Elgar's Hillside

[Luke]

Gorgeous. The 'Welsh tune' first heard on the solo viola around 1'20 was first 'experienced' by Elgar (however one wishes to explain that) at this heavenly spot; I took this photo last year:

[Karl Henning]

Gorgeous. The 'Welsh tune' first heard on the solo viola around 1'20 was first 'experienced' by Elgar (however one wishes to explain that) at this heavenly spot; I took this photo last year:

Beautiful!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Gorgeous. The 'Welsh tune' first heard on the solo viola around 1'20 was first 'experienced' by Elgar (however one wishes to explain that) at this heavenly spot; I took this photo last year:

Where is that Luke?

And I agree with Karl's sentiments.

PD

[Roasted Swan]

Where is that Luke?

And I agree with Karl's sentiments.

PD

I would assume here.....

https://www.llangrannog.org.uk/elgar.htm

[Luke]

I would assume here.....

https://www.llangrannog.org.uk/elgar.htm

Yes, that's correct. Actually on the headland a mile or so north of Llangrannog, at the end of which is the tiny broken off island Ynys Lochtyn (which Elgar wrote incorrectly as Ynis Lochtryn)

Over the horizon, Ireland.

[Roasted Swan]

Almost at random I listened to this disc today;



I'm not always a fan of Elder's Elgar but this one struck me anew as very good.  Falstaff is a bit of a "marmite" piece even with Elgar admirer's but I think Elder makes an excellent case for this and the Halle playing/engineering is likewise very clear, articulate and unsentimental.  The Halle play the very very hard Falstaff (possibly Elgar's most demanding orchestral score) very well indeed.

Unsentimental characterises a lot of Elder's Elgar and it suits his Cello Concerto too with Heinrich Schiff.  I like the way Schiff plays with plenty of nobility and singing tone but he does not gush and swoon and over-phrase.  This is clear-headed Elgar playing to good effect.  The 2 smaller couplings are interesting fun; the bassoon Romance gets a good performance and the wonderfully silly "Smoking Cantata" is treated with absolutely correct po-faced humour.  This prompts me to re-listen to more Elder in this repertoire.

[Roasted Swan]

A random dip into recordings of the Elgar Symphonies threw up this old set;



In the days of LP the Symphonies here were Gramophone Guide Rosette performances but my sense is that they - along with much else Solti recorded - have rather fallen from grace.  The narrative that Solti "just" blasts his way through scores in a fast and often insensitive manner seems to hold sway these days.  And yes, in their time these performances were noted for the swift and flowing speeds emulating Elgar's own recordings.

Returning to them with "fresh" ears there is still - for me - so much to admire.  The engineering - classic Decca analogue from the Kingsway Hall overseen by Kenneth Wilkinson - still sounds superb.  Not wholly "natural" for sure but visceral and exciting and very well played by the LPO.  But also, so much of Solti's approach seems very effective too.  For sure he is NOT sentimental - with the benefit that he does not wallow in every big tune and lush harmony that comes his way - but at the same time he is fully aware of allowing themes to breath and phrases to be elegantly turned.  There are now many fine recordings of both symphonies but these fully deserve to be heard still.  The couplings of a wonderfully confident Cockaigne and dramatic In the South just add to the pleasure.

[Iota]

A random dip into recordings of the Elgar Symphonies threw up this old set;



In the days of LP the Symphonies here were Gramophone Guide Rosette performances but my sense is that they - along with much else Solti recorded - have rather fallen from grace.  The narrative that Solti "just" blasts his way through scores in a fast and often insensitive manner seems to hold sway these days.  And yes, in their time these performances were noted for the swift and flowing speeds emulating Elgar's own recordings.

Returning to them with "fresh" ears there is still - for me - so much to admire.  The engineering - classic Decca analogue from the Kingsway Hall overseen by Kenneth Wilkinson - still sounds superb.  Not wholly "natural" for sure but visceral and exciting and very well played by the LPO.  But also, so much of Solti's approach seems very effective too. For sure he is NOT sentimental - with the benefit that he does not wallow in every big tune and lush harmony that comes his way - but at the same time he is fully aware of allowing themes to breath and phrases to be elegantly turned.  There are now many fine recordings of both symphonies but these fully deserve to be heard still.  The couplings of a wonderfully confident Cockaigne and dramatic In the South just add to the pleasure.

Precisely why that was the recording that opened up the symphonies to me. On previous attempts I'd found them heavy and wearyingly sentimental, and suddenly in Solti's hands they sounded fresh, the colour returning to their cheeks. It/I needed his energetic, dispassionate approach to reveal the qualities of the score to me.

