Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia antartica, Concerto for 2 Pianos & 4 Last Songs Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester & Andrew Davis

• Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958): Symphony No. 7 "Sinfonia antartica":
• 1 Symphony No. 7 "Sinfonia antartica": I. Prelude. Andante maestoso 09:31
• 2 Symphony No. 7 "Sinfonia antartica": II. Scherzo. Moderato 05:47
• 3 Symphony No. 7 "Sinfonia antartica": III. Landscape. Lento 10:31
• 4 Symphony No. 7 "Sinfonia antartica": IV. Intermezzo. Andante sostenuto 06:14
• 5 Symphony No. 7 "Sinfonia antartica": V. Epilogue. Alla marcia, moderato non troppo allegro 09:22
• Ralph Vaughan Williams, Anthony Payne (b. 1936): 4 Last Songs:
• 6 4 Last Songs: No. 1, Procris 02:17
• 7 4 Last Songs: No. 2, Tired 02:05
• 8 4 Last Songs: No. 3, Hands, Eyes & Heart 01:09
• 9 4 Last Songs: No. 4, Menelaus 04:02
• Anonymous, Ralph Vaughan Williams: Concerto for 2 Pianos in C Major:
• 10 Concerto for 2 Pianos in C Major: I. Toccata. Allegro moderato 06:07
• 11 Concerto for 2 Pianos in C Major: II. Romanza. Lento 09:02
• 12 Concerto for 2 Pianos in C Major: IIIa. Fuga chromatica. Allegro 04:22
• 13 Concerto for 2 Pianos in C Major: IIIb. Finale alla tedesca 06:33
• Total Runtime 01:17:02

Info for Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia antartica, Concerto for 2 Pianos & 4 Last Songs

This is the eagerly awaited final volume in our historic series of Vaughan Williams’s Symphonies, started about twenty-five years ago by the late Richard Hickox, and recently continued by that other expert in British repertoire, Sir Andrew Davis. The album features an exceptional cast and a rare combination of repertoire. While the indefatigable piano duo Louis Lortie and Helene Mercier tackle the virtuosic Double Piano Concerto, the baritone Roderick Williams OBE offers breathtaking interpretations of the rarely heard, yet passionate Four Last Songs, in Anthony Payne’s delicate and imaginative orchestration, premiered at the BBC Proms only four years ago. Vaughan Williams based the disc’s centrepiece, the majestic Sinfonia Antartica, on music he had written for the film Scott of the Antarctic only a few years before, stunningly evoking the implacable, frozen landscape of the Antarctic. All are supported by the impeccable Bergen orchestra and choirs and recorded in surround-sound. This album is a very special one, as is the now complete series.

"This release is the final volume in a cycle of the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams on the Chandos label, a cycle that has had many pleasures. It's a superb conclusion, and you might even pick this volume if you want just one from the whole set. Start with the sound: Chandos engineers outdo themselves in the Grieghalle in Norway, where the Bergen Philharmonic rings, glitters, and is reproduced with enough dynamic range to remind you that a symphony orchestra really ought to push the senses a bit. The selection of works brings you three distinct facets of Vaughan Williams' personality: The neoclassic Piano Concerto in C major in a version co-composed by Vaughan Williams for two pianos, with its rhapsodically hushed finale; the intimate Four Last Songs, set to texts by Ursula Vaughan Williams, done by baritone Roderick Williams, never in better voice; and the Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7) for soprano solo, female chorus, and orchestra, a vivid tone poem that is almost experimental in its sound world. Conductor Sir Andrew Davis gets the breadth of color (sample anywhere in the third movement, Landscape) but also keeps things moving with a larger line (the performance clocks in several minutes faster than average) that justifies the composer's description of the work as a symphony, not a tone poem. An immensely satisfying Vaughan Williams that will keep you coming back." (James Manheim, AMG)

Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
Andrew Davis, conductor

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is an internationally renowned symphony orchestra with a rich history which spans over more than 250 years. Under the direction of Chief Conductor Edward Gardner, the orchestra has a busy concert schedule, a substantial outreach programme and strong international presence through tours, recordings and the concert streaming service BergenPhiLive. The orchestra is owned by Musikkselskapet Harmonien, which also runs Bergen Philharmonic Chorus and Bergen Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Recognised as one of the most talented conductors of his generation, Edward Gardner assumed his new position as Chief Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in October 2015. He has already led the orchestra on multiple international tours, including acclaimed performances in London, Berlin, Munich and Amsterdam and continuing his hugely successful relationship with Chandos Records.

In demand as a guest-conductor, the 2017-18 season saw Edward debut with the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony and Netherlands Philharmonic orchestras; and return to the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Danish National Symphony and Philharmonia Orchestra.

