Elgar's Hillside

[Moonfish]

Elgar: Cello Concerto          Sol Gabetta/Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Denève

I have never encountered Gabetta before so listening to my favorite cello concerto was definitely a treat. This performance does not fall in the top tier as far as the orchestra is concerned. It seems like Gabetta and the ensemble are not synchronized at times. Regardless, Gabetta is definitely charismatic and passionate as a performer so it was great watching this performance. Is her recording of Elgar's concerto on cd similar?

https://www.youtube.com/v/nN0E6AupTBw

[Mirror Image]

Peter, I can't say I was particularly taken with Gabetta's performance (on record) of Elgar's Cello Concerto, but, then again, she's up against du Pre and that performance is forever imprinted in my mind. Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of the work and, like I believe 71 dB or Elgarian said, I'm more of an admirer of the Violin Concerto.

[Moonfish]

Peter, I can't say I was particularly taken with Gabetta's performance (on record) of Elgar's Cello Concerto, but, then again, she's up against du Pre and that performance is forever imprinted in my mind. Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of the work and, like I believe 71 dB or Elgarian said, I'm more of an admirer of the Violin Concerto.

I partially get charmed watching a live performance. Gabetta and her cello seem intertwined as a unique entity as it unfolds the concerto!

[Moonfish]

Elgar: The Spirit of England Op. 80        Cahill/Collins/Rolfe-Johnson/Howell/Scottish National Orchestra and Chorus [Currie]/Gibson

I drove home this evening while blasting "The Spirit of England". Cahill's voice must have tempered the minds of all my fellow commuters as she brought Elgar's light to our commuter darkness.  0:)     Such a great recording!

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[71 dB]

Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of the Cello Concerto and, like I believe 71 dB or Elgarian said, I'm more of an admirer of the Violin Concerto.

The first performance of the Cello Concerto I heard was Kliegel on Naxos and it feld too different (austere) from the Violin Concerto. I was a bit surprised as I knew the Cello Concerto is one of Elgar's most popular works. Later I bought du Pré/Barbirolli and heard a more 'energetic' performance of the work. I think I have learned to appreciate the Cello Concerto more over the years, but the Violin Concerto is still a superior work of the two for me.

[knight66]

Elgar: The Spirit of England Op. 80        Cahill/Collins/Rolfe-Johnson/Howell/Scottish National Orchestra and Chorus [Currie]/Gibson

I drove home this evening while blasting "The Spirit of England". Cahill's voice must have tempered the minds of all my fellow commuters as she brought Elgar's light to our commuter darkness.  0:)     Such a great recording!

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I have lots of memories of making that recording, I was in Choir. We were all thrilled to the soles of our feet hearing Cahill soaring in the generous acoustic of Paisley Abbey. But Although we had rehearsed the Anthem's sections, I was stunned when I heard the orchestra for the first time as the setting of Land of Hope and Glory started up. We had a terrific pianist in rehearsal who could sound like a whole orchestra, but even he could not compete with that experience in that building. It was really thrilling and we did not mind at all repeating sections. In fact, the overall rehearsals had been scant and we had to be at the top of our game to provide what we did.

Mike

[knight66]

I bought the BBC Music Mag for March 15. It has Boulez on the front. The April 15 will have a CD on it including Bax, Stanford......and a recording of Elgar's Sea Pictures. No hints have been provided as to performers.

Mike

[Karl Henning]

Back-of-the-envelope impression of The Crown of India:  In his liner notes, Andrew Neill does not shy from citing Nalini Ghuman's description of the masque as a profoundly embarrassing piece.  Which is probably technically (or, politically) correct.

Musically, there is nothing to embarrass Elgar at all;  I find it thoroughly enjoyable, and often exquisite.  Those of us who enjoy (say) Prokofiev's Cantata for the 20^th Anniversary of the October Revolution and the Shostakovich Second & Third Symphonies in spite of the embarrassing texts will find no musical offense here, barring any aversion to melodrama.

[TheGSMoeller]

Back-of-the-envelope impression of The Crown of India:  In his liner notes, Andrew Neill does not shy from citing Nalini Ghuman's description of the masque as a profoundly embarrassing piece.  Which is probably technically (or, politically) correct.

Musically, there is nothing to embarrass Elgar at all;  I find it thoroughly enjoyable, and often exquisite.  Those of us who enjoy (say) Prokofiev's Cantata for the 20^th Anniversary of the October Revolution and the Shostakovich Second & Third Symphonies in spite of the embarrassing texts will find no musical offense here, barring any aversion to melodrama.

You had me at Prokofiev's Cantata.

Thank you for your thoughts, Karl.

