Elgar's Hillside

[71 dB]

Something unexpected, this arrived today. I've thrown it on and it sounds...pretty wonderful. I can see why Elgarian is less enthused with the singing - it does not have the same weightiness (best word I could come up with). But it is beautiful singing and I suspect this may characterize her portion if she sings this way throughout. There is a purity to the voice that I find appealing. The orchestra and chorus are marvellous, and hit all the right notes (so to speak). So far, I am enjoying this thoroughly. I'll wait a while to listen a few times and see if I have the same reaction over time (and once I've had some time with it).

That's maybe it. Lott's singing may lack something compared to Cahill but solid orchestral playing makes it up.

[Mirror Image]

That's maybe it. Lott's singing may lack something compared to Cahill but solid orchestral playing makes it up.

I've come to accept that every performance, unless just generally poor (out-of-tune orchestral playing, muddled up dynamics), will offer the listener a new perspective of some kind. With works like The Spirit of England, we have to take the performances we can get since it's seldom recorded.

[Mirror Image]

More Elgar this time from Haitink:





All bought with Christmas money.

[Mirror Image]

I listened to The Spirit of England earlier and I thought it was a great work. I can understand why Elgarian enjoys it so much. As with any work that is new to me, I'm definitely going to have to listen to it again. Davis' new Starlight Express recording is something that I'm definitely going to be listening to very soon. I listened to a little bit of the first disc on my stereo and it sounds great. I'm going through my Gibson Elgar recordings that I bought right now.

[Mirror Image]

Just finished this one moments ago:



Really a fantastic recording. The Enigma Variations was especially well-played. The Nimrod movement was handled beautifully. One can tell that Andrew Davis loves this music with all his heart. This isn't just another performance of these works. This recording was made with a lot of care. In the South and Serenade for Strings also received superlative performances. The audio quality is top-notch. Warm, clear, and just enough resonance to give you the impression that this, indeed, was a live recording.

On another note, I watched the documentary on the Andrew Davis DVD of Enigma Variations (haven't watched the actual concert yet) and I have to say I liked it. Is it one of the most profound things I've ever seen on a composer's work? No, absolutely not, but it was enjoyable. Despite Elgarian's objections to some of the visual aspects of the documentary, I still found it satisfactory and informative. Whether one knows the history of this masterpiece or not, doesn't really matter in the end, I enjoyed the program. Andrew Davis is a very good host as well. Quite articulate and doesn't bounce about like some kind of ego-driven maniac. He's down-to-earth and approachable, which helped make the documentary enjoyable for me.

[Mirror Image]

About to re-listen to Gibson's The Spirit of England performance.

[TheGSMoeller]

On another note, I watched the documentary on the Andrew Davis DVD of Enigma Variations (haven't watched the actual concert yet) and I have to say I liked it. Is it one of the most profound things I've ever seen on a composer's work? No, absolutely not, but it was enjoyable. Despite Elgarian's objections to some of the visual aspects of the documentary, I still found it satisfactory and informative. Whether one knows the history of this masterpiece or not, doesn't really matter in the end, I enjoyed the program. Andrew Davis is a very good host as well. Quite articulate and doesn't bounce about like some kind of ego-driven maniac. He's down-to-earth and approachable, which helped make the documentary enjoyable for me.

Cool, John. I'm interested in the documentary, sounds intriguing. And nice description of Davis, sounds similar to the first hand accounts I been told.

[Mirror Image]

Cool, John. I'm interested in the documentary, sounds intriguing. And nice description of Davis, sounds similar to the first hand accounts I been told.

I believe you'll like it, Greg. It's very well handled, unlike many composer documentaries I've seen (i. e. Tony Palmer's RVW film). I'm surprised someone hasn't posted it on YouTube yet.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Now this is interesting: apparently there's a Soviet performance of Gerontius, made in 1983 and issued on Melodiya LPs, sung in Russian and conducted by Svetlanov.

What I find particularly fascinating is the notion of the atheistic Soviet gov't subsidizing this Catholic oratorio. Does anyone know the story behind this one?

[Mirror Image]

Now this is interesting: apparently there's a Soviet performance of Gerontius, made in 1983 and issued on Melodiya LPs, sung in Russian and conducted by Svetlanov.

What I find particularly fascinating is the notion of the atheistic Soviet gov't subsidizing this Catholic oratorio. Does anyone know the story behind this one?

