Elgar's Hillside

[Sergeant Rock]

I wouldn't have chosen Andrew Davis' recording.... I prefer Solti, or Elder, and of course Boult.

I haven't heard Andrew Davis' Second but I notice the Penguin people think highly of it, placing it second in the 1996 edition. They only lament the fact he omits the organ in the Finale. Tate and Sinopoli are my favorite Seconds.

Sarge

[madaboutmahler]

I haven't heard Andrew Davis' Second but I notice the Penguin people think highly of it, placing it second in the 1996 edition. They only lament the fact he omits the organ in the Finale. Tate and Sinopoli are my favorite Seconds.

Sarge

hmmm.... well, for me, it lacks enthusiasm, and the orchestra are not as well recorded as they are in other recordings such as the Elder. I really love recordings that include the organ in the finale - the Slatkin recording is an amazing example of this. I remember when I first heard Elgar 2, it was a proms performance with the BBC Philharmonic/Sinaisky (a wonderful Elgarian!), and I was behind the orchestra in the choir seats, right next to the organ, so just imagine how amazing an experience it was for me, hearing Elgar 2 for the first time right next to the organ for the climax in the final movement.... I could feel the floor shaking with the vibrations from the spectacular Royal Albert Hall organ, it was an amazing experience.
My favourite Elgar 2s: Solti, Elder, both Boults, Slatkin, Handley.... 

[Sergeant Rock]

hmmm.... well, for me, it lacks enthusiasm, and the orchestra are not as well recorded as they are in other recordings....

Two more reasons not to invest in the A. Davis set. I shall continue to pass it by.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

....the Slatkin recording is an amazing example of this.

I've only spun my recently purchased Slatkin Second once. I'll listen again this afternoon (after DLvdE finishes).

Sarge

[madaboutmahler]

Two more reasons not to invest in the A. Davis set. I shall continue to pass it by.

Sarge

Yes, probably for the best. Overall, it's not the greatest set. In all of the performances, apart from some of the miniatures, there is the lack of the magic that Elgar's music so obviously displays through other performances, which is a shame.

I've only spun by recently purchased Slatkin Second once. I'll listen again this afternoon (after DLvdE finishes).

Sarge

I think I might listen to it this afternoon as well... thanks for giving me the idea Sarge! DLvdE.... enjoy! 

[Sergeant Rock]

DLvdE.... enjoy! 

It's a mixed bag. Love Mahler, love Heppner, love Maazel's individual way with Mahler (although he's not as idiosyncratic in Das Lied as elsewhere) but I've never warmed to Meier's tone. She's lovely to look at on stage but she's less lovely to listen to.

Sarge

[madaboutmahler]

It's a mixed bag. Love Mahler, love Heppner, love Maazel's individual way with Mahler (although he's not as idiosyncratic in Das Lied as elsewhere) but I've never warmed to Meier's tone. She's lovely to look at on stage but she's less lovely to listen to.

Sarge

Ah, Heppner is great, I agree. And I too love Maazel's individuality in Mahler, this year I have been lucky enough to see three excellent performances in his Mahler cycle with the Philharmonia, live, I saw no.1, 6 and 9. I sort of agree with you with Meier. Which is your favourite recording of DLvdE? Mine would probably be Haitink or Klemperer.

Let me know what you think of the Slatkin Elgar 2!

[Karl Henning]

You guys are prompting me to revisit the Davis recording of the Symphonies.  I just do not remember being at all so execrable as that ; )

[Sergeant Rock]

Which is your favourite recording of DLvdE? Mine would probably be Haitink or Klemperer.

Yeah, Haitink and Klemp go to the desert island with me. Beyond those two, and among the 18 versions I own, I think most highly of

Kurt Sanderling/Schreier/Finnila

Solti/Kollo/Minton

Oue/Villars/DeYoung

Horenstein/Mitchinson/Hodgson

Davis/Vickers/Norman (not for the faint-hearted  )

(Although both Kletzki and Bernstein are terrific, I prefer tenor/alto versions)


Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

I just do not remember being at all so execrable as that[/font] ; )

I don't know that they are, Karl. I haven't heard any of A. Davis' Elgar. As I said, the boys at Penguin think quite highly of it of though. Still, nothing I've read here or elsewhere makes me think it's an essential purchase for this Elgarian. Perhaps I'd change my mind if I actually heard them. But at some point enough enough and enough, and with ten Seconds in my collection, that's probably enough.

Sarge

[madaboutmahler]

You guys are prompting me to revisit the Davis recording of the Symphonies.  I just do not remember being at all so execrable as that ; )

It's not bad, Karl! Just not the best! I'd have around 10 - 15 other recordings of the Elgar symphonies that I would put above it.

