Elgar's Hillside

[jfdrex]

Coming in February:



The prospect of another performance of The Spirit of England has me drooling. The other works look quite interesting as well.

Indeed!

Somehow I had assumed (without giving it much thought) that Andrew Davis had recorded the complete King Arthur score.  Obviously I must have been dreaming!

[Mirror Image]

Indeed!

Somehow I had assumed (without giving it much thought) that Andrew Davis had recorded the complete King Arthur score.  Obviously I must have been dreaming!

Hah! A word about The Spirit of England: I've heard all of the other performances of this work with the obvious exception of this new one coming out and nothing comes close to the feeling I get from the Teresa Cahill performance.

[71 dB]

Coming in February:



The prospect of another performance of The Spirit of England has me drooling. The other works look quite interesting as well.

Seems to be out already (29 Sep 2014) on Amazon. 

[Mirror Image]

Seems to be out already (29 Sep 2014) on Amazon. 

But not in the States.

[71 dB]

But not in the States.

Yeah, you probably save some money on shipping waiting for the local release. 

[Elgarian]

Coming in February:



The prospect of another performance of The Spirit of England has me drooling. The other works look quite interesting as well.

I've been away for quite a while, but wondered if this new recording of The Spirit of England might have generated a bit of discussion, so thought I'd pop in to see.

I've loved this piece for many years and have written about it a lot on this forum (see my earlier posts in this Elgar thread). The Spirit of England has for a long time been terribly overlooked and under-rated, but because of the WW1 remembrances there have actually been some live performances of it during 2014, and now comes this new recording. As one of my most-loved Elgar works, it was an obvious and immediate purchase for me.

Of the previously available recordings, one stands head and shoulders above the rest, and I've banged on about it for years - the Alexander Gibson recording with Teresa Cahill as soloist. (Mirror Image mentions it in his post.) It's the kind of recording that is capable of significantly changing one's musical perceptions, and when I first listened to it many years ago, it did just that.

Now there are horses for courses, and there are all kinds of recordings that suit all kinds of people, and vive la difference, and all that.  But I must say that this new recording just doesn't do it for me. I can't comment on the technical aspects of the performance, but the whole feeling is somehow lightweight - surely, surely, not the approach one would expect for a work of this stature. To my ears there is a universe of difference between the soul-felt richness and nuanced power that Cahill brings to the soloist part, and the curiously light and airy performance of this new recording.

I'm not saying don't try it. It may suit other temperaments. But I suspect that the one listening I've already given my copy is all that it's likely to get. The Cahill/Gibson recording changed me in important ways when I first heard it. If I'd heard this recording instead, I think it would have made little impact on me. If you're going to try The Spirit of England, not having heard it before, then my suggestion is that this is not the place to start.

Happy new year to all my old chums, by the way!

[Mirror Image]

Elgarian! Welcome back (I hope)! Thanks for the mini-review. I think I'll save my money and not get the recording. I'm of course with you in thinking that Cahill/Gibson will never be bettered. That performance is stamped into my psyche forever.

In other Elgar news, it seems Andrew Davis is coming out with a recording of King Olaf in February. Are you, Elgarian, or anyone else excited about the prospect of getting a more modern reading of this little known work?

[71 dB]

Welcome back Elgarian! 

It's hard to keep up with all the releases. Cahill is Cahill. The new one has complete Arthur... 

[Moonfish]

How does the Hickox recording of "The Spirit of England" compare to Gibson's?

[asin] B000005GSB[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

How does the Hickox recording of "The Spirit of England" compare to Gibson's?

[asin] B000005GSB[/asin]

It doesn't compare. There, I said what had to be said.

[Moonfish]

It doesn't compare. There, I said what had to be said.

[Elgarian]

How does the Hickox recording of "The Spirit of England" compare to Gibson's?

[asin] B000005GSB[/asin]

Hard to pin down, and even harder to express, but the chief problem with it, for me, is that while Felicity Lott sings the soloist part beautifully enough as a series of notes, she somehow manages to sing the words as if they don't have any meaning. Or at least, they aren't invested with the gravitas and emotional weight that Cahill gives them. Just to compare the first line when the soloist comes in ('Spirit of England go before us') is enough to make the difference clear. Lott sings the word 'England' as if it were just another word. Cahill sings it with the whole force of Albion behind her.

