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Track(s) taken from CDA67381/2

Romance and Pastorale

composer
circa 1914

The Nash Ensemble
Recording details: July 2002
Henry Wood Hall, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: November 2002
Total duration: 8 minutes 56 seconds
 

Reviews

‘An entrancing voyage of discovery’ (Gramophone)

‘This set would draw interest even if it didn't contain five world premiere recordings, such is the quality and insight of the music-making’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The Nash’s playing is simply outstanding and makes the best possible case for giving many of these works a permanent place in the repertoire’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘In these performances, there is an admirable sense of the discovery of previously unknown music of quality. The recordings are excellent. This is a major and exciting addition to the Vaughan Williams discography. Very strongly recommended’ (International Record Review)

‘The Nash Ensemble play with their customary blend of flawless perfection and musical insight’ (The Times)

‘The Nash Ensemble's performances are superb’ (The Sunday Times)

‘The Nash Ensemble plays these stunning miniatures with all the freshness and excitement of a new discovery’ (The Strad)

‘Exuberant, robust, immensely likeable music (The Nash Ensemble obviously love playing it)’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘This revelatory collection of early chamber works by the giant of the 20th-century English style is fascinating and captivating’ (The Scotsman)

‘The Nash Ensemble play these first performances with passion and aplomb … very good indeed’ (BBCi)

‘The Nash Ensemble plays with sensitivity, beauty, and taste. It may well have replaced the old Melos Ensemble as my favorite British chamber consort … they have at least two more Hyperion CDs devoted to Vaughan Williams's chamber music (instrumental and vocal), both of high quality. This, I think, is the best of the three, and it's beautifully recorded besides’ (Classical Music)

‘The Nash Ensemble performs all of this music with boundless enthusiasm and technical assurance … this is a ‘must’ for anyone who cares about Vaughan Williams’ (Classics Today)

«Un must pour tous, et un apport fondamental à la discographie» (Répertoire, France)

«Les musiciens du Nash mettent leur technique et leur enthousiasme au service d’une matière inégale» (Diapason, France)
The Romance and Pastorale for violin and piano were probably written before the First World War although they were not published until 1923. They are dedicated to ‘D.M.L.’ – Dorothy Longman, wife of the publisher R J Longman. For many years she was a violinist in the Leith Hill Festival orchestra under VW’s conductorship. The Romance is, as one would expect, lyrical while the Pastorale is modal.

from notes by Michael Kennedy © 2002

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