Elgar's Hillside

[knight66]

What prompts me here is having gone to a performance last night of 'Gerontius' in the city of its premier: Birmingham. But I will get to the performance eventually.

This is a piece around which people tend to polarise. Deeply Roman Catholic in its weft and its weave; it conveys the journey of a believer through his death bed experience and beyond, a distraction by evil forces is successfully negotiated, judgement attained and eventual acceptance into heaven.

The poem on which it is based is often the subject of outright detestation. Cardinal John Newman wrote a remarkable poem and Elgar set it very imaginatively. It certainly has awkward corners, but what sits there is a journey, almost akin to an Icelandic Saga. There is a strong narrative thrust and it becomes like an opera of the mind; unstageable, but both dramatic and lyrical. Even if you cannot take the piety and the supposition of what happens after death: why can't those who revile the text simply accept it as a work of imagination like most actual operas? The dialogue between the Angel and Gerontius in part two remind me of those involving Tamino in the Magic Flute.

It contains some of Elgar's most beautiful music and the settings of the words are always clear, clean and singable. The text for the soloists is used pretty much without repeats of phrases, you plough on through that journey and that must have provided some headaches; as repeated phrases are often there to enable the composer to, at least partly, shape the text to the music. It is through-written, influenced by Wagner. So one way or another to my ears, despite its adoption, it sits aside from the English oratorio tradition; unique in may ways.

Part One has generally darker colours in it with more lower brass. Part two in punctuated with outbursts of darkness, but often, as with its opening, it emphasises a lighter colour by omitting double bases and lower brass.

So to the concert. There was not one substitute but two, The conductor Andris Nelsons cancelled due to the illness of his new born daughter. The tenor Toby Spence was ill.

Birmingham Symphony Chorus & Orchestra, Edward Gardner (conductor)
Robert Murray (tenor): Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano):James Rutherford (baritone )

There were a lot of excellent things about the performance, chiefly the orchestra which was terrific, the soft and well tuned choral sections and a deal of the conducting; but over all, I felt it a considerable disappointment. It certainly started well and Gardiner shaped the part one prelude beautifully. I did not like the tenor who strained and bleated anywhere above an F and found nothing fresh in the words. Why do so few singers colour and savor words these days? He did express some emotion, but that was about loud and soft. His hushed singing was very good and he plus Gardiner did produce some marvelous suspended moments.

Gardiner pushed some parts of the work, especially the big chorus 'Praise to the Holiest' It lost a deal of its grandeur. The CBSO chorus entirely lacked guts and sang with utmost politeness. There were few proper hard consonants to start key words. So, 'Praise' became 'ase'. 'despot's' became 'espot's' etc. This enervated the choral entries which were not late but were hardly characterised. The Daemons' chorus was vitiated and mild as though the danger of pantomime had to be avoided at all costs. Elgar notated three distinct ways of singong, 'Ha ha!' You would not have known from this effort.

I like Sarah Connelly a lot, she sounded good, but again, it came across as very much a highly skilled stock response to the words and music. Only in the final benediction did something happen to make it come alive. I will not hark back to Janet Baker: Alice Coote in the recent Halle recording found new ways to convey the text, required listening.

The audience held the silence for a very long time at the end, an end that had closed on a very strong piano volume and had not died away to mezzo piano, as is traditional. Perhaps it will all go well on the repeat performance this weekend in London. Last night was broadcast live on BBC radio. Available here for a week or so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b01fm9b5

Mike

[Karl Henning]

Most interesting, thanks, Mike.

[Elgarian]

Thanks Mike. Among all those other interesting things, your post reminds me that I should listen to Alice Coote/Elder/Hallé again.

[knight66]

Since posting, I have been listening to the Elder/Coote and sampling Barbirolli and Baker. Even that new Halle version does not enable the 'pr' in 'Praise' to come across. I have just ordered the old Gibson version with the SNO. I have not heard it despite being in the recording. I will see just what the Scots choir does with the words....were we as clear as I remember?

Mike

[madaboutmahler]

Thanks for posting the review, Mike! As you know, I am seeing the same combination perform Gerontius at the Barbican tonight, very excited about it!

[knight66]

I did not draw your attention to it as my opinion was less than positive. I found a recording on YouTube with Sarah Connelly as the Angel. It is only an extract, but it suggests a more detailed and lustrous reading of the part. I wonder if perhaps she was not well. Three cancellations in one concert would look like more than an accident.

I hope you enjoy it.

Mike

[madaboutmahler]

I did not draw your attention to it as my opinion was less than positive. I found a recording on YouTube with Sarah Connelly as the Angel. It is only an extract, but it suggests a more detailed and lustrous reading of the part. I wonder if perhaps she was not well. Three cancellations in one concert would look like more than an accident.

I hope you enjoy it.

Mike

Yes, on reading the review again, you did seem to take a rather negative view about the concert... 
Just back from the concert now, and I did personally think it was beautiful. I was actually very impressed with Connelly, if she was not feeling her best for your concert, she was certainly cured for the one tonight. As ever, I was very impressed with Gardner. I don't think the Barbican acoustics are always perfect... and I did sometimes have to strain just a little to hear Murray, but never the others. The orchestra were certainly on top form and were very expressive.
I suppose I would give it 4 stars. (out of 5)

It was the first time I had seen the oratorio live, and I have to say that it was a very moving experience!

