and there isn't a year that goes by where I don't listen to it. It is extraordinary. And so well done.

[@dameinoferrall2400]

One of the greatest performances of this symphony ever filmed!

[@pr27038]

26:33 for me is one of the greatest pieces of orchestration. So moving and monumental yet simple. Masterfully done.

[@jamessymington2466]

It’s the most spine-tingling moment in all music as far as I am concerned!

[@richardhyde5997]

I've heard this symphony four or five times over the years from radio, and I've always thought it is very good. After seeing the video, my assessment went to excellent. 2nd movement Lento is extraordinary.

[@robertcohn8858]

This is a magnificent, spine-tinglingly beautiful composition. The performance is superb in every respect. I am so glad that I finally got to hear it.

[@charlescoleman5509]

I'm glad that this original version of RVW's Symphony no.2 exists. But he was so right to revise it.

[@pauldelcour]

This is so brilliant. Can't stop listening to this. Brilliant music, on the continent highly underrated and ignored. Brilliant performance, also due to quite good audio, nice wide space and pretty good dynamics. Heaven!

[@coloraturaElise]

There is just something about Ralph Vaughan Williams' music--folks talk about nostalgia, but I'm not English, so it can't just be that. There's so much more going on, and I think it is most probably that he takes me somewhere else, no matter what the piece, no matter whether I'm playing it or listening to it. I think he is the most underrated composer of the 20th century. And, OH, I LOVE how they all waited at the end!

[@vithorazdovsky]

I agree with every your word! I'm not from the UK, nonetheless I have similar feelings. Something familiar to me, yet distant from the past/future. Who knows. He takes us... Toward the Unknown Region 😊 BTW, outstanding performance comparable to premiere recording by Hickox with the LSO (Chandos, 2001).

[@remomazzetti8757]

He certainly is not underrated in Great Britain. But the he bulk of his music has never caught on in the United States.

[@johnervin8033]

@@remomazzetti8757 I dunno, raised as an Episcopolian, our hymnal was just crawling with settings or orginal tunes, and later when I became a Catholic, our hymnal is filled with RVW. In fact, we just heard a harp solo version of "For All the Saints" yesterday, wafted after 630am Holy Mass from the loft. Lofty enough, one of my favorites. I sang his "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" at my mother's bed in CCU when she passed, a bit older than RVW. And the last word of it was the last one of any song she heard. Well, other than angels no doubt. Maybe they belted out the refrain, who knows. So, there's that, from the grear Brit!

[@fredwheeler7433]

We shipped the Ashes of Peter Connor (1944-2022) back to London UK yesterday. This music evokes the feelings of Fairwell to our British Colleague. Farwell Good Friend.

[@jgesselberty]

Hickox is the one conductor that always, always gets Ralph Vaughan Williams right. A master.

[@davidscott1052]

Check out Andrew Manzi !!!

[@johnervin8033]

I, we, had the great good fortune of singing the Brahms Requiem under his baton in late June of 1997 in St. David's Hall, and it was quite a happenstance, especially given the soloist, Sir Bryn Terfel, who signed our vocal scores under what turned out, as I looked up when he signed, an 8ft. oil painting of himself! (Must be nice to be Cardiff's favorite son.) Hickox has just won a Grammy a few months before for his take on "Peter Grimes". He stayed in the lobby of the Hall some few yards from us for some good while talking to friends as the throng of us got our autographs from the soon-to-be Knight of the Realm. I was in straits, torn between missing out on contact with one or the other legends (immortals?) and just before Terfel poised his pen to sign mine, I glanced back wistfully to see Maestro Hickox suddenly alone for a moment, glance at his watch, and swingjing his satchel (orchestral score, no doubt?) and duck out a side door. I was *that* close. I was a bit heartbroken 11 years later to read he left us so early, only 60, having died in his sleep at a hotel nearby. His face has so much of the best of Swansea, shared by another favorite son, Dylan Thomas. But he will always be with us, as in this video, and I am sure in all the other ways. We had the pleasure, just our visiting chorus of going through a dress rehearsal with him in a little practice room the night before, in rolled up sleeves and street clothes What an ineffably great treat, I was new to the chorus and thought I had died and gone straight to Heaven, without even passing "GO!" (Thanks to the host for posting this.)

[@christophernunn943]

London! Waking up,Big Ben, market street traders, gradual bustle of a great city coming back to life once more. Ironically, some of the passages still takes me back into the English countryside. Good to hear this outstanding performance.

[@mcdjam7108]

The fact that music like this came about before Disney emphasises how masterful music is as an art and a form of entertainment!

[@djysmallman2183]

I love this symphony from RVW. It's not played oddly any more often than his other symphonies, but as long as they get an airing, I'm all for it!

