Vaughan Williams:
Violin Sonata; String Quartet No. 2, etc.

Performer:	Ian Brown, et al	Click Image To See Full Size Pic
CD Title:	Vaughan Williams: Violin Sonata; String Quartet No. 2, etc.
Composer:	Ralph Vaughan Williams
CD INFO:	Hyperion CDA67313
Reviewer:	Ward Botsford
Notes:	Ian Brown, piano Marianne Thorsen, violin Elizabeth Wexler, violin Lawrence Power, viola Louise Williams, viola Paul Watkins, cello

Listen to A Soundtrack From This CD Excerpt used: String Quartet in A minor - Scherzo

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Review:
A miscellany of Vaughan-Williams rather restricted chamber music. As a fervent admirer of the great iconoclast I welcome it and heartily recommend this to all like souls.

It begins with a piece of solo piano music which opens as watered-down Debussy but about a quartet of the way through the English folksong media takes over. While not one of his great pieces it is fastidious material treated as only VW could.

His individuality stands out in everything on this record of course but the Six Studies are especially perfect for the medium with Watkins' Cello speaking many words skillfully.

The Quintet and the A minor Quartet are of apiece - soulful, even dour a deal of the time but always - always - distinctive and individual in their cast.

Even the A minor Sonata sounds as if it would be better played in the middle of a Yorkshire moor. In short: It is music of the land that gave the composer birth.

Without exception the playing is polished without being slick. It is the only way such music can be played.

Happily the sound does the performance proud.