Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 in D major

This page lists all recordings of Symphony No. 5 in D major, by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) on CD. Generally, more recent CDs are listed first, but with priority given to items that are in stock.

Some of the themes of Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Symphony had originally been composed as part of his opera, The Pilgrim’s Progress; but in 1938 it seemed to him as though the opera would never be completed, and so the themes became incorporated into the symphony.

Although the work is dedicated to Sibelius, there is little in the music which suggests the Finnish composer’s music: Michael Kennedy writes that, although the music epitomises what might be called 'the Englishness of English music', the attentive listener to the scoring will not fail to notice the influence of Ravel, with whom Vaughan Williams studied in 1908.

The slow movement is closest in style to the eventually completed Pilgrim’s Progress, and the work as a whole is a move away from the dissonance of the previous Fourth Symphony back to the more romantic style of the Pastoral Symphony.

Recommendations

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Gramophone Awards 2008 Best of Category Historic Archive	Penguin Guide 4 star	Penguin Guide Rosette	Penguin Guide Rosette	Penguin Guide Rosette

All recordings

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Vaughan Williams:

Symphony No. 5 in D major

Valiant for Truth

The Pilgrim Pavement

Hymn-tune Prelude on Song 13 by Orlando Gibbons

(arr. for string orchestra by Helen Glatz)

The Twenty-third Psalm

Carys Lane (soprano)

Prelude and Fugue in C minor

London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox Singers, Richard Hickox

Penguin Guide

Rosette Winner

Building a Library

First Choice - April 2003

Chandos - CHAN9666

(CD)

$17.49

In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day.

Vaughan Williams - Symphonies Nos. 5 & 9

Vaughan Williams:

Symphony No. 5 in D major

Symphony No. 9 in E minor

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Kees Bakels

" Bakel's performances are extremely exciting…[they] are first rate in every way. " David Hurwitz, Classicstoday.com

Building a Library

Budget Choice - April 2003

Naxos - 8550738

(CD)

$6.99

In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day.

Vaughan Williams - Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5

Vaughan Williams:

Fantasia on Greensleeves

Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin

Symphony No. 2 'A London Symphony'

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn

Symphony No. 5 in D major

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Barry Griffiths (first violin), Peter Cosham (second violin), Andrrew Williams (viola) & Francois Rive (cello)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn

The Lark Ascending

Barry Griffiths (violin)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn

Telarc Everybody’s Classics - 2CD80738

(CD - 2 discs)

$9.99

Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days.

Vaughan Williams - Symphonies Nos. 4-6

Vaughan Williams:

The Wasps Overture

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri

Oboe Concerto in A minor

John Williams (oboe)

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Berglund

Symphony No. 4 in F minor

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Paavo Berglund

Symphony No. 5 in D major

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Alexander Gibson

Symphony No. 6 in E minor

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Berglund

EMI British Composers - 2161462

(CD - 2 discs)

$11.49

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days.

Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 5 & Serenade to Music

Vaughan Williams:

The Wasps Overture

Serenade to Music

with Elsie Morison, Marjorie Thomas, Duncan Robertson, Trevor Anthony & chorus

Fantasia on Greensleeves

arr. Greaves

Toward the Unknown Region

with chorus

Symphony No. 5 in D major

Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli

London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent

EMI British Composers - 2161512

(CD)

$7.99

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days.

Vaughan Williams:

Symphony No. 5 in D major

Dona Nobis Pacem

This was the first broadcast performance given by the BBC in November 1936

Renee Flynn and Roy Henderson

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaughan Williams

This is the Premiere CD release of Vaughan Williams conducting a performance of his own fifth symphony. Recorded off the air during a Prom Concert given at The Royal Albert Hall on 3rd September 1952.

“…a reading which combines noble breadth, songful rapture and glowing sincerity… Further incentive to purchase comes with... the first broadcast performance… of the stirring cantata Dona nobis pacem..” Gramophone Magazine, April 2008

“…the fervour, radiant warmth and sense of the symphony as a great journey - a 'passionate pilgrimage' - make this a uniquely compelling experience. …Dona Nobis Pacem ('Grant us peace'), It's a performance of such searing, at times genuinely unsettling intensity that the work's weaker pages fairly sail by.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2008 *****

Gramophone Awards 2008