[@arcturusvmoon]

Truly a majestic piece, especially Lento!

[@user-tq7kc1vk8g]

Been listening to this track since high school and had never heard the 1913 version. Its like an entirely new piece. VW is the only composer whose new-to-me works move me to tears every time without fail.

[@skipdowning2328]

LOVE the pause at the end. So deserving of a good solid moment of contemplation!!

[@terryhastings2465]

Truely Glorious and way ahead of its time.

[@fredwheeler7433]

The 1913 Version at 1st listening was so-so, but as I carefully distinguished the 2, I embraced 1913. It is so richly melodic and nostalgic of early 20th Century life in bustling London....

[@annakimborahpa]

Let's see: (1) In 1914, RVW composed his A London Symphony as an elongated Mahler; (2) in 1920 and later in 1933, he edited it down as a judicious Sibelius; and (3) lastly in the 21st century as the 1914 original version joined the 1933 final version in performance and recording as granted by his widow Ursula, RVW posthumously crossed the bridge as a full fledged Brucknerian. That's some good company to be in. Thanks for posting. 'Wild Rick' Hickox rides again.

[@coloraturaElise]

It all sounds like RVW to me.

[@remomazzetti8757]

Hardly! It's all RVW but each version reflects his own personal development as a composer of symphonies.

[@daviddesrochers8093]

RVW's symphonies are some of the best of all time....over-powering depth and feeling, yet gentle beauty. If I only could listen to these for the remainder of my life, I would be content.

[@nickdelloso8987]

I much prefer this symphony over RVW's other symphonies. This 1913 (original) version is in my opinion far better than the latter revisions he did to it. The second movement is extraordinarily beautiful and deeply moving!

[@cockerpoodles1238]

But the second movement in the familiar version has a wonderful climax that we don't get in the original!

[@alanwitton5980]

An enthralling performance

[@andrewmorgret7723]

It is strange, but when I close my eyes during the second movement, I always see what appears to be a group of street vendors with their various and sundry items. It is always in black and white.

[@rationalsceptic7634]

Probably, the greatest British Composer of the 20C..RIP

[@charlierumoldboi3939]

Only 285 views and 4 comments. Shocking really.

[@davidjared3402]

Views have increased, but still not many comments.

[@Utoobtime27]

Bravo in every possible sense.

[@ianbarnes387]

A truly wonderful rendition - thank you

[@Frohicky1]

Good quality for 1913

[@pp312]

Such a shame VW cut that gloriously sad, nostalgic section in the last movement out of his final version of this symphony. For me it's the highlight of the piece.

[@dqvissmyph2968]

I like this version "pace" RVW... it wasn't too long at all.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

Listening to Vaughan Williams' symphonies , polish your soul and put you on the path to spiritual awakening From Tokyo of the Land of the Rising Sun 🇯🇵

[@Listenerandlearner870]

All of it is made to work.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

Th promotes spiritual uplift and awakening, and activates the soul

[@kevincalderon6807]

44:17 LOOOOOOOL

[@stevepayne5965]

What on *earth* possessed RVW to cut out the passage from 51:40 to around 54:00 in the published version? To my ears it's one of the most beautiful things he ever wrote.

[@musicalaviator]

Who knows. However the 1913 version went missing for a while (like, he sent the only score original to Germany for a performance there, and before it got sent back to England, some Austrian archduke went to serbia and got shot, prompting Russia to get so angry they made Germany invade France, meaning the British didn't speak to Germans on friendly terms for a few decades.) The subsequent versions were reconstructed from instrumentalist part copies.

[@stephenhall3515]

@@musicalaviator Actually RVW rewrote it and discarded what he called "meanderings".

[@darrelljones6111]

Astonishing that such a significant event drew a less than a full house but perhaps, to slightly adapt Shakespeare, 'twas a case of too much caviar to the general.

[@davidjared3402]

Wonderful! Second movement reminds me a little of Dvorak #9 adagio. Could someone post the time stamps for the movements? Thank you!

[@germanquintero10121946]

EXQUISITO

[@davidscott1052]

Remember playing this to my first wife ....but she didn't get it ....just not on the bus.....not married anymore

[@berliozophile]

This version is, the ONLY version. it is sublimnity. And what an amazing performance!! The pacing of the themes make MUCH more sense.

[@jasonwhiteley1403]

I prefer the other version.

[@mark-shane]

Spoilt by clatter cough cough of Proms audience

[@dennisransdell4306]

Not a good version of this piece.

[@pp312]

Care to elaborate?

[@remomazzetti8757]

Everybody's a critic these days. But uninformed personal opinion means nothing.