Gustav Holst Ralph Vaughan Williams Denis Wick - Wind Music of Holst and Vaughan Williams (12 tracks) +Album Reviews

The best for wind ensambles

Jeff Boultinghouse | 04/12/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a member of a high school band, I am very familiar with the music of Holst and Vaughn Williams. They are both excellent composers, and very enjoyable to play. This CD is a wonderful resource, as it combines the works of the two composers. I highly recomend this to anyone interrested in good music, whether familiar with more contemporary clasical or not."

Outstanding Recording

Patrick Haley | Charlottesville, Va United States | 10/19/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am a high school trombone player, and I have played all of these selections except Holst's Suite in F. This is in general a fine recording. The sound is clear (unlike my Frederick Fennell recording of the Holst Suites), and the balance is perfect. I think the Folk Song Suite was performed particularly well, as was the Toccata Marziale. Holst's E-flat Suite sounds great, but the Chaconne (1st movement) is way too fast for my liking. You cannot hear the intricacies of the piece at the tempo at which it is being performed. This is why I gave this recording four stars, but if you are a Holst or Vaughan Williams fan, I recommend this recording enthusiastically."

A new benchmark

Jeff Boultinghouse | Canyon Country, CA USA | 04/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this recording on a whim and was absolutely stunned. This is by far the best recording of these British wind ensemble classics ever done. The personnel are from the finest symphony orchestras in England and the quality certainly shows. The perfect ensemble, flawless intonation and a deep fundamental understanding of the literature itself are all evident. Best of all, the transitions from theme to theme, restatements of motifs and developments in different instrumental combinations and the recapitulations are all done so flawlessly that it just took my breath away. I have played all of this material at both college and professional levels over 40 years as a horn player, so I know very well how difficult it is to get it THIS right. At the risk of using perhaps too many superlatives, let me say just this: This recording is the benchmark. When you use world-class musicians who know and love the music, you get a world-class recording. With all due respect to Frederick Fennell, this one is the right one."

Wonderful recording

Jeff Boultinghouse | 02/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first played most of these pieces (with the exception of Toccata Marziale and Hammersmith) in my high school wind ensemble and enjoyed them greatly then. Listening to them again after a few years, I find myself nostalgically recalling my high school performances of these great songs--specifically the 2nd Movement of Holst's Suite No. 2 in F major: "Song Without Words," which is an absolute joy for a tuba player like myself. Moreover, these compositions are extraordinarily well done. "Seventeen Come Sunday" is particularly good, and I can't help feeling a bit of a chill at the climaxes. My only complaint is that the ritardando at the end of "Song Without Words" comes a little late, but that's just my opinion and certainly not justification for a reduction in rating. Overall, the sound of the London Wind Orchestra is fantastic, very full, well conducted, the dynamics are great--it is a welcome change of pace to hear a wind band instead of full orchestras all the time. This would enhance any collection and would certainly serve as an excellent introduction to British wind music of the early 20th century."

Extraordinary and mystical performance

Jeremy | NH | 05/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Perhaps it seems odd for one to use a word such as mystical to describe a musical performance, but the works as performed on this CD are transcendent and sublime in their emotional and 'ideal' significance. I played these songs numerous times, as a saxophone, clarinet, and oboe player, in high school and at university. The director of my ensemble, upon listening to this CD, modified our performance of the First Suite in various respects towards conformity of the recording. It is the most beautifully articulated and 'professionally' (though it conforms to the definition of 'amateur,' that is, pertaining to the love of the object) performed version of these songs that I have listened to, and I have listened to several, and probably among the best music I have ever heard."

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