Yeah, Haitink and Klemp go to the desert island with me. Beyond those two, and among the 18 versions I own, I think most highly of

Kurt Sanderling/Schreier/Finnila

Solti/Kollo/Minton

Oue/DeYoung/Villars

Horenstein/Mitchinson/Hodgson

Davis/Norman/Vickers (not for the faint-hearted  )


Sarge

You have more recordings of DLvdE than me! I haven't heard some of the recordings that you mention - although certainly agree that the Solti and Horenstein are excellent! Haitink tends to be the one that I always go back to though - I'd rate it as one of his greatest Mahler recordings.

[Sergeant Rock]

You have more recordings of DLvdE than me!

Well, I've been at it a little longer than you   But you're way beyond me when I was your age. I didn't own any Mahler. I had to make do with a few library recordings, the occasional, very occasional, radio broadcast, and hearing Szell live doing the Sixth. Didn't actually own Mahler until I was 22. First purchase, Horenstein's Third.

I haven't heard some of the recordings that you mention - although certainly agree that the Solti and Horenstein are excellent! Haitink tends to be the one that I always go back to though - I'd rate it as one of his greatest Mahler recordings.

Baker is...I have to be careful here, the definition police are lurking....incomparable.

Sarge

[mc ukrneal]

Well, I've been at it a little longer than you   But you're way beyond me when I was your age. I didn't own any Mahler. I had to make do with a few library recordings, the occasional, very occasional, radio broadcast, and hearing Szell live doing the Sixth. Didn't actually own Mahler until I was 22. First purchase, Horenstein's Third.

Baker is...I have to be careful here, the definition police are lurking....incomparable.

Sarge

Have you heard Bertini? I enjoy his a lot too (Heppner in particular).

[Sergeant Rock]

Have you heard Bertini? I enjoy his a lot too (Heppner in particular).

I have it...haven't heard it. Will remedy that soon. After the Maazel DLvdE, I started Horenstein....and couldn't stop 

Thread duty: Elgar 2 Slatkin will begin somewhat later than originally scheduled.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

I don't know that they are, Karl. I haven't heard any of A. Davis' Elgar. As I said, the boys at Penguin think quite highly of it of though. Still, nothing I've read here or elsewhere makes me think it's an essential purchase for this Elgarian. Perhaps I'd change my mind if I actually heard them. But at some point enough enough and enough, and with ten Seconds in my collection, that's probably enough.

Ho capito, Sarge! And in all events, we share admiration for the Tate/LSO.

[Leo K.]

hmmm.... well, for me, it lacks enthusiasm, and the orchestra are not as well recorded as they are in other recordings such as the Elder. I really love recordings that include the organ in the finale - the Slatkin recording is an amazing example of this. I remember when I first heard Elgar 2, it was a proms performance with the BBC Philharmonic/Sinaisky (a wonderful Elgarian!), and I was behind the orchestra in the choir seats, right next to the organ, so just imagine how amazing an experience it was for me, hearing Elgar 2 for the first time right next to the organ for the climax in the final movement.... I could feel the floor shaking with the vibrations from the spectacular Royal Albert Hall organ, it was an amazing experience.
My favourite Elgar 2s: Solti, Elder, both Boults, Slatkin, Handley....

Much thanks for your thoughts!

I am going to seek out another recording of the 2nd to get a different take, but I was deeply moved by my first listen to Elgar's 2nd, and can't wait to hear it a second time to get a better handle on it. There is so much beauty and the structure of this work is all so new all I can do is get taken by the current!

[Leo K.]

First I'm going to listen to the 1st again...wow, this work...it's incredible and just my cup of tea!

By the way, I've got the Bryden Thomson account with the LPO.

[Leo K.]

I understand completely. I first heard it when I was sixteen, and my response was something along the lines of 'My God, so this is what music can be ...' It remains, over 40 years later, the symphony I love most above all others. I feel as if it stamped its essence deeply and permanently inside me, once and for all.

Thanks Elgarian,

I played violin in my high school orchestra, and remember playing in graduating ceromonies, and the high point was playing a "Pomp and Circumstance" march by Elgar, and I was very moved by the music each time we practiced the work. It was memorable, and I don't know why I waited all these years to listen to more Elgar!

[71 dB]

I don't know why I waited all these years to listen to more Elgar!

Better later than never! 

Nice to read people finding Elgar's music and appreciating it.

[Lethevich]

What an intriguing painting - I was prompted to look it up, and it was by somebody I didn't know of until now. I like it when labels do that