Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8

As wonderful as it is to hear the Eighth treated with the respect it deserves, the main focus has to be on Symphony No. 6. Nothing is forced – the fury and the anguish, the grandeur and the desolation seem almost to speak for themselves. What’s surprising on first hearing is how the Symphony’s epic sweep is balanced with such focused clarity. - BBC Music (Hyperion)