A Russian Gerontius? Well why not? I've heard of stranger things. Svetlanov is an excellent conductor, so I imagine the performance is an intense one.

[71 dB]

The only Andrew Davis I have is the Third Symphony (BBC Symphony Orchestra) on NMC label.

Often I don't have the most talked about recordings on this forum but since I have quite a lot of Elgar, I have several performances of many of his works. As I have said I am not into comparing performances. Too many options just make live complex...

I have these (+ 2 performances of solo piano version) of Enigma Variations:

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / George Hurst / Naxos 8.553564
London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult / EMI
Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir John Barbirolli / EMI
Royal Albert Hall Orchestra / Edward Elgar / Naxos 8.111022
CSR Symphony Orchestra / Adrian Leaper / Naxos 8.550229
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin / RCA
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra / Zubin Mehta / Belart (Decca)

I don't even know how to rate these! What is the best performance of these? And the worst? How to compare a historically super-interesting Elgar's own version with more recent performances with superior sound quality? I am not sure I even want to ask these questions because it takes my time from more interesting things. While I write this I can't compose my modernisized "computer music version" of Handel's "Largo" or read the books Santaclaus brought me...     

Do I really need Andrew Davies' Enigma? Most people on this planet will never hear any performance of that work. They can live their life happily in ignorance...

[71 dB]

What I find particularly fascinating is the notion of the atheistic Soviet gov't subsidizing this Catholic oratorio. Does anyone know the story behind this one?

Well, I am strongly an atheist but religious content of classical music doesn't bother me at all.

[Elgarian]

Despite Elgarian's objections to some of the visual aspects of the documentary, I still found it satisfactory and informative.

'Objections' is maybe a bit strong. It was things like having the roller skater zooming about the place that I didn't much like - I found it an unnecessary distraction. But Andrew Davis is certainly a very personable presenter of the material, and those aspects are fine.

[Elgarian]

I have these (+ 2 performances of solo piano version) of Enigma Variations:

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / George Hurst / Naxos 8.553564
London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult / EMI
Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir John Barbirolli / EMI
Royal Albert Hall Orchestra / Edward Elgar / Naxos 8.111022
CSR Symphony Orchestra / Adrian Leaper / Naxos 8.550229
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin / RCA
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra / Zubin Mehta / Belart (Decca)

I don't even know how to rate these! What is the best performance of these? And the worst? How to compare a historically super-interesting Elgar's own version with more recent performances with superior sound quality? I am not sure I even want to ask these questions because it takes my time from more interesting things. While I write this I can't compose my modernisized "computer music version" of Handel's "Largo" or read the books Santaclaus brought me...     

Do I really need Andrew Davies' Enigma? Most people on this planet will never hear any performance of that work. They can live their life happily in ignorance...

Faced with a collection like that, I'd ask the same questions - and indeed for several decades I've been perfectly content with the recordings of Enigma that I have (including Andrew Davis). But then last year I heard Monteux for the first time - this one, on Decca Eloquence:



My earlier comments on it are here, from last October:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,3503.msg666345.html#msg666345

It knocked all my preconceptions about Enigma into a cocked hat. Monteux is so delicately responsive to Elgar's idiom, so sensitive to the shifts from one variation to another, that this immediately became my number one recommendation. Listening to Andrew Davis afterwards was a shock - it seemed to miss so many of the subtleties that Monteux finds. If you haven't heard it, I can strongly recommend giving it a go.

[71 dB]

But then last year I heard Monteux for the first time.

This performance seems to be done in 1971. How come does it take 40 years for an Elgarian like you to find such a "magical" performance? This is what I don't undertand about classical music. Why are the pearls hidden? If that performance really is THAT good, why aren't everybody raving about it like you are? The performance has had 40 years to gain admiration and reputation!



Btw, not exited about the Dvorak 7th paring... 

It knocked all my preconceptions about Enigma into a cocked hat. Monteux is so delicately responsive to Elgar's idiom, so sensitive to the shifts from one variation to another, that this immediately became my number one recommendation. Listening to Andrew Davis afterwards was a shock - it seemed to miss so many of the subtleties that Monteux finds. If you haven't heard it, I can strongly recommend giving it a go.

Thanks for this recommendation. I'll "take a note" for the future. 

