Page 462 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book

letter, allowing, from time to time, the occasional moment of spontaneous
interpretation. It is here that, as listeners, we must all judge according to our
personal reaction and opinion. Does this sound right? Does it sound like the
Vaughan Williams Fifth we would produce ourselves had we the good fortune
to find ourselves in front of a magnificent symphony orchestra – leaving
aside the question of talent? For this listener the first of these two criteria
pales slightly in comparison with the second, to the point that any
recommendation I might make here will only be an opinion, a reflection of
my own, personal view of this mighty and eternally satisfying work of art.
So, with that in mind, I take the plunge. I remain loyal to all my original
recommendations, most notably Haitink, Norrington and Bryden Thomson.
(And I note that Ronald Grames, in the remarkable Critical Discography he is
producing for the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society, is brave enough to place
Thomson at the top of his list.) To this trio I am happy to add the most
recent, conducted by Martyn Brabbins.

Published: October 12, 2022