Re: Re: Re: Re: Vaughn Williams Tuba Concerto


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Andrew on November 08, 2000 at 06:45:20:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Vaughn Williams Tuba Concerto posted by Jerry on November 07, 2000 at 19:20:18:

The first VW recording was issued in 1954 on extended play (EP) vinyl with the tuba concerto on one side and the oboe concerto on the other. The tuba concerto was recorded on the 14th June 1954 the day after the premiere with the same artists/orchestra. This would be a collectors' item now and I do remember John Fletcher had one of these original EPs.

I recently bought (from a charity shop) a mint condition vinyl LP of VW re-issues under The Barbirolli Society label in 1979 (SIB 102) containing

The Wasps
Oboe Concerto
Dives & Lazarus
Tuba Concerto

It's certainly interesting to hear this first recording....and without being too judgmental....see how times have changed with regard to interpretation, technique and tone. To my mind no-one has surpassed John Fletcher's absolutely definitive 1972 recording for sheer musicianship, technical & tonal delivery, balance and recording quality. I have to say that many of the subsequent recordings of the VW should NEVER have been released (no names mentioned!)....they are quite simply embarrassing. An interesting sideline to all this is the speed that the Finale is now habitually taken.....VW himself was always insistent that the last movt should NOT be taken so fast as to lose its waltz character.

There's an excellent obituary of Philip Catelinet with photo and links at http://www.trevor.org/Faculty/dexter/catelinet.html

Andrew Claxton



Follow Ups: