Comparison Recordings
LPO
and chorus/Sir Adrian Boult [ADD] EMI CDM 64016
Howard Hanson
“A Sea Symphony”, Seattle SO/Gerard Schwartz [ADD] Delos DE
3130
This is one of Vaughan Williams’ most derivative
works with echoes of Brahms, Strauss, Holst and Mahler. Other
listeners hear Stanford, Parry, Mendelssohn and Elgar. Beginning
a symphony with a melodic ascending half-step at first seems
a highly original stroke even though harmonically it’s not
much different from the first chords of Beethoven’s Eroica
Symphony. Vaughan Williams never assigned opus numbers
and at first didn’t number his symphonies. This work, begun
in 1903, was completed just after his “Toward the Unknown
Region,” another setting of Whitman, and the Norfolk Rhapsody
No. 1 of 1906, and before the Tallis Fantasia of 1910, part
of an astounding sequence of masterpieces, all leaning just
a little on traditional forms and tunes.
The four movements are unequal in length, curiously
similar to the lengths of the movements of the Beethoven Choral
Symphony, although there is virtually no other resemblance
to that work detectable. After the triumphant opening movement,
the slow movement is purely that, the scherzo — including
chorus — thoroughly a scherzo. But the last movement is in
a highly original format consisting largely of a duet which
is the sequel to Purcell’s King Arthur. Here is where
Bright Annie seduces Poseidon into giving the whole world
to Britain (Did Whitman write that?) and in 1910 Britain was
still holding onto the world pretty firmly. I’ve never cared
much for Walt Whitman, but Vaughan Williams liked Whitman
and that’s all that matters. The soloists are excellent, every
bit the match for many illustrious forebears.
The sound on this disc, in all formats, is excellent,
accurately representing the size and depth of the performing
group. In the opening phrases the organ pedal notes are clearly
differentiated from the timpani rolls, and the words of the
chorus are clear.
An interesting footnote to this work is Howard
Hanson’s setting of nearly the same text. While not a great
work, as is his Second Symphony, Hanson’s Seventh
or Sea Symphony is an interesting, intelligent, commentary
by one musician on another’s work. Formerly available on Delos,
this recording will likely soon be released on the Naxos label.
Paul
Shoemaker
Joan Rodgers, soprano; Christopher Maltman, baritone.
[63.54] 
