02. - 05. Ralph Vaughan Williams - Symphony No.9 in E minor [34'34]
06. - 08. Malcolm Arnold - Symphony No.3, op.63* [34'44]
London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Adrian Boult and Malcolm Arnold*
Everest EVC9001 (Vaughan Williams recorded August 1958; Arnold recording date not stated but first released April 1959; this CD released 1994)
(16bit/44.1kHz flac - digital download)
Recording venue: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London
Recording engineer: Bert Whyte; Producer: Seymour Solomon
I had intended to post this pair of "classic" recordings because they seemed to have disappeared from the blogosphere. However, since starting to prepare this post, both works have reappeared in their separate guises in 24bit resolution on another blog. So this post may now be redundant unless you are happy with 16bit resolution and would like to have them together in one place. I have owned these recordings ever since they were first released in the UK as LPs on EMI's World Record Club label. They both still sound stunning, even in 16bit, and both are great music.
Both were world-premiere recordings - the Vaughan Williams made only a few hours after his death - and the introduction by Sir Adrian is very poignant. The ninth symphony has always been underrated but it is my favourite and the performance and recording still hold their own with all others - passionate and inspired.
I also hold Malcolm Arnold's third symphony in the highest regard and although he is not a great conductor, her certainly knows how his music should sound and no other recording, even Vernon Handley's, has quite matched it. Here, there is none of the biting cynicism and seemingly trivial "pop" tunes that put some listeners off many of Arnold's works.