01. - 04. Symphony No. 4 in F minor [33'40]
05. - 08. Symphony No. 6 in E minor [34'38]
Bonus track:
09. The Lark Ascending [15'40]
Ida Haendel- violin *; London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Roger Norrington
Decca 458658-2 [recorded 1997; CD release 1998]
[digital download; flacs, cover and inlay scans - no booklet]
Recording venue: The Colloseum, Watford
Recording Engineer: John Dunkerley; Producer: Chris Hazell
It was originally planned for Roger Norrington to record the complete Vaughan Williams symphony cycle with the London Philharmonic for Decca. For whatever reason, the project was abandoned in 1998 with only five symphonies and some shorter orchestral works recorded. Norrington continued to perform most of the symphonies with orchestras around the world although, as far as I know, not No.7 - Sinfonia antartica. Apparently he considered this to be a weaker work than the other symphonies. Fortunately, the greatest Vaughan Williams conductors such as Adrian Boult, Vernon Handley, Andre Previn, Andrew Manze et al do not agree with him on that.
The recordings in this series that were issued evoked a mixed response with many Vaughan Williams enthusiasts being extremely critical - considering them to be too polite and lacking emotion. Although I wouldn't consider these performances to be overall superior to, or even equal to, many of those conducted by the above mentioned conductors, I do like them a lot and find them very interesting with Norrington often highlighting textures which can go unnoticed. I think that both the Fourth and Sixth symphonies here are fine.
Most of the recordings made by Decca appeared on three CDs but with maximum playing time then limited to 80 minutes, there was insufficient space for this recording of The Lark Ascending to be included. This recording remained unissued until it was recently included in an Eloquence Australia box set of Ida Haendel's complete recordings for Decca.
Ironically, with increased maximum playing times now possible, this release of the Fourth and Sixth symphonies (the second to be released) could have included The Lark Ascending on CD. But with no limit on playing time of digital downloads, it is unfortunate that it wasn't included here as standard. I have included a download from the Eloquence set as a bonus track.
The London Philharmonic play very well for Norrington and there is the usual vivid Decca sonics. Unfortunately, Ida Haendel's playing doesn't quite match some other recordings of The Lark Ascending, failing to achieve the sublime floating of the melody for the lark's soaring flight by Hugh Bean with Adrian Boult or by Dimity Hall with Antony Walker in an equally exquisite recording to be posted here soon.