Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress

Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress

Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress
List Price: $21.98
Our Price: $14.98
You Save: $7.00 (32%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $11.09 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Performer: Richard Angas
Performer: Geoffrey Shaw
Performer: Geoffrey Ward
Performer: John Carol Case
Performer: John Noble
Performer: John Shirley-Quirk
Performer: Raimund Herincx
Performer: Terence Sharpe
Performer: Christopher Keyte
Performer: Robert Lloyd
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Conductor: Adrian Boult
Performer: Delia Wallis
Performer: Jean Temperley
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Chorus
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Performer: Doreen Price
Performer: Gloria Jennings
Performer: Marie Hayward
Performer: Norma Burrowes
Edition: Music CD
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2005-07-13
Music Label: Angel Records
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. Prologue. Bunyan in Prison
  2. Act 1. Scene 1. The Pilgrim Meets Evangelist
  3. Act 1. Scene 2. The House Beautiful
  4. Act 1. Scene 2. Nocturne (Intermezzo)
  5. Act 2. Scene 1. The Arming of the Pilgrim
  6. Act 2. Scene 2. The Pilgrim Meets Apollyon
  7. Act 3. Scene 1. Buy! What will ye buy?
  8. Act 3. Scene 1. I buy the truth!
Music CD 2
  1. Act 3. Scene 2. The Pilgrim in Prison
  2. Act 4. Scene 1. The Pilgrim Meets Mister By-Ends
  3. Act 4. Scene 1. Entr'acte
  4. Act 4. Scene 2. Who so dwelleth
  5. Act 4. Scene 2. The Lord is my Shepherd
  6. Act 4. Scene 3. The Pilgrim Reaches the End of his Journey
  7. Epilogue
  8. Act 3. Scene 1 (Rehearsal)
  9. Act 1. Nocturne (Rehearsal)
  10. Act 4. Scene 1 (Rehearsal)
  11. Act 2. Scene 1 (Rehearsal)

Music reviews of Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress

Music Review: A work of Protestant faith that's unknown in the U.S.
Rating: 5 Stars

As a touchstone of English Protestant faith, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress has had more influence than any work other than the Bible. For generations every schoolchild knew its episodes, and when Thackeray entitled hsi most famous novel Vanity Fair, he assumed that any educated or even semi-educated reader would pick up the reference. Against that bacground, VW was setting a sacred text that was also a pillar of British culture.

He did an inspired job. This "Morality," which isn't quite an opera or an oratorio, is nobly conceived. Nobility is a hard mood to keep going without the risk of boredom, but VW supplies his loveliest melodies and considerable dramatic instincts here. The problem for us Americans is that we don't read Pilgrim's Progress, so any adaptation lacks the ring of familiarity. We are hearing for the first time a very long allegroy a la The Dream of Gerontius, another beloved English classic that has little currency in the U.S.

I only mention this because I avoided the opera for a long time thinking that it would feel too foreign or churchy. In fact, this work well could be his vocal masterpiece (despite some diffuse writing and a general sense of anti-climax towards the end); any lover of VW's music will be more satisfied, I think, than with Elgar's Gerontius--for one thing, Bunyan's words make a finer text than Cardinal Newman's earnest Victorian religiosity. The performance under Adrian Boult is all that one could ask for, and EMI's 1972 sound still comes across very well.

Even if the Pilgrim's soul journey doesn't matter to you, this CD can be appreciated sheerly for the sake of VW's gorgeous music.

General CDs

Music Genres
Bestsellers in General CDs
One Voice ImageAndrew Johnston - One Voice
Release date: 2008-11-18; Music CD
Best price: $8.18
Price in other shops: $25.98
Complete Works ImageLudwig Van Beethoven (composer), Various Orchestras - Complete Works
Release date: 2009-01-20; Music CD
Best price: $71.95
Price in other shops: $79.98
Incanto ImageAndrea Bocelli - Incanto
Release date: 2008-11-04; Music CD
Best price: $5.95
Price in other shops: $18.98
Amore Infinito: Songs inspired by the Poetry of John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla) ImageAmore Infinito: Songs inspired by the Poetry of John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla)
Release date: 2009-03-10; Music CD
Best price: $9.49
Price in other shops: $17.98
Italia ImageChris Botti - Italia
Release date: 2007-09-25; Music CD
Best price: $8.42
Price in other shops: $14.98
The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere ImageAndrea Bocelli - The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere
BOCELLI,ANDREA; Release date: 2007-10-30; Music CD
Best price: $8.59
Price in other shops: $18.98
The Priests ImageThe Priests - The Priests
Release date: 2008-11-18; Music CD
Best price: $7.74
Price in other shops: $18.98
The Promise ImageIl Divo - The Promise
Release date: 2008-11-18; Music CD
Best price: $4.68
Price in other shops: $18.98
Passione ImagePaul Potts - Passione
Release date: 2009-05-05; Music CD
Best price: $7.83
Price in other shops: $18.98
One Chance ImagePaul Potts - One Chance
Release date: 2007-09-18; Music CD
Best price: $5.28
Price in other shops: $18.98
Similar CDs
Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem and Other Works ImageVaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem and Other Works
Release date: 2005-07-13; Music CD
Best price: $13.66
Price in other shops: $22.49
Riders To The Sea- An Opera By Ralph Vaughan Williams ImageRiders To The Sea- An Opera By Ralph Vaughan Williams
Release date: 2008-08-26; DVD
Best price: $16.54
Price in other shops: $29.99
Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress - Gerald Finley /  The Royal Opera Chorus / The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Richard Hickox ImageRalph Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress - Gerald Finley / The Royal Opera Chorus / The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Richard Hickox
Release date: 1998-05-19; Music CD
Best price: $25.32
Price in other shops: $39.98
Vaughan Williams: An Oxford Elegy/ Flos Campi/ Sancta Civitas/ etc. ImageVaughan Williams: An Oxford Elegy/ Flos Campi/ Sancta Civitas/ etc.
Release date: 2000-01-25; Music CD
Best price: $21.41
Vaughan Williams: Riders to the Sea; Flos Campi; Household Music ImageVaughan Williams: Riders to the Sea; Flos Campi; Household Music
Release date: 1995-09-19; Music CD
Best price: $12.06
Price in other shops: $18.98
Vaughan Williams: Hugh the Drover ImageVaughan Williams: Hugh the Drover
Release date: 2004-01-13; Music CD
Best price: $12.73
Price in other shops: $23.98
Vaughan Williams: Sancta Civitas/Dona Nobis Pacem ImageVaughan Williams: Sancta Civitas/ Dona Nobis Pacem
Release date: 1993-11-09; Music CD
Best price: $10.34
Price in other shops: $16.98
Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress: A Bunyan Sequence ImageVaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress: A Bunyan Sequence
Release date: 1993-11-19; Music CD
Best price: $9.25
Price in other shops: $23.98
Vaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss ImageVaughan Williams: The Poisoned Kiss
Release date: 2003-11-25; Music CD
Best price: $20.92
Price in other shops: $39.98
Vaughan Williams: Sir John In Love ImageVaughan Williams: Sir John In Love
Release date: 2002-11-05; Music CD
Best price: $12.38
Price in other shops: $21.97
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles