Elgar's Hillside

[TheGSMoeller]

Forgive me for quoting myself in full above, but I now have another response to this late live recording of the 1st Symphony under Boult. It's now been reviewed in Gramophone, and is listed among their top choices for the month: 'a traversal of towering perception, possessing an edge-of-seat thrust, entrancing wholeness of vision and extraordinary emotional candour. ... Absolutely not to be missed'. I must say I find this quite reassuring: I have myself considered it to be possibly the finest of the performances I know (I own it in its previous incarnation when it was given away with BBC Music Magazine), and have wondered whether that was just a personal idiosyncratic view. Well, first the Elgar Society reviewer, and now Gramophone, tell me: not so.

Just found this on Spotify, excited for a listen. Who knows, I could always use a ninth recording of Elgar's no.1, especially if it's that good. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Sold! To the man in, the flannel pajamas 

I started with the second movement, kinda of on accident but just rolled with it. This performance's tempo is as brisk as I've ever heard, and although I prefer my 2nd Symphony much broader in scope, I've always found the 1st Symphony, or at least the majority of the 1st to succeed at a quicker pace. The swift third movement flows beautifully and the final movement packs a real punch, so very well done. The audience's reaction is priceless, makes one dream of being able to witness it with your own eyes.
Thanks for posting, Alan.

[Elgarian]

Sold! To the man in, the flannel pajamas 

I started with the second movement, kinda of on accident but just rolled with it. This performance's tempo is as brisk as I've ever heard, and although I prefer my 2nd Symphony much broader in scope, I've always found the 1st Symphony, or at least the majority of the 1st to succeed at a quicker pace. The swift third movement flows beautifully and the final movement packs a real punch, so very well done. The audience's reaction is priceless, makes one dream of being able to witness it with your own eyes.
Thanks for posting, Alan.

I'm relieved to hear that it went well! Recommending stuff can sometimes be an anxious process, as there are times when one simply isn't sure of one's ground beyond one's own personal response - particularly when (as here) there's no shortage of excellent performances of the work to choose from. Hoorah!

[TheGSMoeller]

I'm relieved to hear that it went well! Recommending stuff can sometimes be an anxious process, as there are times when one simply isn't sure of one's ground beyond one's own personal response - particularly when (as here) there's no shortage of excellent performances of the work to choose from. Hoorah!

Very true, but if you feel this passionate about something, chances are the reason for that is justified and sharing the experience with others just amplifies your own. I've recommended my share of duds and then returned to them and wonder "what the hell is wrong with that person, this recording is wonderful!" 
Plus, how can you argue with Boult, BBC Symphony, the Proms, Elgar's 1st...such a delicious combination.

[Elgarian]

Plus, how can you argue with Boult, BBC Symphony, the Proms, Elgar's 1st...such a delicious combination.

That's a good clincher, Greg! I also like the idea that, close to the end, all that lifetime of experience paid off and Boult nailed the symphony so completely on a notable public occasion and it was recorded.

[Vesteralen]

Well, I tried again and this time I found it on Amazon.  (The fewer the words in the search, the better the results, apparently). 

Anyway, it's a bit pricey.  But, I miss my old Boult LP of this symphony, and it sounds like this live performance may be the way to go.

[TheGSMoeller]

Well, I tried again and this time I found it on Amazon.  (The fewer the words in the search, the better the results, apparently). 

Anyway, it's a bit pricey.  But, I miss my old Boult LP of this symphony, and it sounds like this live performance may be the way to go.

If you're cool with MP3s it's available on iTunes for $7.99.

[Vesteralen]

If you're cool with MP3s it's available on iTunes for $7.99.

It took me 10 years to buy my first CD.   

At this stage, the only thing I have is a stereo that has a spot to plug in an MP3 player.  By the time I get my first player, they will probably be two years from obsolescence. 

[kishnevi]

It took me 10 years to buy my first CD.   

At this stage, the only thing I have is a stereo that has a spot to plug in an MP3 player.  By the time I get my first player, they will probably be two years from obsolescence. 

How about a decent pair of headphones, which you can plug into your computer (that seems to improve the computer sound immeasurably).   Your computer will play MP3 files easily (with Windows Media Player if nothing else).

[Vesteralen]

How about a decent pair of headphones, which you can plug into your computer (that seems to improve the computer sound immeasurably).   Your computer will play MP3 files easily (with Windows Media Player if nothing else).

