Elgar

[Gilman]

I have a Nimbus set of Elgar, but the cd's have denatured and I'm wanting to replace them. Do any Elgar afficionado's have any lists of recordings to avoid and recordings to audition?

 

[JANDL100]

I'm not a great Elgar fan myself ... but my fave piece of "his" is the 3rd symphony as realised (i.e. completed!) by Anthony Payne.

I'veowned all of the available recordings (something of an obsession with me - an Elgar symphony that I actually like!!) and my fave is the original on NMC with Andrew Davis and the BBC SO.

I also have the premiere performance recorded off Radio 3 onto minidisc - quite an occasion!

..... of course, I know it's not real Elgar, but that's probably why I like it so much !!

 

[SSM]

I'm partial to Haitink's LPO Enigma Variations and to the Slatkin Symphonies 1 & 2 with the LPO (comes packaged these days with the Serenade, Salut d'amour, and Froissant and Cockaine Overtures) Slatkin also did the Cello and Violin concertos with Starker and Zukerman, plus the Enigma too. Worth checking out.

Solti's Enigma with the VPO is a lovely piece of orchestral upholstery, even if it lacks that last ounce of 'moss on stone wall" English flavour, if you get my drift.

Handley, Boult and Barbirolli are still the default choices for this repertoire, of course.

cheerSS

 

[JANDL100]

The cello concerto comes a close-ish second in my list of fave Elgar ....

Du Pre, of course - with Barbirolli, although the one with Barenboim is also worthwhile (more so than its rep would have it, IMO).

An (even) older recording in rather poor thin sound that's worth seeking out is Barbirolli again, with Andre Navarra doing the solobowing. A very vibrant soloist.

Lynn Harrell is also surprisingly good, with Maazel and the Cleveland Orch, for a more "generalised" approach, without the emotional baggage that Brit performances often bring.

I used to own Schiff, but ...... well, not to my taste.

I haven't tried any of the more recent ones, though.

I once saw an elderly Paul Tortelier in concert - sadly he took the start of the finale too fast and kind of slowly wound down, exhausted ...

 

[JANDL100]

SSM wrote:

Enigma Variations .....Handley, Boult and Barbirolli are still the default choices for this repertoire, of course.

Handley ??

Oops ....

... but, hey, that "of course" was a bit of a red rag to a (combed-over) bull.

 

[SSM]

JANDL100 wrote:

SSM wrote:

Enigma Variations .....Handley, Boult and Barbirolli are still the default choices for this repertoire, of course.

Handley ??

Oops ....

... but, hey, that "of course" was a bit of a red rag to a (combed-over) bull.

I must have missed reading something elsewhere: didn't know you and Handley were on the outs.

Handley's Pomp and Circumstance with the LPO remains my fave one. (Unless someone cares to recommend a blazing new account with blockbuster digital sound.)

cheerSS

ps: a brownie point to anyone who can guess the version of "Pomp and Circumstance" wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage uses in his ring entrances

 

[JANDL100]

SSM wrote:

I must have missed reading something elsewhere: didn't know you and Handley were on the outs.

I heard a radio interview with Handley once - he took pride in his undemonstrative approach to interpretation. Fair enough - the guy clearly knows what he wants to achieve, and is talented enough to achieve it.

Personally, I call it bloodless, For me,Handley's got no "fire in his belly". But that's just my opinion, honestly stated. And, yes, a generalisation.

Not everything is going to be to everyone's personal taste. Are we not allowed to share dis-likes as well as likes around here?

 

[SSM]

JANDL100 wrote:

Not everything is going to be to everyone's personal taste. Are we not allowed to share dis-likes as well as likes around here?

that's a sneaky turnaround to having your blunt ways again.

Just found Dr Handley is still living (77yo!

) Ok, you may diss him a little, but all flames must cease when he gives up the mortal coil.

All conductors gain critical immunity after death.

SS

 

[JANDL100]

SSM wrote:

All conductors gain critical immunity after death.SS

Other parts of the Wigwam have interesting exchanges based on different points of view, explicitly stated. Why not here?

It's a good way to learn new things - I for one will now be on the lookout for Vanska's Beethoven 5th & other symphonies. & I wait with bated breath for more Bruckner from Vanska .... and how about some Mahler ... please ?

As for the above statement that negative criticism of deceased musicians is out of bounds, I've never heard such twaddle. If, for example, I am asked for my opinion of Karajan's Beethoven 6th, I will most certainlygive my opinion, with reasons (so that the other party can make their own judgement based on their own preferences),that it is not the best. Personally, I don't see a problem with that.

Also .... Someone might see my negative criticism of Handley, that he is undemonstrative and think, "ooh, that sounds like my cup of tea, I've had enough of the OTT emotionalism of Bernstein" and buy and love his recordings. Good result.

