Vaughan Williams - Symphony 1 'A Sea Symphony' [Lott & Summers / Haitink-The London Philharmonic]
Vaughan Williams very first Symphony holds a special place in my heart, it's one of the first Symphonies i heard from RVW, and it took a while to love it, i like the way he marries the words of Whitman to the Orchestra, i'm not particularly a lover of Choral music, but this works for me.
I think this recording won a Gramophone award, Haitink produces a big bold recording, the soloists are wonderful, the chorus is enthusiastic, Haitink has taken a long time to complete his Symphonic cycle of VW.
There are so many bits to shout praises about in this Symphony, for me the last movement 'The Explorers' holds some real gems,
'Below, the manifold grass and waters,
with inscrutable purpose
some prophetic intention'
the sheer power that is presented at these words [track 9 2:37-3:53], the woodwind starts it up [2:37-2:56], and the strings take it up [2:56-3:08], the horns come in [3:08-3:17], and the brass [3:19-3:29], and the violins sing high [3:29-3:53], a gut/heart wrenching moment, it builds up and up, and finally bursts into ecstasy, one humongous powerful moment, and this permeates the whole Symphony, Vaughan Williams has a real feel for the sea, i'm a better person for being introduced to Walt Whitman in this way.