Sounds like a good idea.  But, since I do most of my listening at work (where I can't wear headphones) or driving, I might have to wait for a life-style change first. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Been doing a lot of comparisons with my Elgar Symphony recordings lately, wondering if I'm missing any that you might consider as must own. Here's my collection so far...

No.1 - A.Davis, Solti, Sinopoli, Tate, Slatkin, Barbirolli, Zinman, Previn, Boult (EMI), Boult (Live)
No.2 - A.Davis, Solti, Sinopoli, Tate, Slatkin, Barbirolli, Elder, C.Davis (LSOLive)
No.3 - Daniel, C.Davis (LSOLive)

I'm actually trying to figure out which ones I find to be the best in the lot. It's a tough task, as somedays I find Sinopoli's operatic Elgar too epic to be compared, or need only Slatkin's massive-sounding and dark textured presentation (the second movement Allegro Molto of no.1 clocks in at 6:31 and is quite fierce)...but recent purchases of Previn's 1st and Solti's dual recordings, and Boult's live no.1 have me going back for another updated comparison. Curious as to some of your choices for top recordings, spark some more conversation of these remarkable pieces and possibly even dissect what elements interest you the most.

Thanks in advance for any comments, friends. 

[Elgarian]

Been doing a lot of comparisons with my Elgar Symphonies recordings lately, wondering if I'm missing any that you might consider as must own. Here's my collection so far...

No.1 - A.Davis, Solti, Sinopoli, Tate, Slatkin, Barbirolli, Zinman, Previn, Boult (EMI), Boult (Live)
No.2 - A.Davis, Solti, Sinopoli, Tate, Slatkin, Barbirolli, Elder, C.Davis (LSOLive)
No.3 - Daniel, C.Davis (LSOLive)

I'm actually trying to figure out which ones I find to be the best in the lot. It's a tough task, as somedays I find Sinopoli's operatic Elgar too epic to be compared, or need only Slatkin's massive-sounding and dark texture presentation (the second movement Allegro Molto of no.1 clocks in at 6:31 and is quite fierce)...but recent purchases of Previn's 1st and Solti's dual recordings, and Boult's live no.1 have me going back for another updated comparison. Curious as to some of your choices for top recordings, spark some more conversation of these remarkable pieces and possibly even dissect what elements interest you the most.

Thanks in advance for any comments, friends.

You have quite a lot more than I have, though there's a lot of overlap. The most important difference would be the presence of Elgar's own conducted versions in my list:

No.1 - A.Davis, Slatkin, Barbirolli, C.Davis (LSO Live), Boult (EMI), Boult (Live), Elgar
No.2 - A.Davis, Slatkin, Barbirolli, C.Davis (LSO Live), Boult (EMI), Elgar
No.3 - Daniel, C.Davis (LSO Live)

It's going to sound feebly PC, but I've never really been able to establish a 'best version', beyond my rather vague mumblings about the wonderful late live Boult recording that I've already posted here. Apart from that, put a gun to my head, and I'd probably vote for the well-known, tried and tested EMI Boult recordings, on the grounds that I don't think anyone has understood Elgar's concept of 'nobilmente' quite so well as Boult.

But that said, I've listened completely entranced to every one of those recordings in my list and wouldn't want to lose any of them. I remember in particular one summer evening, in a camping car at the foot of the Malvern Hills, listening to Slatkin's 1st and thinking it was simply perfect. I remember a few years later, one rainy morning in a cottage snuggled into the west side of the Malverns, sitting by a window looking towards Elgar's beloved Birchwood, listening to a whole boxful of Andrew Davis (including the two symphonies) and believing that I could be content with these performances alone, and that others were just a luxury extra. If I listen to Elgar himself conducting, I'm usually shocked by the fast pace, and wonder if I myself actually understand what 'nobilmente' means, after all.

It's quite odd. Given that Elgar's 1st is the symphony I love more than any other symphony by anyone, anywhere, I'd have thought I might have accumulated a lot more recordings of it, but not so. I seem to be perfectly happy with these seven. I'm not sure I can define the differences between them. Certainly I've never played two versions back to back to compare them directly. What I most enjoy is simply forgetting the others except for the one I'm listening to here and now. Which all makes for a very unsatisfactory response to your interesting post, Greg! My apologies.

[Karl Henning]

Cor, you're up late, Alan!

[Elgarian]

Cor, you're up late, Alan!

Had to get out of bed, Karl, with an upset stomach, and was too uncomfortable to go back to sleep. I think (hope) matters have subsided now... G'night all.

[Karl Henning]

Sweet dreams!