[Karl Henning]

Daniel, I hope you like Elgar! : )

[knight66]

Yes, on reading the review again, you did seem to take a rather negative view about the concert... 
Just back from the concert now, and I did personally think it was beautiful. I was actually very impressed with Connelly, if she was not feeling her best for your concert, she was certainly cured for the one tonight. As ever, I was very impressed with Gardner. I don't think the Barbican acoustics are always perfect... and I did sometimes have to strain just a little to hear Murray, but never the others. The orchestra were certainly on top form and were very expressive.
I suppose I would give it 4 stars. (out of 5)

It was the first time I had seen the oratorio live, and I have to say that it was a very moving experience!

The main thing is that your first live experience of this wonderful piece was positive. I am glad you enjoyed it.

Mike

[madaboutmahler]

Daniel, I hope you like Elgar! : )

Of course I do, Karl!

The main thing is that your first live experience of this wonderful piece was positive. I am glad you enjoyed it.

Mike

Thank you, Mike! I will certainly want to see it live again.

[Karl Henning]

Gerontius was splendid when done here in Boston. And who knows when they may put it on again?

[Brian]

Posted this in the 'Recs You Are Considering,' then saw a post by Daniel suggesting I wander over here instead:

Currently my only Elgar symphonies recordings are Tate/LSO and Elgar himself. I love Tate/LSO because it finally explained to me why I should cherish these symphonies, and it's quite hard for me to imagine the works going any other way but the aching elegiac warmth of those readings. But I also know that it's an Eccentric reading - or a Sarge-ic reading, very slow but sturdily built. Solti's Decca duo is on sale at Presto for $8 right now; would that make for an enjoyable contrast?

[madaboutmahler]

Posted this in the 'Recs You Are Considering,' then saw a post by Daniel suggesting I wander over here instead:

Currently my only Elgar symphonies recordings are Tate/LSO and Elgar himself. I love Tate/LSO because it finally explained to me why I should cherish these symphonies, and it's quite hard for me to imagine the works going any other way but the aching elegiac warmth of those readings. But I also know that it's an Eccentric reading - or a Sarge-ic reading, very slow but sturdily built. Solti's Decca duo is on sale at Presto for $8 right now; would that make for an enjoyable contrast?

Welcome to Elgar land, Brian!
There was a rather big discussion about the symphonies just a page back or so if you wish to have a look at that. Yes, Solti would certainly make a contast! As you will see, they are not everyones favourite... but to me, they are some of the most exciting performances of the works available. One of my favourites! My others would be Elder's with the Halle, or Boult's EMI set (the Lyrita is excellent too), and also Downes' Naxos recording of no.2 which is to me absolutely perfect.

[Elgarian]

Thought I'd throw a spanner into the first symphony works. I have wondered at various times during the last few years whether my favourite performance of the 1st symphony might be that given by Boult at the 1976 Proms on 28 July (his last performance of it at the Proms), but there seemed little point in mentioning it, because it was issued on CD in 2006, free with BBC Music Magazine, and would be almost unobtainable now I should imagine. Being a live recording, there's the occasional cough, etc - but the recording quality is very atmospheric and spacious and - more importantly - the performance itself is superb. One feels that Boult has a complete grasp of the structure of the piece (as well he might, after a lifetime of conducting it), and that here he is presenting it as an almost unanswerably complete Elgarian statement of intent. It sparkles with life from beginning to end, and the final movement is immensely moving.

Now, the other day the latest Elgar Society Journal dropped onto the doormat, and I turned to the CD review pages - and here is the very same recording, now commercially released on ICA:



Amazon uk link:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Elgar-Adrian-Symphony-Classics/dp/B006VOX7Q8/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1335126619&sr=1-1-fkmr0

The reviewer in the Elgar Society mag (Richard Wiley) writes that here 'Boult brought off one of his truly great Elgar performances'. It 'has tremendous vitality and sense of purpose'. 'If you have never heard this performance, then without doubt you should take this opportunity'. He also quotes Martin Cotton, who wrote the CD booklet notes and who was present at the actual performance: 'it was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life, relived every time I hear it again'.

So it seems I hadn't been imagining the remarkable character of this performance. At least, here was one reviewer who wouldn't think so. And so I can now include this here in the symphonic melting pot as another possible top contender for a supreme Elgar 1 on record. If you want more opinions, take a look at the reviews on Amazon uk at the above link. They all say pretty much the same ....

[eyeresist]

^ Excellent! Added to the List.

[Wanderer]

Personally, I prefer Kennedy to la Hahn.

Ditto. The one with the bulldog cover. 

Solti's Decca duo is on sale at Presto for $8 right now; would that make for an enjoyable contrast?

I'd much rather suggest Sinopoli. His First is positively electrifying.