Highlights of the 2018-19 season include re-invitations to conduct the Chicago Symphony, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano and the London Philharmonic Orchestra – the latter for concerts in London and New York. Debuts include dates with the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Wiener Symphoniker, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Orchestre Nazionale Sinfonica della RAI, and a new production of Káťa Kabanová at the Royal Opera House.

Music Director of English National Opera for ten years (2006-15), Edward has an ongoing relationship with New York’s Metropolitan Opera where he has conducted productions of Carmen, Don Giovanni, Der Rosenkavalier and Werther. Elsewhere, he has conducted at La Scala, Chicago Lyric Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Opéra National de Paris; while opera-in-concert continues to be a part of his work with the Bergen Philharmonic, including an acclaimed Peter Grimes at the Bergen and Edinburgh International Festivals.

Edward was for eight years Music Director of English National Opera and under his direction the ENO has presented a series of stellar productions, most recently Meistersinger and Otello. In recognition of his talent he was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2008 for Best Conductor and in 2009, the Olivier award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.

Sir Andrew Davis
Maestro Davis is conductor laureate of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (having previously served as principal conductor), conductor laureate of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (having previously had the longest tenure as chief conductor since BBCSO founder Sir Adrian Boult) and former music director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Sir Andrew serves as artistic advisor to the Besançon International Music Festival and is president of the jury for that festival’s 52nd International Competition for Young Conductors.

In the 2011-2012 season Maestro Davis conducts Boris Godunov, Ariadne auf Naxos, and The Magic Flute at Lyric Opera of Chicago. His engagements elsewhere in 2011-12 include the Besançon Festival, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, London’s Philharmonia Orchestra,the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera (Don Giovanni), BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Santa Fe Opera, Canadian Opera Company (Eine florentinische Tragödie and Gianni Schicchi), Santa Fe Opera (Arabella), the Bergen Festival (La damnation de Faust), and the opening of the Edinburgh Festival. In addition, Sir Andrew will spend several weeks recording for Chandos Records with various orchestras.

In the 2010-11 season Sir Andrew conducted The Mikado (new production), The Girl of the Golden West, and Lohengrin at Lyric Opera of Chicago. He was seen on the podium with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Sir Andrew also returned to the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Proms in London and to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, where he led performances of his own new orchestration of Handel’s Messiah. Maestro Davis made return appearances with the Metropolitan Opera (Capriccio), the Canadian Opera Company (Ariadne auf Naxos), the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Peter Grimes), and Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Rusalka).

With the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Davis has led concerts at the Proms and on tour to Hong Kong, Japan, the U.S., and Europe. He has conducted all of the world’s major orchestras, from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to the Berlin Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw, as well as at opera houses and festivals throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and the Bayreuth Festival.

Maestro Davis has a massive discography on the Chandos, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Warner Classics International, Capriccio, EMI, and CBS labels, among others. Sir Andrew currently records exclusively for Chandos Records. His first Chandos recording, Elgar’s “Crown of India,” was released in 2010. His recordings of Holst’s “Beni Mora,” “Japanese Suite,” and “The Planets,” and of York Bowen’s Symphonies No. 1 and 2 with the BBC Philharmonic; and of Delius’s “Appalachia” and “Song of the High Hills” with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, were issued in the first half of 2011.

In 2008, Sir Andrew released Elgar’s Violin Concertos, featuring violinist James Ehnes and London’s Philharmonia Orchestra (Onyx Classics), which won Gramophone’s coveted “Best of Category – Concerto” Award. Recordings in 2007 included Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with violinist Min-Jyn Kim and the Philharmonia Orchestra (Sony); a solo recital of operatic favorites sung by soprano Nicole Cabell with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Decca), which in 2008 won the Solti Prize from the French Académie du Disque Lyrique; and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with pianist Yundi Li and the Philharmonia Orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon).

In 1992, Maestro Davis was created a Commander of the British Empire for his services to British music, and in 1999 he was made a Knight Bachelor in the New Year Honours List. In 1991, he received the Royal Philharmonic Society/Charles Heidsieck Music Award.

Born in 1944 in Hertfordshire, England, Maestro Davis studied at King’s College, Cambridge, where he was an organ scholar before taking up the baton. His diverse repertoire ranges from Baroque to contemporary, and his vast conducting credits span the symphonic and operatic and choral worlds. Sir Andrew is a great proponent of twentieth-century works including those by Janácek, Messiaen, Boulez, Elgar, Tippett, and Britten, in addition to the core symphonic and operatic composers’ works.

Maestro Davis and his wife, soprano Gianna Rolandi, reside in Chicago where she is the director of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Booklet for Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia antartica, Concerto for 2 Pianos & 4 Last Songs