Elgar Violin Concerto - Boult: Which version?

[Pabmusic]

...A great violinist - he was the first to play Elgar's concerto and he set the standard for others to follow...

Not exactly. Fritz Kreisler gave the first public performance (though the first private one had already been given - with piano - by Billy Reed and the composer, to an invited audience, including RVW (who had that morning given the first performance of the Tallis Fantasia). It was first recorded (heavily cut) by either Marie Hall and Elgar or Albert Sammons and Henry Wood (I'm not sure which was first, but both were in 1916; the Sammons/Wood wasn't issued - at least, I think not) and then Sammons and Wood recorded it again in 1930. Menuhin recorded it with Elgar in 1932 - it was the second uncut recording.

[Barbirollians]

Menuhin remains a great hero to me . I suppose partly when I first became interested in records he was the only violinist I really knew apart from Perlman who I saw on TV once and hence started out with his Mozart ,Bach, Elgar and Paganini.

Later I came to know his Brahms Concerto with Kempe and the Beethoven with Furtwangler in Lucerne and they probably are my favourite recordings of those concertos.

[makropulos]

Thanks - looks like a good value set.

It looks like good value, certainly, but some of the transfers are appalling (the end of the First Symphony has some terrible distortion –ithere's none of that on the Testament release of the same recording). I'd certainly suggest the Beulah transfer of Campoli's Elgar too - it's much cleaner as far as I remember (having got the Regis set, I then got rid of it again quite quickly because of the transfer problems).

[AmpH]

It looks like good value, certainly, but some of the transfers are appalling (the end of the First Symphony has some terrible distortion –ithere's none of that on the Testament release of the same recording). I'd certainly suggest the Beulah transfer of Campoli's Elgar too - it's much cleaner as far as I remember (having got the Regis set, I then got rid of it again quite quickly because of the transfer problems).

Thanks for the information - I'll bear it in mind.

[Dave2002]

Later I came to know his Brahms Concerto with Kempe and the Beethoven with Furtwangler in Lucerne and they probably are my favourite recordings of those concertos.

Agree mostly, though try Oistrakh with Klemperer for the Brahms. Oistrakh has been my favourite for the Brahms for a very long while, though in recent years some others, such as Anne-Sophie Mutter, have joined him.

FHG: I love Menuhin's Elgar conducted by the composer, but I'd say that Sammons does as well. Maybe it depends which day of the week one listens.

[Barbirollians]

Agree mostly, though try Oistrakh with Klemperer for the Brahms. Oistrakh has been my favourite for the Brahms for a very long while, though in recent years some others, such as Anne-Sophie Mutter, have joined him.

FHG: I love Menuhin's Elgar conducted by the composer, but I'd say that Sammons does as well. Maybe it depends which day of the week one listens.

I have many recordings of the Brahms and Oistrakh with Klemperer ( the recording is not good with Szell) and both Mutters are very fine but Menuhin/Kempe is still my favourite.

[PJPJ]

I have many recordings of the Brahms and Oistrakh with Klemperer ( the recording is not good with Szell) and both Mutters are very fine but Menuhin/Kempe is still my favourite.

I'm hoping the Oistrakh/Klemperer recording will appear in the EMI SACD series as it has done so in Japan already.

[pastoralguy]

I'm hoping the Oistrakh/Klemperer recording will appear in the EMI SACD series as it has done so in Japan already.

I bought the Oistrakh/Szell recording on SACD and was as diasappointed with the sound quality as I had been on Lp and ordinary CD. Just horrible. Goodness knows who was responsible for the sound levels but they obviously needed their ears syringed.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

FHG: I love Menuhin's Elgar conducted by the composer, but I'd say that Sammons does as well. Maybe it depends which day of the week one listens.

Yes: the sharp, slightly bitter Dark Chocolate of Sammons or the smooth, creamy Milk Chocolate of Menuhin?

[Barbirollians]

Yes: the sharp, slightly bitter Dark Chocolate of Sammons or the smooth, creamy Milk Chocolate of Menuhin?

Not the best of your metaphors FHGL !

How about the oloroso of Sammons or the manzanilla of Menuhin ?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not the best of your metaphors FHGL !

Exactly what I thought when I returned to this thread just now!

How about the oloroso of Sammons or the manzanilla of Menuhin ?

That's more like it!

[Barbirollians]

I am at a loss for a vinous metaphor for the disjointed Ehnes/Davis version I listened to this afternoon in the interests of giving it another go . Ehnes does play beautifully and with much feeling at times but there is something very lacklustre about the whole thing - sometimes the orchestra sounds like it is not listening to the soloist at all.

I went back to Menuhin/Boult and the passion with which the LPO play the introduction is magnificent in comparison.

[Barbirollians]

Isn't the Campoli version with Boult a delight ? Every time I play it I fall for it more and more .

[verismissimo]

Love Campoli's recordings. Every one a winner that I've heard.

Sdly that doesn't yet include the Elgar!

[Barbirollians]

Thought I would dig out this thread as usually when I want to listen to Ida H in this concerto I go for the Rattle 1984 Prom performance .

So thought I would give the Haendel/Boult another spin . Yes it is slow but heavens is it beautifully played by both soloist and orchestra . She really does make every note say something and the glow of the accompaniment is gorgeous .