[Sergeant Rock]

Currently my only Elgar symphonies recordings are Tate/LSO and Elgar himself. I love Tate/LSO because it finally explained to me why I should cherish these symphonies, and it's quite hard for me to imagine the works going any other way but the aching elegiac warmth of those readings. But I also know that it's an Eccentric reading - or a Sarge-ic reading, very slow but sturdily built. Solti's Decca duo is on sale at Presto for $8 right now; would that make for an enjoyable contrast?

I'd much rather suggest Sinopoli. His First is positively electrifying.

While I love Sinopoli's Elgar (especially the Second), if you're looking for maximum contrast, Solti does make more sense. There's more to a performance than tempo, of course, but Tate and Sinopoli have near identical timings in many movements and, to me, that puts them in roughly the same camp. Boult EMI would make another good choice.

Elgar Symphony No.1

Barbirolli       21:39   7:03     12:15   12:46
C.Davis         21:00   7:52     12:47   12:45
Sinopoli        20:41   7:10     14:10    13:17
Tate             20:39   7:10     14:16    12:22
Slatkin          20:28   6:31    13:40    12:31
Elder            20:05   7:14     12:33    12:15
Previn          19:26   6:52     12:58    12:27
Boult (EMI)   18:33   7:14     10:53    12:01
Solti             17:45   7:08     12:12    11:38


Elgar Symphony No.2

Sinopoli         20:43   18:25   9:00   17:14
Haitink           20:33   15:56   8:25   13:57
Barbirolli        19:24   13:50   8:19   14:18
Tate              19:17   17:21   8:28   17:23
C.Davis         18:23   16:19   8:26   14:30
Boult (EMI)   17:29   14:13    8:00   13:15
Downes        17:16   15:01   8:13   15:33
Slatkin          17:15   15:11  7:40    14:43
Solti             15:30   15:30   7:49   12:33
Elgar            14:33   12:59   7:55   12:20
Svetlanov     14:01   15:54   7:11   14:00


Sarge

[raduneo]

Ditto. The one with the bulldog cover. 

I'd much rather suggest Sinopoli. His First is positively electrifying.

Indeed, the Kennedy is my favorite one so far. I have the Kennedy/Rattle (his second recording). There may be some liberty with the tempi, but it feels really good! From what I understand, Kennedy really knew this concerto well!

I've also been giving Zneider/Colin Davis a listen lately; it's closer to Hugh Bean's reading; he's also surprisingly good in the tender moments! I will need to listen to it more to be able to give a verdict though.

Right now I'm also waiting for the Shaham to arrive, and I am quite excited about that!

[raduneo]

Posted this in the 'Recs You Are Considering,' then saw a post by Daniel suggesting I wander over here instead:

Currently my only Elgar symphonies recordings are Tate/LSO and Elgar himself. I love Tate/LSO because it finally explained to me why I should cherish these symphonies, and it's quite hard for me to imagine the works going any other way but the aching elegiac warmth of those readings. But I also know that it's an Eccentric reading - or a Sarge-ic reading, very slow but sturdily built. Solti's Decca duo is on sale at Presto for $8 right now; would that make for an enjoyable contrast?

I will have to revisit Tate then! Those were the first recordings of the symphonies I got!

So far, I have a clear favorite for #1 in Hurst: tender when it needs to be, very noble, yet never bombastic, with plenty of vitality in the right places, a great sense of lyricism, and a very good attention to detail. LOVE it! I do not however have a clear favorite for #2 from what I've listened to.

[Elgarian]

While I love Sinopoli's Elgar (especially the Second), if you're looking for maximum contrast, Solti does make more sense. There's more to a performance than tempo, of course, but Tate and Sinopoli have near identical timings in many movements and, to me, that puts them in roughly the same camp. Boult EMI would make another good choice.

Elgar Symphony No.1

C.Davis         21:00   7:52     12:47   12:45
Sinopoli        20:41   7:10     14:10    13:17
Tate             20:39   7:10     14:16    12:22
Slatkin          20:28   6:31    13:40    12:31
Elder            20:05   7:14     12:33    12:15
Previn          19:26   6:52     12:58    12:27
Boult (EMI)   18:33   7:14     10:53    12:01
Solti             17:45   7:08     12:12    11:38


Elgar Symphony No.2

Sinopoli         20:43   18:25   9:00   17:14
Haitink          20:33   15:56   8:25   13:57
Tate              19:17   17:21   8:28   17:23
C.Davis         18:23   16:19   8:26   14:30
Boult (EMI)   17:29   14:13    8:00   13:15
Downes        17:16   15:01   8:13   15:33
Slatkin          17:15   15:11  7:40    14:43
Solti             15:30   15:30   7:49   12:33
Elgar            14:33   12:59   7:55   12:20
Svetlanov     14:01   15:54   7:11   14:00

Interesting comparison here (thanks for this helpful list, Sarge). Take a look at the timings for Boult's 1976 live Proms recording of the 1st symphony - the one that's been arousing so much enthusiasm for me and others (see #1415 above):

17:22  7:05  9:04  11:19

Remarkably, I don't feel even the slightest sense of undue haste; it's such a masterly performance that it seems perfectly natural.