Elgar's Hillside

[Elgarian]

In addition to the Rosa Burley book,

Oh you'll like that. Very different - she doesn't 'coo' like Dorabella, and she doesn't adopt Billy Reed's reverence. She tells it like she saw it. She is, after all, the woman who claimed not to be a variation, but to be the theme!

I also picked up a book containing Elgar's university lectures.

Didn't even know they'd been published. Words weren't his strong point, so I wouldn't get your hopes up on that one. (His Birmingham Chair was a bit of a catastrophe by all accounts.)

The complete Moore biography arrived in the mail last week, so I'm starting in on that as well.

Definitive and essential, but I use it for reference, not to read for fun. Good luck!

[71 dB]

So, the Coronation Ode/The Spirit of England disc on Chandos arrived about 2 weeks ago. This was my second purchase of this CD because the first one never arrived and I was refunded. I had only one versions of these works before:

Coronation Ode: Philip Ledger 1977 on EMI
The Spirit of England: Richard Hickox 1987 on EMI

I have been happy with these performances.

How well did Gibson do? I seem to prefer Ledger's Coronation Ode but Gibson seems to win Hickox with his The Spirit of England. The difference is not huge.

I was surprised to read that these Gibson performances (Dec. 1976) are the first recordings ever published of these works!

Anyway, the loooong process of getting this disc is now over. 

[Elgarian]

Gibson seems to win Hickox with his The Spirit of England. The difference is not huge.

Of course one person's small difference can be another's huge one. But you might like to try focusing on the soprano soloist. Teresa Cahill introduces a dimension of expression that Felicity Lott seems unaware of. Try, for instance, comparing the very first solo entry 'Spirit of England go before us...' The word 'England' is just a word for Lott, and she just sings the notes. But Cahill understands what Elgar means by it, and turns the two syllables (listen to the way she scoops up the first syllable, as if raising it from earth to sky) into a soaring cri-de-ceour. Her entire performance is studded with such moments.

[71 dB]

Of course one person's small difference can be another's huge one. But you might like to try focusing on the soprano soloist. Teresa Cahill introduces a dimension of expression that Felicity Lott seems unaware of. Try, for instance, comparing the very first solo entry 'Spirit of England go before us...' The word 'England' is just a word for Lott, and she just sings the notes. But Cahill understands what Elgar means by it, and turns the two syllables (listen to the way she scoops up the first syllable, as if raising it from earth to sky) into a soaring cri-de-ceour. Her entire performance is studded with such moments.

Since the Gibson CD is new to me and I have listened to it only one time so far, I'm affaid I haven't focused to anything yet. What I wrote was my first impression and is likely to change in time. Thanks for the hints anyway! I will concentrate on Cahill's singing the next time I give this disc a spin.

Of course, I probably understand even less than Lott what Elgar means by the word "England" because I am a Finn but I can always listen to the syllables according to your instructions. 

[Elgarian]

Of course, I probably understand even less than Lott what Elgar means by the word "England" because I am a Finn but I can always listen to the syllables according to your instructions. 

It may be that it has a special resonance for someone who's English, and yet I think you'd still be able to recognise that Cahill is investing the sung word with additional expression (even if it remains vague just what is being expressed) that is absent from Lott.

[Karl Henning]

No musical reason why I've been so long absent from the Hillside.  A month ago I seriously reorganized CDs at home, part of a larger space-reclamation project, so the Elgar hasn't been so close to hand, though I have an excellent idea where to turn to.

[Elgarian]

A month ago I seriously reorganized CDs at home, part of a larger space-reclamation project, so the Elgar hasn't been so close to hand, though I have an excellent idea where to turn to.

I've engaged in a major reshuffle myself, Karl. The possibility of shelving everything just became impossible (existing non-CD walls already covered by books and pictures), and I've arrived at a system of individual labelled and stacked boxes - a Handel box, a Mozart box, a Haydn box, etc - which is working far better than I'd hoped; but Elgar stays out on existing shelves, as a fixed point in this movable CD universe.

[cilgwyn]

Absolutely wonderful news that Elgars pre electrical recordings are going to be finally re-released as a 4cd box set from Music & Arts. Release date : December 12th. This IS definately on my list! I just wonder how it will compare with the Pearl 5cd (!) box set,which,like a fool I sold!



Amazon.co.uk price:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Conducts-Elgar-Complete-Recordings/dp/B005SQ3AU8

Hope the link works;if not,it's there!

The Elgar Foundation has got full cd by cd track listings on it's website:

http://www.elgarfoundation.org/index.php/the-elgar-shop/product/688/5/CDs/Elgar-Conducts

Described as a 'revelation',the Elgar foundation also have a link to a pdf of a detailed review of the new transfers in the Elgar Society Journal,which you can read even if you're not a member.

