Elgar Symphony No 1

[ardcarp]

A fine performance of a great work tonight:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076b04k

(about 1hr 20min from the start)

I am always amazed by this piece, and was spellbound by tonight's performance. Elgar was surely one of the great orchestrators; and the structure, based on melodic development as much as anything, is a wonder. Sakari Oramo paced it beautifully IMHO.

[HighlandDougie]

It was a very fine concert in the hall, too. There is a really positive rapport between Sakari Oramo and the BBC SO, which came across in spades, both in the Elgar but also in the Bax and in the Brent Dean Viola Concerto (Brent Dean, having negotiated what is not an easy concerto for the soloist then joined the viola desks for the symphony). The person sitting next to me said after the Elgar, " it never fails", which is true when the performance is as good as that tonight. Oramo clearly loves Elgar - and Bax! And is doing "Dona Nobis Pacem" soon. All power to him (and the BBC).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I always believed Elgar's music was uninteresting and overrated - promoted only because he was English - until I heard his 1st symphony at a Halle Industrial Concert in 1966.

I was smitten, and have never looked back since that memorable day.

The concert programme notes gave quite detailed analysis, complete with musical quotations. I wish they still did this, but perhaps they fear criticism because not everyone can read music. It's a facile argument, in my opinion.

[EdgeleyRob]

This particular Elgar 1 was nigh on perfect IMO.

[Barbirollians]

I always believed Elgar's music was uninteresting and overrated - promoted only because he was English - until I heard his 1st symphony at a Halle Industrial Concert in 1966.

I was smitten, and have never looked back since that memorable day.

The concert programme notes gave quite detailed analysis, complete with musical quotations. I wish they still did this, but perhaps they fear criticism because not everyone can read music. It's a facile argument, in my opinion.

Sir John Barbirolli conducting ?

[gradus]

I turned on R3 near the start of the symphony and stayed to the end; an absolute gem of a performance.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Sir John Barbirolli conducting ?

No, it was Maurice Handford on that occasion.

I did manage to hear Barbirolli conduct it in 1968, involving me running away from boarding school.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Here is how I escaped for the Barbirolli performance:

Ever since the two Sunday cycle trips home, I had wondered whether I would ever need to abscond from school again. That need began to east into my consciousness when I became aware that there was to be a concert in Manchester that I would have given almost anything to attend. Two years earlier, I had heard Elgar’s 1st Symphony for the first time at a Hallé concert. On that occasion the conductor had been Maurice Handford. Since then, it had been one of my favourite works and I hoped to see Sir John Barbirolli conducting it one day. That opportunity had arisen, for it was to be performed by Sir John Barbirolli and the Hallé Orchestra on 1st February 1968. I simply had to be there. Sir John had not been in the best of health and this might well be my one and only opportunity to hear his live interpretation. The problem was that this was at a Thursday evening concert in Manchester, leaving a very small window of opportunity to escape from the school and return without being noticed. I might be missed in the dormitories and teatime in the dining room. I would need some help, though I was concerned that this might implicate others in the plot. Nicholas Seymour, the Head Boy, was aware that I would not be in tea. I didn’t want him to lie on my behalf, but he agreed not to draw attention to my absence. Master-on-Duty, Roger Spinks might well have noticed an absent table-end.
My absence dormitories would be more difficult to explain. Hugh Jones agreed to ruffle my bedclothes to make it look slept in. I appreciated the loyalty of others, who seemed to be quite caught up in the adventure themselves.
The rest was up to me. I had booked my ticket well in advance, and had left my bicycle in my study. Leaving the school undetected before darkness fell was not going to be easy. I pushed it along the edge of Great Garden until I reached the wooden gate, and then made my way towards Wakefield and then on to Leeds. The Pontefract route would have been shorter, but only a foolish escapee would have attempted to cycle past the school entrance.
In the event, I arrived at Leeds City station with nearly half an hour to spare before the Manchester train’s departure. I chained my bicycle to the railings outside the station, removing the lights and pump for security. Once on the train, I felt more relaxed. Whatever the consequences, I knew my attendance at the concert would become a reality. The Trans-Pennine train arrived a few minutes late at Manchester Victoria, but there was still ample time to walk to the Free Trade Hall.
As I took my seat in the concert hall, I thought “All the teachers think I’m at school; yet here I am.”
The concert was every bit as good as I had hoped. Barbirolli could conduct this work like no other. By the time it had finished, I knew that if my absence was to be discovered, now was the time, for I was due at that moment to be making my way to the washrooms and dormitory. My greatest fear was that Night duty teacher, Alan Rothwell might be particularly vigilant, as he was on duty and had been the one to spot my absence a year earlier.
The last train from Manchester to Leeds was punctual and I collected my bicycle and refitted the lights. There was no point in hurrying back, but I took the shorter route back, as it would make little difference after midnight. If I had not been missed by then, my plan had certainly succeeded. I arrived back at my study window at 1.05 a.m. Gavin Mendham had left it unlocked, but I was careful not to raise the alarm by switching on any lights. I had a relatively good night’s sleep in a comfortable chair.
In the morning, I was greeted by friends who wanted to hear my story, but I was anxious to be reassured that I had not been missed. Hugh had noticed Alan Rothwell shining my torch on my ruffled bed with some suspicion, but he must have been satisfied, for he did nothing more.
Later, I told my parents about my brief escape, and my father was highly amused. Had I been caught, he might well have reacted differently.

[Flay]

A wonderful story, Alpie. Where was your school? It wasn't Ackworth was it?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A wonderful story, Alpie. Where was your school? It wasn't Ackworth was it?

It was.

[HighlandDougie]

I chained my bicycle to the railings outside the station, removing the lights and pump for security

Not sure that you would be allowed to do that these days, alas. Wonderful story - and I also assumed that it might be Ackworth.

[Flay]

Wow, just a few miles from where I live. that was quite a journey - especially going back in the dark after the train journey!

[Beef Oven!]

It's almost like the Beatles and The Rolling Stones never happened.

[teamsaint]

It's almost like the Beatles and The Rolling Stones never happened.

The Who?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It's almost like the Beatles and The Rolling Stones never happened.

Would that have mattered?