[André]

I have lots of memories of making that recording, I was in Choir. We were all thrilled to the soles of our feet hearing Cahill soaring in the generous acoustic of Paisley Abbey. But Although we had rehearsed the Anthem's sections, I was stunned when I heard the orchestra for the first time as the setting of Land of Hope and Glory started up. We had a terrific pianist in rehearsal who could sound like a whole orchestra, but even he could not compete with that experience in that building. It was really thrilling and we did not mind at all repeating sections. In fact, the overall rehearsals had been scant and we had to be at the top of our game to provide what we did.

Mike

I have that recording... fantastic memories, Mike !!

[Hiker]

My thanks to Elgarian and other forum members for making this such an interesting and enlightening thread. It has prompted me to explore Elgar's work and unearth some nuggets other than his cello concerto.

[knight66]

I have that recording... fantastic memories, Mike !!

Thanks Andre.

Mike

[André]

Discs 16 and 17 of the Boult Box. In the South, Froissart, Falstaff, Enigma, P&C. That 1955 Falstaff is terrific: playing, interpretation, even sound - everything sizzles here. The P&C are perfunctorily played, not a match for the later, sunnier version. Enigma is excellent, with Boult's longest, most drawn out Nimrod (almost 2minutes faster than his 1930s version).

[Mirror Image]

My thanks to Elgarian and other forum members for making this such an interesting and enlightening thread. It has prompted me to explore Elgar's work and unearth some nuggets other than his cello concerto.

Don't think I've ever seen you on this forum before. Welcome fellow Elgarian!

[Moonfish]

Elgar passed away today Feb 23rd back in 1934 (81 years ago). I am thankful for his musical legacy and thought that his 'Sospiri' would be an appropriate way to begin the day. I think I am going to listen to plenty of Elgar today!   0:)

LSO/Hickox

https://www.youtube.com/v/1btcxeRj47Q

[Elgarian]

My thanks to Elgarian and other forum members for making this such an interesting and enlightening thread. It has prompted me to explore Elgar's work and unearth some nuggets other than his cello concerto.

What a nice thing to say. Thanks. We've had a lot of good companionship in this thread over the years.

[Elgarian]

I have lots of memories of making that recording, I was in Choir. We were all thrilled to the soles of our feet hearing Cahill soaring in the generous acoustic of Paisley Abbey. But Although we had rehearsed the Anthem's sections, I was stunned when I heard the orchestra for the first time as the setting of Land of Hope and Glory started up. We had a terrific pianist in rehearsal who could sound like a whole orchestra, but even he could not compete with that experience in that building. It was really thrilling and we did not mind at all repeating sections. In fact, the overall rehearsals had been scant and we had to be at the top of our game to provide what we did.

Mike

Helene Hanff used to talk about the special quality of 'i-was-there' books, and here we have an equivalent - the 'i-was-there' post! What a fantastic recording to have been part of, Mike. It enriched my life very significantly, that's for sure.

[Elgarian]

Elgar passed away today Feb 23rd back in 1934 (81 years ago). I am thankful for his musical legacy and thought that his 'Sospiri' would be an appropriate way to begin the day. I think I am going to listen to plenty of Elgar today!

One of the wonderful things about art of any kind - in this case music - is that it permits a special kind of communication between listener and artist that isn't possible any other way, even though the energy can only flow one way (from musician to listener). For me there's been a special personal sympathy involved in the case of Elgar for over 50 years. I've saturated myself in his music for so long that he's like a constant companion, ever present, influencing the way I experience the English landscape no less strongly than a painter might do (eg Constable, Turner, Palmer etc). Those famous quotes about 'the trees singing my music, or are they singing mine?', and his talking to the orchestra about 'playing this like something you heard down by the river' are spot on. I find it really can feel like that. Cezanne talked about painting as a 'harmony parallel to nature' and Elgar's music can often seem to have the same effect: not like nature, but somehow, and very personally, parallel to it.

So thank you for reminding us that he left us 81 years ago today. What a legacy to leave behind. What a huge difference he made to my life.

[Beaumarchais]

I am amazed that this subject has run to 137 pages although I have enjoyed reading some of the barbed comments from pro and not-so-pro Elgarians. When I was younger (very much younger) back in the good old days of vinyl, I became a fervent admirer of Elgar with recordings of the Violin Concerto, the symphonies, the Enigma etc. etc.  As time passed, however, my suspicion that the symphonies were grossly overblown was confirmed when I read Sir Thomas Beecham's comment that the 1st reminded him of the musical equivalent of St. Pancras Station. Although Sir Thomas was noted for his outrageous but not entirely and untrue remarks remarks on music, I saw at once what my subconscious had been trying to suppress and I haven't listened to them since. The one piece that for me stands above all others in Elgar's orchestral output, the Enigma Variations, I never tire of hearing. I place it at the forefront of the English repertoire.

[71 dB]

Sir Thomas Beecham's comment that the 1st reminded him of the musical equivalent of St. Pancras Station.

Sir Thomas Beecham is not God. Sorry to hear you can't enjoy the symphonies anymore.