Vaughan Williams’ Pastoral Symphony has turned out to be a tricky work to conduct and record. Mark Elder hasn’t quite gotten the pacing right, or the expression. The first movement needs to be played with great rhythmic steadiness. It should convey an almost impersonal sense of nature’s power (Tovey described it as “massive quietness”). Elder plays it a bit too slowly, and indulges in touches of rubato that threaten to hold up the music’s inexorable flow. The succeeding Lento goes well enough, but the scherzo is just too quick, and consequently lacking in the requisite power and (in the presto coda) contrast. What is it about this very straightforward movement that gives conductors so much trouble? Sarah Fox’s attractive offstage vocalise promises a successful finale, and so it proves, but the performance as a whole fails to satisfy completely.
The couplings also are a mixed bag. The Tallis Fantasia needs more passion in its phrasing and richer string textures at the fully scored moments, while the Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus and The Wasps Overture go quite well. The engineering is warm and full, but in the symphony the balances are a bit off, with recessed brass and (sometimes) woodwinds, and odd bits of detail emerging that would be interesting if we could be sure we’re supposed to hear them so prominently. Like so many releases these days, this isn’t terrible, but it’s not competitive with the best and it is without question unnecessary.