You know, we're just gonna have to sit down and sort this out over a beer .....

_________

Anyway, what was the point of this thread? .... ah yes .....

Well worthwhile Piano Quintet and Violin Sonata on Naxos

 

[JANDL100]

Gilman - if you're an eBayer ...

ELGAR-Cello-Concerto-Du-Pre-Sea-Pictures-Barbirolli HERE& HERE

and if you fancy some no-nonsense symphonies with Solti HERE

or the famed Britten Dream of Gerontius on Decca HERE

or Pomp & Circumstance plus overtures with Glorious John (Barbirolli) HERE

 

[SSM]

JANDL100 wrote:

SSM wrote:

All conductors gain critical immunity after death.SS

You know, we're just gonna have to sit down and sort this out over a beer .....

Forgot to pop in the winkey emoticon in earlier message.

Forgot also, to say your input here is always appreciated. You just need to learn the art of flaming the steaks you don't like --- with delicacy.

SS

ps: I don't drink. We'll have to do it over carrot juice someday.

 

[JANDL100]

Inspired by this thread (well, the bits that aren'tt: anyway) - I've dug out the viola transcription of the cello concerto - Rivka Golani (yummy

) and, errr ... Vernon Handley.

... quite fine, actually. And an excellent complement to a "normal" version of the Cello Concerto.

 

[Gilman]

thanks for the postings - we seem to be meeting in other threads too!

I've got a few recordings of the cello concerto, and the one I return to is by Steven Isslerlis -on Virgin Classics (2cd set). It's not only the Elgar, but his Faure is wonderful too- I always enjoy the tone of the gut, and his interpretation is just right for me - he provides a wonderful bridge into the music.

 

[JANDL100]

JANDL100 wrote:

Well worthwhile Piano Quintet and Violin Sonata on Naxos

:roll:No - it's the STRING QUARTET not the violin sonata. Still good, though.

 

[JANDL100]

Gilman wrote:

thanks for the postings - we seem to be meeting in other threads too!I've got a few recordings of the cello concerto, and the one I return to is by Steven Isslerlis -on Virgin Classics (2cd set). It's not only the Elgar, but his Faure is wonderful too- I always enjoy the tone of the gut, and his interpretation is just right for me - he provides a wonderful bridge into the music.

Isserlis? - thanks for the tip - I shall look out for it on eBay !

I'll bet it'll sound great with the Behringer!

 

[Pianoman]

I too have the Isserlis and it is excellent, a welcome contrast to the famous du Pre/ Barbirolli.

For the symphonies,I often turn to Solti, whose fast speeds were modelled on the composer's own recordings. If they're OTT for you, Handley on cheap CFP is a safe choice - check out the organ in the finale of No.2, great for hifi!

Enigmas, well, I've always preferred Monteux/LSO, one of the last things he did and wonderful playing.

Gerontius - Barbirolli for stereo and Sargent for 'authenticity' (Heddle Nash, my local Huddersfield Choral, all recorded in superb-sounding 1945 mono, and coupled with an incandescent account of the Cello Concerto for Tortelier, his first and best)

 

[Boxer]

Well, I like Handley's Symphony 2 & Violin Concerto ( with Nigel Kennedy)...

Du Pre, BArbirolli Cello Concerto, altho` Tortelier & Boult are an interesting alternative.

Brodskys: String Quartet, but can only listen to it a couple of times a year `cos it's sooooo anguished. Coull Qt c/w Walton & Bridge's Idylls is good.

Coull Qt & Schiller Piano Quintet is good, with a good coupling of the Bridge.

McAslan & Blakley is a good & cheap Violin Sonata, c/w Walton.

My tuppence worth...

 

[Gilman]

I stopped using eBay in favour of amazon.com. I use the used options - I bought a cd of Bryn Terfel for £0-24p plusp&p (1-20) the other day. The case was tatty, but the digi-bytes decoded in a satisfactory manner - worth a try if haven't been there.

 

[musicbox]

Elgar's Cello Concerto has never revealed its secret to me i.e. I don't understand why its so popular.... whereas the symphonies are amongst my favourites. Solti or Slatkin for the 1st, Boult or Handley for the 2nd. Actually there are more good recordings of the symphonies than you can shake a stick at. The Colin Davis ones on LSO live would be good if recordings weren't so poor.

Of the other works, either of Nige Kennedy's recording of the violin concerto is good - I don't understand why this work is so little known in comparison to the Cello Concerto, its big, warm, got so many tunes and packs a huge punch. It also demonstrates so audibly what I find so great about Elgar - he was no revolutionary and did not change classical music but what he did like no other was to synthesize the competing streams of late romantic music - Brahms vs. Wagner - into a single coherent and magnificent unity.