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Before his death in 1958 (aged 85), Vaughan Williams was working on a cello concerto. I heard a year or so ago that a completion was in hand.
I rather favour completions, even if (like the Elgar piano concerto) they do not convince. This 'Dark pastorale' based on the slow movement convinces completely and, though it sounds (on first hearing) more like an improvisation than an argued - out slow movement, it was certainly worth doing. Unlike the Romanza for cello and orchestra (arranged from the slow movement of the Tuba concerto by the composer), it does not start out with promise and lose its way.
What surprised me is how fresh and youthful it sounds - reminding me of the 3rd - even the 2nd - symphony and even the 1st quartet more than the 8th and 9th symphonies.
This was worth doing and performing
^
Fine piece considering it wasn't technically finished. I like the way a critic described it...
'A pool of meditative rhapsody'. For the past few years I've come to appreciate RVW's great music. Even if the work was 'unifinished' I think one can hear the background echoes of his music's essence.
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