[TheGSMoeller]

You have quite a lot more than I have, though there's a lot of overlap. The most important difference would be the presence of Elgar's own conducted versions in my list:

No.1 - A.Davis, Slatkin, Barbirolli, C.Davis (LSO Live), Boult (EMI), Boult (Live), Elgar
No.2 - A.Davis, Slatkin, Barbirolli, C.Davis (LSO Live), Boult (EMI), Elgar
No.3 - Daniel, C.Davis (LSO Live)

It's going to sound feebly PC, but I've never really been able to establish a 'best version', beyond my rather vague mumblings about the wonderful late live Boult recording that I've already posted here. Apart from that, put a gun to my head, and I'd probably vote for the well-known, tried and tested EMI Boult recordings, on the grounds that I don't think anyone has understood Elgar's concept of 'nobilmente' quite so well as Boult.

But that said, I've listened completely entranced to every one of those recordings in my list and wouldn't want to lose any of them. I remember in particular one summer evening, in a camping car at the foot of the Malvern Hills, listening to Slatkin's 1st and thinking it was simply perfect. I remember a few years later, one rainy morning in a cottage snuggled into the west side of the Malverns, sitting by a window looking towards Elgar's beloved Birchwood, listening to a whole boxful of Andrew Davis (including the two symphonies) and believing that I could be content with these performances alone, and that others were just a luxury extra. If I listen to Elgar himself conducting, I'm usually shocked by the fast pace, and wonder if I myself actually understand what 'nobilmente' means, after all.

It's quite odd. Given that Elgar's 1st is the symphony I love more than any other symphony by anyone, anywhere, I'd have thought I might have accumulated a lot more recordings of it, but not so. I seem to be perfectly happy with these seven. I'm not sure I can define the differences between them. Certainly I've never played two versions back to back to compare them directly. What I most enjoy is simply forgetting the others except for the one I'm listening to here and now. Which all makes for a very unsatisfactory response to your interesting post, Greg! My apologies.

Spotify has many recordings of Elgar conducting available and it certainly makes for interesting and enjoyable listening. I'm not always one to think that a composer performing/conducting their own work is always the proper performance, and in Elgar's case just about every piece of his own he conducted is much swifter than any other recorded version.
The music from no.1 and no.2 work well under contrasting styles, Solti's haste compared to the much broader strokes of Sinopoli and Tate offer polar but effective performances, but all aided by Elgar's genius that seems to work at any tempi.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Alan. Sorry to read about your upset stomach, hope you feel better.

[madaboutmahler]

Been doing a lot of comparisons with my Elgar Symphony recordings lately, wondering if I'm missing any that you might consider as must own. Here's my collection so far...

No.1 - A.Davis, Solti, Sinopoli, Tate, Slatkin, Barbirolli, Zinman, Previn, Boult (EMI), Boult (Live)
No.2 - A.Davis, Solti, Sinopoli, Tate, Slatkin, Barbirolli, Elder, C.Davis (LSOLive)
No.3 - Daniel, C.Davis (LSOLive)

I'm actually trying to figure out which ones I find to be the best in the lot. It's a tough task, as somedays I find Sinopoli's operatic Elgar too epic to be compared, or need only Slatkin's massive-sounding and dark textured presentation (the second movement Allegro Molto of no.1 clocks in at 6:31 and is quite fierce)...but recent purchases of Previn's 1st and Solti's dual recordings, and Boult's live no.1 have me going back for another updated comparison. Curious as to some of your choices for top recordings, spark some more conversation of these remarkable pieces and possibly even dissect what elements interest you the most.

Thanks in advance for any comments, friends.

Like Alan (hope you are feeling better now too!), I find it difficult to decide which performances of the symphonies I would call 'the best', although I do have several favourites.

Here are the recordings I own, I have highlighted the ones I particularly love over the others:
no.1: Solti, Elder, A.Davis, C.Davis, Hurst, Boult (EMI), Boult (Lyrita), Barbirolli, Sinopoli, Handley
no.2: Solti, Elder, A.Davis, C.Davis, Boult (EMI), Boult (Lyrita), Downes, Barbirolli, Sinopoli, Elgar, Handley, Slatkin
no.3: C.Davis, Daniel

So, overall I imagine that my three favourites would be Solti, Elder and the EMI Boult. However, I do need to listen to quite a few of these again, Sinopoli's, Barbirolli's, Handley's and Elgar's own mainly.

As to ones that I would highly recommend to you, Downes recording of no.2 is absolutely outstanding. One of my favourites for that symphony.

Glad to see you enjoying the Elgar symphonies so much, Greg!