[Karl Henning]

. . . very well handled, unlike many composer documentaries I've seen (i. e. Tony Palmer's RVW film).

Actually, I thought that very good.

[Karl Henning]

Btw, not exited about the Dvorak 7th paring... 

You shouldn't be! What are they going to cut?

To pare: To remove the outer covering or skin of with a knife or similar instrument: pare apples.

[Karl Henning]

Thread duty:

To-day (and without neglecting the Shostakovich String Quartet Gala) I am revisiting (digging deeper into, really, for I've not been through the whole set yet) The Complete Electrical Recordings of Sir Edward Elgar.

[Mirror Image]

The only Andrew Davis I have is the Third Symphony (BBC Symphony Orchestra) on NMC label.

Often I don't have the most talked about recordings on this forum but since I have quite a lot of Elgar, I have several performances of many of his works. As I have said I am not into comparing performances. Too many options just make live complex...

I have these (+ 2 performances of solo piano version) of Enigma Variations:

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / George Hurst / Naxos 8.553564
London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult / EMI
Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir John Barbirolli / EMI
Royal Albert Hall Orchestra / Edward Elgar / Naxos 8.111022
CSR Symphony Orchestra / Adrian Leaper / Naxos 8.550229
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin / RCA
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra / Zubin Mehta / Belart (Decca)

I don't even know how to rate these! What is the best performance of these? And the worst? How to compare a historically super-interesting Elgar's own version with more recent performances with superior sound quality? I am not sure I even want to ask these questions because it takes my time from more interesting things. While I write this I can't compose my modernisized "computer music version" of Handel's "Largo" or read the books Santaclaus brought me...     

Do I really need Andrew Davies' Enigma? Most people on this planet will never hear any performance of that work. They can live their life happily in ignorance...

If you're opposed to having any more recordings of the Enigma Variations, then I don't think you need another one do you? I own many performances of this work and my opinion is the more the merrier. I love it that much. This newer one with Andrew Davis and the Philharmonia is worth having not only for the excellent performance of Enigma, but for In the South and Serenade for Strings. Everything is performed with great emotion from Davis. I think he's a better Elgarian than Colin Davis, but this is IMHO. Plus, you have the outstanding playing of the Philharmonia Orchestra, which are much better orchestra than Davis' earlier orchestra: the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Davis has recorded a lot of Elgar and many works two or three times, but I've never heard anything from him that wasn't inspired. I have a lot of Elgar now and have done a lot of comparing different works and I still stand behind my previous choices of conductors: Barbirolli, Boult, Andrew Davis, and Colin Davis, although Alexander Gibson is proving to be a good Elgarian as is Mark Elder.

As for your list above, how do you compare them? This isn't really a question I can answer as I don't know what you're looking for in the music, but judging from your list: Barbirolli and Boult are outstanding and two personal favorites of mine. I have not heard, or own, the Hurst, Leaper, Mehta, or Elgar's own performance. I don't like Slatkin's Elgar, but, I don't like Slatkin anyway.

[Mirror Image]

Faced with a collection like that, I'd ask the same questions - and indeed for several decades I've been perfectly content with the recordings of Enigma that I have (including Andrew Davis). But then last year I heard Monteux for the first time - this one, on Decca Eloquence:



My earlier comments on it are here, from last October:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,3503.msg666345.html#msg666345

It knocked all my preconceptions about Enigma into a cocked hat. Monteux is so delicately responsive to Elgar's idiom, so sensitive to the shifts from one variation to another, that this immediately became my number one recommendation. Listening to Andrew Davis afterwards was a shock - it seemed to miss so many of the subtleties that Monteux finds. If you haven't heard it, I can strongly recommend giving it a go.

Yes, Monteux is a fine one, but it's not the only performance that perks my ears up and touches me. Comparing Monteux and Andrew Davis is like apples and oranges. Both conductors couldn't be more different. It should be noted that Monteux is a highly detailed conductor and has recorded a lot of Impressionistic music like Debussy and Ravel. His Stravinsky Le Sacre du Printemps is also notable. His attention to the color and nuances are noteworthy and are what have made him a legend. But I wouldn't be without Andrew Davis either who always seems to play the work with nobility and really knows the work inside and out. The climaxes, the whole arch of the work, he has it down as well as any conductor before him. So I enjoy Monteux, but it's not the "to end all" performance of the Enigma.