Elgar Symphony No.1: A Quandary

[Thropplenoggin]

Where do people stand on Andrew Davis/BBC SO and Charles Mackerras/LSO in Elgar 1? Both can be had very cheaply s/h.

[Alison]

Have you got Previn ?? Better than either, by far !

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And, IIRC, I think Sinopoli got bashed in today's Mahler BaL, too!

Indeed. JJ described his conducting of the Second Group theme of the First Movement as "exaggerated and self-indulgent" (I paraphrase) so I braced myself - and thought the excerpt he played to illustrate the point rather marvellous!

Mind you, Sinopoli's Elgar 2 is excrutiating! (So bad, I never tried any of his other Elgar recordings.)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Have you got Previn ?? Better than either, by far !

I only bought this version because it was the first to be available on CD. But it was worth it - a superb reading.

[EdgeleyRob]

Where do people stand on Andrew Davis/BBC SO and Charles Mackerras/LSO in Elgar 1? Both can be had very cheaply s/h.

Mackerras is superb in Elgar 1 & 2 IMVHO

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?7294-Elgar-Symphonies-Nos-1-and-2/page8

[Mr Pee]

If you would like a recent recording with first-class sound quality, then you can't go far wrong with Mark Elder and the Halle.

[akiralx]

Indeed. JJ described his conducting of the Second Group theme of the First Movement as "exaggerated and self-indulgent" (I paraphrase) so I braced myself - and thought the excerpt he played to illustrate the point rather marvellous!

Mind you, Sinopoli's Elgar 2 is excrutiating! (So bad, I never tried any of his other Elgar recordings.)

It is bad, yes - but his First is brilliant, one if my favourites for the work. Superb interpretation and glorious Philharmonia playing.

[gurnemanz]

Where do people stand on Andrew Davis/BBC SO and Charles Mackerras/LSO in Elgar 1? Both can be had very cheaply s/h.

Andrew Davis/BBC SO is my only Elgar 2. A marvellous reading on a cheap label coupled with a bracing In the South to make a 78 minute CD. What more could you want?

[amateur51]

Andrew Davis/BBC SO is my only Elgar 2. A marvellous reading on a cheap label coupled with a bracing In the South to make a 78 minute CD. What more could you want?

Erm, this thread's about Elgar symphony no 1, gurnemanz!?

[gurnemanz]

Got confused in my dotage ... red wine played its part. There is another thread around about both symphonies. Bed time. Comments still apply, though.

[Barbirollians]

Andrew Davis/BBC SO is my only Elgar 2. A marvellous reading on a cheap label coupled with a bracing In the South to make a 78 minute CD. What more could you want?

Heavens above ! Lots gurnemanz !

Silvestri and the live BBC Legends Barbirolli - in the South .

Boult in 1944, both Barbirolli recordings, the Handley and elder in Elgar 2

Back to the OP - the EMI Elgar 1 with Barbirolli is gorgeous but would not quite be a library choice .

Nor would the Boult Proms record I suppose but if I had to keep only one Elgar 1 it would be the Boult Prom by a short head from the Kings Lynn Barbirolli

[BBMmk2]

What would be then, Barbirollians?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Back to the OP - the EMI Elgar 1 with Barbirolli is gorgeous but would not quite be a library choice .

Maybe not, but the 1957 Pye version has to be at the top of the tree. Simply phenominal.

[amateur51]

Got confused in my dotage ... red wine played its part. There is another thread around about both symphonies. Bed time. Comments still apply, though.

Understood, gurnemanz

I don't know about you but I think that this red wine seems to have become stronger recently

[amateur51]

With an eye to the future, I recently attended a performance of Elgar symphony no 1 at the Royal Academy of Music conducted by Edward Gardner, the first time I've heard him in this work and he certainly brought a lot to it. He obtained some beautifully quiet string playing as well as some glorious woodwind and brass playing.For me it was also his pacing and his handling of transitions that made the performance so remarkable. For me at least, one to watch