[TheGSMoeller]

Like Alan (hope you are feeling better now too!), I find it difficult to decide which performances of the symphonies I would call 'the best', although I do have several favourites.

Here are the recordings I own, I have highlighted the ones I particularly love over the others:
no.1: Solti, Elder, A.Davis, C.Davis, Hurst, Boult (EMI), Boult (Lyrita), Barbirolli, Sinopoli, Handley
no.2: Solti, Elder, A.Davis, C.Davis, Boult (EMI), Boult (Lyrita), Downes, Barbirolli, Sinopoli, Elgar, Handley, Slatkin
no.3: C.Davis, Daniel

So, overall I imagine that my three favourites would be Solti, Elder and the EMI Boult. However, I do need to listen to quite a few of these again, Sinopoli's, Barbirolli's, Handley's and Elgar's own mainly.

As to ones that I would highly recommend to you, Downes recording of no.2 is absolutely outstanding. One of my favourites for that symphony.

Glad to see you enjoying the Elgar symphonies so much, Greg!

No.1 and Enigma have been orchestral highlights for over a decade to me, until several years ago I came across Sinopoli's No.2, it was my first listen to that piece, I was taken back by the experience and felt as if I was discovering Elgar's masterpiece, then preceded to slap myself silly for waiting so long (I've since healed from that beating).

I agree with you and Alan, it is difficult to choose a greatest as each recording is unique and highly effective, in fact, there's not one I own I don't enjoy listening to.

I do need to spend more time with No.3, I have an intense phobia of unfinished works completed by other composers (Ives Universe, Mahler's 10th,...)

Thanks for the chat, Daniel.

[madaboutmahler]

No.1 and Enigma have been orchestral highlights for over a decade to me, until several years ago I came across Sinopoli's No.2, it was my first listen to that piece, I was taken back by the experience and felt as if I was discovering Elgar's masterpiece, then preceded to slap myself silly for waiting so long (I've since healed from that beating).

I agree with you and Alan, it is difficult to choose a greatest as each recording is unique and highly effective, in fact, there's not one I own I don't enjoy listening to.

I do need to spend more time with No.3, I have an intense phobia of unfinished works completed by other composers (Ives Universe, Mahler's 10th,...)

Thanks for the chat, Daniel.

I think it was actually the 3rd that I got to know and love first!! Then in the year after, I saw both 1 and 2 live concert (1 was Philharmonia/Ashkenazy, the 2nd was BBCPO/Sinaisky) and they both became instant favourites to me. All three of them are still some of my absolute favourite works ever written.
That's understandable - I do hope you enjoy it though, it really is such a great work. No, it does not sound 100% Elgar all the time, but it does give us the chance to experience his thoughts towards the end of his life, and there are many really magical, special moments. A really great piece which I personally love extremely much!   

[Sergeant Rock]

Although I have favorite performances, I could be happy with any of the twentysome versions (of 1 & 2) I own. The music is superb, and everyone does it proud. One thing I look for in the First is whether the struggle for the Nobilmente theme to gain ascendancy in the last movement is fought on an epic scale, the struggle palpable. More than the others, Slatkin, Previn and Boult (EMI) make me feel there's a real battle going on here. (I don't remember who recommended Slatkin last year, but thank you: you were right on  Glorious performance with a blistering Scherzo.)

With the Second I like a performance that takes me into the abyss and I've found the slower the journey the darker the journey (with the exception of Svetlanov whose first movement ride even outpaces Elgar own performance...it's wild and compelling). Sinopoli's "Brucknerian" pacing is ideal.

Boult's live performance with the BBC I haven't heard yet. I bought it several months ago but then promptly lost it in one of my many piles of CDs that are begging for shelf space. I'll have to dig it out soon.

What I have: favorites in bold.

SYMPHONY #1

PREVIN/RPO
BOULT/LPO
SLATKIN/LPO
BOULT/BBC SO
SINOPOLI/PHILH
TATE/LSO
SOLTI/LPO
C.DAVIS/LSO
BARBIROLLI/PHILHARMONIA
ELDER/HALLÉ
BARENBOIM/LPO


SYMPHONY #2

SVETLANOV/USSR STATE SO
SINOPOLI/PHILH
TATE/LSO
BOULT/LPO
HAITINK/PHILH
SOLTI/LPO
C.DAVIS/LSO
ELGAR/LSO
BARBIROLLI/HALLÉ
DOWNES/BBC PHIL
SLATKIN/LPO

SYMPHONY #3

DANIEL/BOURNEMOUTH
C.DAVIS/LSO