[Elgarian]

Absolutely wonderful news that Elgars pre electrical recordings are going to be finally re-released as a 4cd box set from Music & Arts. Release date : December 12th. This IS definately on my list! I just wonder how it will compare with the Pearl 5cd (!) box set,which,like a fool I sold!



Amazon.co.uk price:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Conducts-Elgar-Complete-Recordings/dp/B005SQ3AU8

Hope the link works;if not,it's there!

The Elgar Foundation has got full cd by cd track listings on it's website:

http://www.elgarfoundation.org/index.php/the-elgar-shop/product/688/5/CDs/Elgar-Conducts

Described as a 'revelation',the Elgar foundation also have a link to a pdf of a detailed review of the new transfers in the Elgar Society Journal,which you can read even if you're not a member.

Oh you wonderful man - thank you very much indeed for posting this. I'll pre-order my copy as soon as I've finished writing this. I was talking to the good folks at the Elgar Birthplace Museum about this possibility, last time I was there (not so many months ago), and it seemed remote. But here it is! Bloomin' marvellous!

[cilgwyn]

Glad to help!

[Karl Henning]

Edward Elgar
Violin Concerto

[asin]B0002CX4Q8[/asin]

This reminds me . . . Alan, how do you like la Hahn in the Op.61?

[Lethevich]

+If I may, does our resident Elgarian know this recording?

[asin]B00004SDO9[/asin]
It's nice to see his orchestration of the Handel (which I have not heard) instead of the more obvious marches as filler.

[madaboutmahler]

+If I may, does our resident Elgarian know this recording?
[asin]B00004SDO9[/asin]
It's nice to see his orchestration of the Handel (which I have not heard) instead of the more obvious marches as filler.

Let the resident Mahlerian reply as well!
One of my favourite Elgar discs of all - absolutely brilliant. And yes, the orchestration of the Handel is great. After this excellent disc, I have to admit I felt rather let down by the Elgar 2 with the same combination of performers... but this disc of the overtures remains a firm favourite.

[71 dB]

+If I may, does our resident Elgarian know this recording?

[asin]B00004SDO9[/asin]
It's nice to see his orchestration of the Handel (which I have not heard) instead of the more obvious marches as filler.

I have this (with another cover art). It is a very good recording in my opinion and I can easily recommend it. Elgar's overtures nicely in one package + Handel overture as a bonus! 

I agree that the marches are "fillers" too often.

[Elgarian]

This reminds me . . . Alan, how do you like la Hahn in the Op.61?

I thought we'd discussed this Karl (since you were kind enough to send it to me, I must have been very remiss! My apologies.)

I more or less agree with you. Insofar as I think I understand the VC (and others may challenge that, very sensibly), I'd say she hasn't got it. She seems to play the notes right, and she makes a pretty sound, but the depth of it seems missing. Compared to Tasmin Little's recent effort, which sounds like (and is)  the result of a lifetime's contemplation of the piece, it strikes me as lightweight.

I say this, yet have no conception of the immense technical difficulties faced by any violinist who approaches the work. So I say it in all humility, purely in terms of what I'm looking for, and whether I find it. I may have missed other qualities that it has.

[Elgarian]

+If I may, does our resident Elgarian know this recording?

No he doesn't. Sounds like maybe he should....

[Karl Henning]

I thought we'd discussed this Karl (since you were kind enough to send it to me, I must have been very remiss! My apologies.)

I more or less agree with you. Insofar as I think I understand the VC (and others may challenge that, very sensibly), I'd say she hasn't got it. She seems to play the notes right, and she makes a pretty sound, but the depth of it seems missing. Compared to Tasmin Little's recent effort, which sounds like (and is)  the result of a lifetime's contemplation of the piece, it strikes me as lightweight.

I say this, yet have no conception of the immense technical difficulties faced by any violinist who approaches the work. So I say it in all humility, purely in terms of what I'm looking for, and whether I find it. I may have missed other qualities that it has.

Thank you, sieur! I am glad, since, to have listened to her recording of the Ives sonatas, which is very good . . . as the recording of the Elgar did not give me the best impression of her capabilities.

[madaboutmahler]

No he doesn't. Sounds like maybe he should....

He most certainly should! Excellent disc! Buy it, now! 

[Elgarian]

He most certainly should! Excellent disc! Buy it, now! 

Unfortunately (so I understand) he has recently brought himself close to bankruptcy by his reckless and irresponsibly excessive purchases of Haydn recordings.

[Karl Henning]

Gurn is such a nice chap . . . he cannot have intended your ruination, Alan . . . .