[DavidW]

I also like the Oramo recordings (and his Nielsen is also great).  He is also not indulgent and still finds the emotional depth.

[Roasted Swan]

I also like the Oramo recordings (and his Nielsen is also great).  He is also not indulgent and still finds the emotional depth.

I like Oramo a lot in general.  When I said "there are now many fine recordings of both symphonies" these Oramo versions were some of what I had in mind.....

[Roasted Swan]

Precisely why that was the recording that opened up the symphonies to me. On previous attempts I'd found them heavy and wearyingly sentimental, and suddenly in Solti's hands they sounded fresh, the colour returning to their cheeks. It/I needed his energetic, dispassionate approach to reveal the qualities of the score to me.

Interestingly if you go back to say Boult's early recordings (I'm particularly thinking of his 1940's No.2 with The Philharmonic Promenade Orchestra - the LPO moonlighting) it is very fiery and not at all wallowy.  In fact there are now quite a few "lean" performances.  But that said I do enjoy Sinopoli's opulent grandeur as a polar opposite approach too!

[Irons]

Boult is the man for me, Lyrita and EMI. Boult also recorded 2 with Scottish National Orchestra (1963) which I have no idea if released on CD. I enjoy Solti, good VC with Chung too, and also give a shout for Sir Charles Mackerras on Argo. His recording of the second symphony is one of the best I have heard.

[DavidW]

Since Boult is my go to in RVW, I've always wanted to try his Elgar.  Someday! 

[Atriod]

Boult is the man for me, Lyrita and EMI. Boult also recorded 2 with Scottish National Orchestra (1963) which I have no idea if released on CD. I enjoy Solti, good VC with Chung too, and also give a shout for Sir Charles Mackerras on Argo. His recording of the second symphony is one of the best I have heard.

Are all the Boult Lyrita CDs of Symphony 1 and 2 a CD-R or is that a recent thing? I ended up returning mine years ago as it wasn't advertised as such and I've had plenty of CD-Rs stop playing after a while.

[relm1]

You know who is shockingly good with Elgar? Eugene Jochum.  Surprises me because you'd expect Boult to hit a home run in this but I tend to think of Jochum better suited in German classical repertoire.

[Atriod]

You know who is shockingly good with Elgar? Eugene Jochum.  Surprises me because you'd expect Boult to hit a home run in this but I tend to think of Jochum better suited in German classical repertoire.

I heard this when I got Jochum's DG mega box, indeed a great performance. A more recent Enigma Variations that made my favorites list is Ashkenazy with Sydney Symphony (also coupled with a hot In The South).

[Irons]

Are all the Boult Lyrita CDs of Symphony 1 and 2 a CD-R or is that a recent thing? I ended up returning mine years ago as it wasn't advertised as such and I've had plenty of CD-Rs stop playing after a while.

I am probably the last person on GMG qualified to advise you on that. My Lyrita recordings are all on LP.

[Roasted Swan]

Boult is the man for me, Lyrita and EMI. Boult also recorded 2 with Scottish National Orchestra (1963) which I have no idea if released on CD. I enjoy Solti, good VC with Chung too, and also give a shout for Sir Charles Mackerras on Argo. His recording of the second symphony is one of the best I have heard.

Boult/SNO never released on CD - I had it in its old CFP LP incarnation.....

[vers la flamme]

A random dip into recordings of the Elgar Symphonies threw up this old set;



In the days of LP the Symphonies here were Gramophone Guide Rosette performances but my sense is that they - along with much else Solti recorded - have rather fallen from grace.  The narrative that Solti "just" blasts his way through scores in a fast and often insensitive manner seems to hold sway these days.  And yes, in their time these performances were noted for the swift and flowing speeds emulating Elgar's own recordings.

Returning to them with "fresh" ears there is still - for me - so much to admire.  The engineering - classic Decca analogue from the Kingsway Hall overseen by Kenneth Wilkinson - still sounds superb.  Not wholly "natural" for sure but visceral and exciting and very well played by the LPO.  But also, so much of Solti's approach seems very effective too.  For sure he is NOT sentimental - with the benefit that he does not wallow in every big tune and lush harmony that comes his way - but at the same time he is fully aware of allowing themes to breath and phrases to be elegantly turned.  There are now many fine recordings of both symphonies but these fully deserve to be heard still.  The couplings of a wonderfully confident Cockaigne and dramatic In the South just add to the pleasure.

I just got this set recently and have been enjoying it greatly.

[Irons]

Boult/SNO never released on CD - I had it in its old CFP LP incarnation.....

I did wonder. Thanks.