Steve Schwartz wrote:

>My favorite Lark Ascending is EMI Boult with Hugh Bean (747218-2).  I
>don't know whether the disc is still available, but it does have good
>performances of other VW lollipops: In the Fen Country, Norfolk Rhapsody
>No.  1, the Jacobs-orchestrated English Folk Song Suite, Fantasia on
>Greensleeves, and a kick-butt account of the *original* Serenade to Music
>with 16 solo singers (including Norma Burrowes, Sheila Armstrong, Susan
>Longfield, Shirley Minty, Meriel Dickinson, Ian Partridge, John Carol
>Case, John Noble, and Christopher Keyte).

I don't know if any of the above is available separately but all of the
pieces in those versions are (or were, just over a year ago) available
in an EMI 8 CD box set which is such a tempting Boult bargain that I
bought it, although initially I was only looking for Boult conducting
one symphony I didn't already have his vision of.  It covers VW's nine
symphonies, the Concerto for two pianos, "Job: A Masque for Dancing" and
orchestral works, including the above, "...Tallis" and The Aristophanic
Suite ("The Wasps").

EMI 5 73924 2 Vaughan Williams.  The Complete Symphonies.  Orchestral
Works.  (LPO, New Philharmonia, and LSO conducted by Sir Adrian Boult).

The set is neatly designed in gentle blue with a tracery of Tudor roses...
but I guess that's beside the point...  Well, maybe the Tudor roses
aren't ;-)

Regards,

Christine Labroche