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Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by Elizabeth Challenger on February 7, 2008, 1:34 pm 217.196.232.225 I have been listening to Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies for nearly forty years. I thought that it would be a jolly idea to put them in some kind of order of preference. Then I wondered what other people thought. So here goes – although I cannot promise that I will not change my mind in coming years – or days or weeks or months. Symphony No.5 Symphony No.8 Symphony No 9 Symphony No.4 Symphony No.6 Symphony No.2 ‘London’ Symphony No.3 ‘Pastoral’ Symphony No.7 ‘Antarctica’ And now I cheat. The Symphony No. 1 The Sea Symphony is always a favourite – but because it is choral I did not know where to put it in the above list. Probably second if I am honest. And the London and Pastoral do move up and down the list too! I suppose it is really only the Antarctica that I positively dislike! Anyone else?  Post a Response

Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by Ford on February 8, 2008, 4:40 am, in reply to "Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order" 203.166.99.230 I've only listened to VW recently. I got the Previn set a couple of weeks ago and still haven't heard all of it, but, if I had to make a list, it might be the same as yours - except in the opposite order! Taste's a funny thing, isn't it?  Post a Response

Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by Barry Riley on February 12, 2008, 2:42 pm, in reply to "Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order" 200.72.75.123 Elizabeth, You have the right surname having thrown down such a gauntlet! Despite my love of the symphonies, I have not heard them all for a good few years. However, I would go in with this order: Openers: 4 and 6 Middle Order: 2 3 5 9 All rounders: 7 and 8 Tailender: A Sea Symphony  Post a Response

Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by Don Hansen on February 17, 2008, 10:45 pm, in reply to "Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order" 207.200.116.14 I first became acquainted with VW back in 1947 when I bought 78's of him conducting his 4th. I love them all - in fact if I could take only one composer's symphonies to that desert island it would be VW's. My preferences go like this: #3 (especially in Boult's BBC Symphony live performance), #4, #1, #5, #8, #9, #2, #6. #7. You can't go wrong on any of them.  Post a Response

Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by Alistair Hinton on February 22, 2008, 1:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order" 88.106.249.254 4 6 9 5 8 3 1 2 7 Not entirely sue whether the top two should be the other way around, though... Best, Alistair  Post a Response

Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by jeffrey davis on February 22, 2008, 5:21 pm, in reply to "Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order" 195.93.21.99 No 6 No 9 No 2 A London Symphony(original version) No 5 No 4 No 3 A Pastoral Symphony No 8 No 7 Antartica No 1 A Sea symphony  Post a Response

Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by Susan Mitchell on March 25, 2008, 4:41 pm, in reply to "Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order" 68.42.44.57 I recently heard his 2nd symphony on public radio, while driving, and I am hoping somebody can reply and tell me what key it is in -- I don't have perfect pitch, but I can usually guess pretty close. P.S. I am motivated by the batting order responses to listen to more of Vaughan Williams' symphonies! Thank you. Susan  Post a Response

Re: Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order Posted by Graham Pearson on April 29, 2008, 10:03 am, in reply to "Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphonies - Batting Order" 86.130.171.74 Thanks for your views. I would like to tell you my batting order which is significantly different although I agree on no. 5 as favourite, but you will see that you could not be much different elsewhere. Like you I have been listening to these symphonies for over 40 years and have varying affections for them. Anyway, here goes: Number 5 Numbers 3(Pastoral) and 7 (Sinfonia antartica) Number 1 (Sea) Number 8 Number 6 Number 4 Number 9 Number 2 (London)  Post a Response

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