Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress
(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Performer: Richard AngasPerformer: 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: EMI Import
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Prologue. Bunyan in Prison
- Act 1. Scene 1. The Pilgrim Meets Evangelist
- Act 1. Scene 2. The House Beautiful
- Act 1. Scene 2. Nocturne (Intermezzo)
- Act 2. Scene 1. The Arming of the Pilgrim
- Act 2. Scene 2. The Pilgrim Meets Apollyon
- Act 3. Scene 1. Buy! What will ye buy?
- Act 3. Scene 1. I buy the truth!
- Act 3. Scene 2. The Pilgrim in Prison
- Act 4. Scene 1. The Pilgrim Meets Mister By-Ends
- Act 4. Scene 1. Entr'acte
- Act 4. Scene 2. Who so dwelleth
- Act 4. Scene 2. The Lord is my Shepherd
- Act 4. Scene 3. The Pilgrim Reaches the End of his Journey
- Epilogue
- Act 3. Scene 1 (Rehearsal)
- Act 1. Nocturne (Rehearsal)
- Act 4. Scene 1 (Rehearsal)
- 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
- Styles > Classical
- Featured Composers, A-Z > ( V ) > Vaughan Williams, Ralph
- Featured Performers, A-Z > ( L ) > London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Composers > Vaughan Williams, Ralph
- Symphonies > General
- Opera & Vocal > General
- Languages > English
- Classical - Historical Periods - Modern, 20th, & 21st Century - Composers - Vaughan Williams, Ralph - General
Music Genres
Bestsellers in General CDs
Andrea Bocelli - The Best of Andrea Bocelli: VivereAndrea; Release date: 2007-10-30; Music CD
Best price: $8.95
Price in other shops:
Cheyenne Jackson, Michael Feinstein - The Power of TwoRelease date: 2009-11-03; Music CD
Best price: $10.96
Price in other shops:
Il Divo - The PromiseSony; Release date: 2008-11-18; Music CD
Best price: $2.29
Price in other shops:
Cecilia Bartoli - Cecilia Bartoli: SacrificiumRelease date: 2009-10-26; Music CD
Best price: $15.81
Price in other shops:
Joshua Bell - At Home With FriendsBell; Release date: 2009-09-29; Music CD
Best price: $10.28
Price in other shops:
Andrea Bocelli - My Christmas: Deluxe Edition CD & DVDAndrea; Release date: 2009-11-23; Music CD
Best price: $16.89
Price in other shops:
Il Divo - The Christmas CollectionSony; Release date: 2005-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $5.75
Price in other shops:
The Priests - HarmonyRelease date: 2009-11-23; Music CD
Best price: $9.80
Price in other shops:
Il Divo - An Evening With Il Divo-Live In Barcelona (CD/ DVD)Release date: 2009-12-01; Music CD
Best price: $12.99
Price in other shops:
Andrea Bocelli - My ChristmasAndrea; Release date: 2009-11-03; Music CD
Best price: $11.70
Price in other shops:
Similar CDs
Lorraine at EmmanuelRelease date: 2008-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $10.75
Price in other shops:
LongitudeA&E; Release date: 2000-08-29; DVD
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
Shostakovich: The String QuartetsRelease date: 1998-02-10; Music CD
Best price: $15.92
Price in other shops:
![Vaughan Williams: The Collector's Edition [Box Set] Image](/images/Vaughan-Williams-The-Collector-Edition-Box-Set-B00156ZWV0-X.jpg)
Vaughan Williams: The Collector's Edition [Box Set]Release date: 2008-07-08; Music CD
Best price: $42.94
Price in other shops:
Vaughan Williams: Sir John In LoveRelease date: 2002-11-05; Music CD
Best price: $11.23
Price in other shops:
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 / Valiant-for-Truth / The Pilgrim Pavement / Hymn-Tune Prelude on Song 13 / Psalm 23 / Prelude & Fugue in C minor - London Symphony Orchestra / Richard HickoxRelease date: 1999-02-09; Music CD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Vaughan Williams: Hugh The Drover, or Love in the StocksRelease date: 1994-09-27; Music CD
Best price: $39.00
Price in other shops:
![Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies [Box Set] Image](/images/Vaughan-Williams-The-Nine-Symphonies-Box-Set-B00011MK74-X.jpg)
Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies [Box Set]RCA; Release date: 2004-03-09; Music CD
Best price: $22.97
Price in other shops:
Vaughan Williams: Riders to the Sea; Flos Campi; Household MusicRelease date: 1995-09-19; Music CD
Best price: $13.12
Price in other shops:
Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress: A Bunyan SequenceRelease date: 1993-11-19; Music CD
Best price: $10.99
Price in other shops: