Elgar Symphony No 1

[Petrushka]

The Staatskapelle Berlin/Barenboim recording (of number 1) is Gramophone's Recording of the month (May 2016 issue).

I'm not surprised - it's excellent!

[Vile Consort]

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.

If I remember correctly, Halle program notes were written by Leonard Duck. I always thought that must be a pseudonym but, having just Googled it, I see he was librarian of the Henry Watson Music Library in Manchester and a composer (unless there were two people of the same name, which seems unlikely).

His analytical notes were far more interesting and useful than the complete tosh that passes for programme notes these days.

[Petrushka]

If I remember correctly, Halle program notes were written by Leonard Duck. I always thought that must be a pseudonym but, having just Googled it, I see he was librarian of the Henry Watson Music Library in Manchester and a composer (unless there were two people of the same name, which seems unlikely).

His analytical notes were far more interesting and useful than the complete tosh that passes for programme notes these days.

Yes indeed, it was Leonard Duck and I've still got quite a few of his programme notes from when I used to attend Halle concerts in the 1970s including the Elgar 1 somewhere.

[Barbirollians]

He was still writing them or they were still using them in the 1980s .

The last time I went to see the Halle in Manchester for the Concert where Znaider played the Elgar and they recorded the VW2 they had decided to push the boat out and the excellent notes in the programme were by Michael Kennedy .

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The last time I went to see the Halle in Manchester for the Concert where Znaider played the Elgar and they recorded the VW2 they had decided to push the boat out and the excellent notes in the programme were by Michael Kennedy.

Michael Kennedy's programme notes for Elgar 1 have been used by the Halle for years, including for their Pye recording of the work.

Leonard Duck? I met him once via a friend, and I was at school with his daughter.

[Barbirollians]

These notes were for the programme that evening - Delius Spring Idyll , The Elgar Concerto and VW2

[Stanfordian]

Michael Kennedy's programme notes for Elgar 1 have been used by the Halle for years, including for their Pye recording of the work.

Leonard Duck? I met him once via a friend, and I was at school with his daughter.

No relation to Tommy Duck's I hope; with such a strong association with the Bridgewater Hall.