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Music / klassiske symfonier

A sea symphony

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Reviews (13)

classicalsource.com

2018 September

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John Alexander

2018 September

"This Hyperion release contains the greatest performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams's Sea Symphony I have ever heard, live or recorded, an account comprehensively impressive on every level ... What is so extraordinary about Martyn Brabbins's account is how he holds the various changes within those vast outer movements together without in any way sacrificing any aspect, a remarkable achievement of interpretative musicianship ... It is also inspirational for the performers. Elizabeth Llewellyn is outstanding, movingly lyrical and expressive when called for ... Marcus Farnsworth is equally splendid ... The BBC Symphony Chorus is, on this showing, one of the finest such ensembles ... the singing is virtuosic in partnership with the BBCSO, here showing what a great orchestra it can be ... Throughout, Brabbins is inspiring and profoundly insightful".

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MusicWeb international

2007 March

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Michael Greenhalgh

2007 March

"When it comes to A Sea Symphony I appreciate the insights within many fine performances, notably the two Boult (Decca and EMI), Previn (RCA) and Haitink (EMI) and, yes, in the finale, Daniel. But I do think that overall the recording, playing and singing of this Hickox version set a new standard".

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MusicWeb international

2018 October

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John Quinn (musikanmelder)

2018 October

"One great strength of the performance is the contribution of the BBC Symphony Chorus. They sing with great commitment and as I followed in my vocal score I noted how observant they are of points of detail ... The BBC Symphony Orchestra matches them in their delivery of the incident-packed orchestration and, with Brabbins ensuring that the music has great vitality, this is a terrific account of the movement ... Indeed, throughout the whole symphony I was greatly taken with the quality of both the choral singing and the orchestral playing ... You also need two excellent soloists if Sea Symphony is to reach its maximum potential and that, I'm afraid, is where this performance is somewhat compromised ... Apart from my reservation concerning the baritone soloist, this is an estimable account of A Sea Symphony".

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Fono Forum

2007 Juli

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Afri

2007 Juli

Diapason

2019 mars

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Patrick Szersnovicz

2019 mars

Diapason

2018 novembre

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Patrick Szersnovicz

2018 novembre

BBC music magazine

2018 November

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Anthony Burton

2018 November

"Here the BBC Symphony Chorus ... maintains its top-notch standard, singing with full tone, a wide range of dynamics, crisp attacks, and in general a boldness matching Walt Whitman's all-embracing poetry ... The BBC Symphony Orchestra makes its own vividly virtuosic contribution, not least in the scherzo movement, 'The waves'; credit is due also to Martyn Brabbins, in expert control of the work's internal balance and its dramatic pacing, and to the production team in Blackheath Concert Halls".

BBC music magazine

2015 November

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Malcolm Hayes

2015 November

"Mark Elder's Vaughan Williams cycle with The Hallé is turning out to be the finest since the two by Adrian Boult - and the opening bars of this live recording of A Sea Symphony show why".

International record review

2007 March

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Piers Burton-Page

2007 March

"This performance has the measure of this mighty work: its mystery, its transcendence, but also its optimism, its questioning and its sheer animal spirits. It is a very fine achievement".

The gramophone

2019 March

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Andrew Achenbach

2019 March

"Manze directs with scrupulous sensitivity and a shrewd ear for detail ..., has an experienced and intelligent pair of vocal soloists, and secures some finely drilled and conspicuously eager results from his highly accomplished RLPO forces ... Anyone who has been collecting Manze's never-less-than stimulating RVW series should most certainly investigate".

The gramophone

2018 October

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Andrew Achenbach

2018 October

"Editor's choice: His is a painstakingly prepared and intelligently paced conception, combining a perceptive awareness of the grander scheme (climaxes are built and resolved with unerring authority), exemplary attention to detail and mastery of texture ... The BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra respond with thrilling accomplishment and unflagging enthusiasm ... This is, quite simply, a release not be missed".

High fidelity

2002 7

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2002 7

The gramophone

2015 Awards

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Andrew Achenbach

2015 Awards

"Elder's is the most satisfying Sea Symphony I've encountered in many a moon, and no one collecting his RVW symphony cycle with the Hallé need have any qualms acquiring it".