[Mirror Image]

Hard to pin down, and even harder to express, but the chief problem with it, for me, is that while Felicity Lott sings the soloist part beautifully enough as a series of notes, she somehow manages to sing the words as if they don't have any meaning. Or at least, they aren't invested with the gravitas and emotional weight that Cahill gives them. Just to compare the first line when the soloist comes in ('Spirit of England go before us') is enough to make the difference clear. Lott sings the word 'England' as if it were just another word. Cahill sings it with the whole force of Albion behind her.

Absolutely agree with this, Elgarian. Lott, while a wonderful vocalist, doesn't actually feel this music whatsoever IMHO. I also don't think Hickox is actually quite attuned to it either, although he does get some great playing from the Northern Sinfonia. I just don't actually get goosebumps or chills from this performance like I do Carhill/Gibson. So many times what looks good on paper and what would seem like a dream match ends up being a disappointment. I had no knowledge of Cahill's singing prior to her masterful performance but I was well aware of Gibson's conducting, which I always admired. I have you to thank for pointing me, although indirectly, to this recording.

[Elgarian]

In other Elgar news, it seems Andrew Davis is coming out with a recording of King Olaf in February. Are you, Elgarian, or anyone else excited about the prospect of getting a more modern reading of this little known work?

Sorry I missed this question yesterday. I must confess King Olaf isn't one of my favourite Elgar works, so I'll be one of those who waits and sees, rather than plunging in with a purchase.

[71 dB]

How does the Hickox recording of "The Spirit of England" compare to Gibson's?

[asin] B000005GSB[/asin]

I bought/heard Hickox a decade before Gibson. Personally I didn't find Gibson (Cahill) that much better, but I'm minority on this it seems. I think I pay less attention to the singing and more attention to the orchestra than others. In other words, Hickox compares well imo. My opinion may change of course.

[Mirror Image]

Sorry I missed this question yesterday. I must confess King Olaf isn't one of my favourite Elgar works, so I'll be one of those who waits and sees, rather than plunging in with a purchase.

I'll probably wait and see as well, although I never heard King Olaf.

[Mirror Image]

I bought/heard Hickox a decade before Gibson. Personally I didn't find Gibson (Cahill) that much better, but I'm minority on this it seems. I think I pay less attention to the singing and more attention to the orchestra than others. In other words, Hickox compares well imo. My opinion may change of course.

Well, for me, I listen to the singing and how the orchestra accompanies the vocals since this work is categorized as a cantata. Don't worry about feeling in the minority about anything, 71 dB. I'm probably in the minority with how I feel about Boult's Elgar performances, which I characterized as "mannered and too refined."

[Elgarian]

although I never heard King Olaf.

I'd say if your expectations are quite low, there's a chance you might get a pleasant surprise. After all, it's a serious Elgar work and so to an Elgarian it can't be entirely devoid of interest. But I don't consider it to be anywhere near the stature of the neglected masterpiece that is The Spirit of England, and it doesn't have the epic sweep and rich tunefulness of Caractacus.

[Mirror Image]

I'd say if your expectations are quite low, there's a chance you might get a pleasant surprise. After all, it's a serious Elgar work and so to an Elgarian it can't be entirely devoid of interest. But I don't consider it to be anywhere near the stature of the neglected masterpiece that is The Spirit of England, and it doesn't have the epic sweep and rich tunefulness of Caractacus.

Well, I can always expect to enjoy Elgar's music. I don't think I've ever heard a work of his that didn't do anything for me. There's always something good to be found in his music whether it be a melody, rhythm, or a certain harmonic idea. BTW, have you heard Andrew Davis' new recording of Gerontius? It's coupled with Sea Pictures, which is a work I'm extremely biased about since I haven't heard a recorded performance that betters Baker/Barbirolli, so I remain skeptical about this new one.

[71 dB]

I'd say if your expectations are quite low, there's a chance you might get a pleasant surprise. After all, it's a serious Elgar work and so to an Elgarian it can't be entirely devoid of interest. But I don't consider it to be anywhere near the stature of the neglected masterpiece that is The Spirit of England, and it doesn't have the epic sweep and rich tunefulness of Caractacus.

The Spirit of England and King Olaf are so different kind of works that I wouldn't compare them, but King Olaf and Caractacus can be compared with ease and of course Caractacus is better of these two. That said, King Olaf has it's charm to us Elgarians as you said.