Elgar's Hillside

[71 dB]

I think I have never heard Solti's Elgar. 

Does anyone own any of these recordings?

Only an earlier release of the Wand of Youth discs without Dream Children. Nice disc.

[Mirror Image]

I think I have never heard Solti's Elgar. 

Really? That's quite surprising.

I think you'll enjoy the raw Wagnerian energy Solti brings to Elgar, 71 dB. Some have commented throughout the Web that his approach to the music was quite vulgar, but Elgar needn't be performed like music from some kind of regal ceremony. But there are many listeners who enjoy Solti's interpretative choices and you can now count me as one of them. Of course, the LPO know Elgar so well and give superb performances.

[Mirror Image]

Got to Elgarian goodies in the mail today: the June 2007 issue of BBC Magazine celebrating 150 years of Elgar with none other than the man himself on the cover and A. Davis' recording with Paul Watkins performing the Cello Concerto on Chandos. Looking forward to digging into both of these.

[Mirror Image]

Listening to Solti rip the hell out of Symphony No. 2 at the moment. Glorious stuff indeed.

[71 dB]

Really? That's quite surprising.

I have 6 performances of Elgar's 1st and 7 of 2nd. I have feld I don't really need more performances but then again, the Solti twofer on Decca is very cheap...   

[Mirror Image]

I have 6 performances of Elgar's 1st and 7 recordings of 2nd. I have feld I don't really need more performances but then again, the Solti twofer on Decca is very cheap...   

Well, I'm an Elgar collector...I suppose, so I love having a lot of performances of the same works. Yeah, the Solti is very cheap. Definitely worth picking up. You may like these performances, but I can't guarantee that you will. I wasn't completely thrilling with them when I first heard them, but then my mind began to up at all the possibilities with Elgar's music that I was missing out on earlier. Slatkin and Solti are two Elgarians I've now come to finally appreciate.

[Mirror Image]

For anyone interested, I started a thread in the 'Opera and Vocal' section of the forum about Elgar's oratorios. Please feel free to comment on these works and maybe I can get some interest stirred up for dear ol' Eddie.

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,22689.msg770321.html#new

[TheGSMoeller]

I have 6 performances of Elgar's 1st and 7 of 2nd. I have feld I don't really need more performances but then again, the Solti twofer on Decca is very cheap...   

Go for the Solti, it's worth it. His swift tempos might be a little alarming if you're not use to them, but they are filled with incredible energy without losing any of the loveliness or subtleties. But I find Elgar's symphonies to be in a similar situation as Brahms' four, the music itself is so spectacular that it benefits greatly from a variety of interpretations.

[Mirror Image]

Go for the Solti, it's worth it. His swift tempos might be a little alarming if you're not use to them, but they are filled with incredible energy without losing any of the loveliness or subtleties. But I find Elgar's symphonies to be in a similar situation as Brahms' four, the music itself is so spectacular that it benefits greatly from a variety of interpretations.

Couldn't agree more, Greg. Such a myriad of moods and emotions to be found in this music that it's impossible to prefer just one conductor or even just to have one conductor's recordings of these works in your collection. If you love Elgar, then the more performances you have, the more you'll begin to be able to piece together the complexities of this astounding musical persona.

[Karl Henning]

Go for the Solti, it's worth it. His swift tempos might be a little alarming if you're not use to them, but they are filled with incredible energy without losing any of the loveliness or subtleties. But I find Elgar's symphonies to be in a similar situation as Brahms' four, the music itself is so spectacular that it benefits greatly from a variety of interpretations.

Mm, enjoying the samples of the Solti.

[Karl Henning]

The Presto of the Second is especially toothsome.

This thread remains a dangerous place . . . .

[Mirror Image]

The Presto of the Second is especially toothsome.

This thread remains a dangerous place . . . .

A dangerous place indeed. The more time I spend here, the more money I spend.

[Mirror Image]

Bought this last night:



Would definitely like to read any opinions of this version of The Spirit of England, although I don't really see this performance bettering Teresa Cahill/Alexander Gibson on Chandos, it will, nonetheless, be nice to have another performance of this highly underrated work.

[SonicMan46]

Yesterday, I opened up the cabinet w/ my British composer's CDs - decided to start exploring what I had of Elgar and was amazed that the only duplicated performances were of the Cello Concerto; just have the Previn Symphony twofer (quoted below in a post left moments ago in the listening thread) - I really love Previn's First, Second to a lesser extent; SO, looking back through some of the posts here, there seems to be a LOT more alternative recordings of these symphonic works - for you Elgarians, are these lists still valid or have some newer discs appeared on the market?  Thanks - Dave

Elgar, Edward - Cello Concerto w/ two different performers & Previn twofer w/ the Symphonies et al - now, I've had the latter probably since it's release in the mid-90s - really like the first disc, second not as successful to my ears? - Dave

   

[mc ukrneal]

Bought this last night:



Would definitely like to read any opinions of this version of The Spirit of England, although I don't really see this performance bettering Teresa Cahill/Alexander Gibson on Chandos, it will, nonetheless, be nice to have another performance of this highly underrated work.

AS you may remember from my earlier posts in discussion with Elgarian, it is my preferred version. It is a bit different though (in one particular aspect) and I don't want to ruin the surprise if you don't already know about it.

[Karl Henning]

He won't learn about the whoopie cushion from me!

(oops . . . .)

[Mirror Image]

He won't learn about the whoopie cushion from me!

(oops . . . .)

[Mirror Image]

AS you may remember from my earlier posts in discussion with Elgarian, it is my preferred version. It is a bit different though (in one particular aspect) and I don't want to ruin the surprise if you don't already know about it.

I know the middle movement To Women is sung by a tenor. I'm not aware of any other changes.

[mc ukrneal]

I know the middle movement To Women is sung by a tenor. I'm not aware of any other changes.

Yes. That is what I meant.

[Mirror Image]

Yes. That is what I meant.

Ah, okay. Well, it will be cool to have this version for that very fact, although, as I said, it's going to be very hard to shake off the impact Teresa Cahill has had on me in the Gibson performance, but you never know.