BaL 28.03.15 - Elgar: Symphony no. 2 in E flat

[EdgeleyRob]

I enjoyed that programme.

I'm now even more convinced that Elgar 2 is the 2nd greatest symphony ever written.

[Beef Oven!]

I enjoyed that programme.

I'm now even more convinced that Elgar 2 is the 2nd greatest symphony ever written.

Partisan issues aside, it was an interesting Bal with a good selection as the recommended recording, IMV. I still remain unconvinced of the symphony's greatness.

[Roehre]

Partisan issues aside, it was an interesting Bal with a good selection as the recommended recording, IMV. I still remain unconvinced of the symphony's greatness.

apart from these Isles most of the world still needs to be convinced too

[EdgeleyRob]

apart from these Isles most of the world still needs to be convinced too

What do they know

[Roehre]

What do they know

[Oliver]

Some controversial comments about much -loved performances (Solti in particular) but he was right to emphasise the value of non-British conductors and orchestras in this repertoire.
Noting the generally favourable comments about Colin Davis's reading, I am again reminded that those recordings of his last few years should have been made in an acoustic as far away from the Barbican as possible.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Rather a Cinderella attitude to the work (which I believe to be one of the very finest ever written) - "avoid this, it's too fast"; "avoid that, it's too slow"; - and some casual racism chucked into the mix ("a Hungarian dance for elephants", "too much Scandanavian coolness and detachment" - which still managed to convey the "febrile" aspect of the Music in ways left to our imaginations) offset by the final choice. Some inconsistencies, too - Morrison cautioned against Barenboim's rubati, but overlooked a huge one (not suggested in the score) in the Colin Davis that he praised. I'm tempted to buy another copy of the Solti to add to the one I already have - that'll larn him!

The Barenboim? For every passage that makes me think "he's nailed it - just listen to that playing: this is perfect!" there follows another that I find infuriating in its faffing around with tempi. I feel I ought to buy it for the many miraculous moments (and to boost the sales to encourage other non-British artists to perform the work) - but I don't think my blood pressure could cope with too many playings

[Keraulophone]

[Barenboim/Berlin at start of ii]... RM: "That pace seems so natural that it's hard to imagine any conductor being perverse enough to select any other... there's always one, though [Sinopoli/Philharmonia follows].

A peculiarly arrogant statement; Mr Morrison doesn't appear to have much imagination.

Wartime BBCSO/Boult primus inter pares for me, of the dozen or so on the shelf. No question, though, that the Staatskapelle Berlin play the work superbly.

[Nick Armstrong]

I've enjoyed reading today's additions to this thread even more than listening to the BaL!

What a melt, he needs a slap.

I'm well naffed off.

Can't wait for Barbirollians to come on-thread....

Over the years I've tried and taken back / given away Sinopoli, Slatkin, Solti and a Barbirolli... so with suitable trepidation and putting a guard on my car, I'm with RM in his various swipes at those versions. Intrigued to hear about Mackerras and (as Beefy! called them I think) his portmanteaus (I rest my case...); and I've always been unconvinced by the Haitink - which I have on the shelf alongside the C Davis/LSO (hate the recording sound) and my two favourites the Handley (a dismissive mention - not enough personality - but no extract from RM ) and the 1968 Boult/LPO

It's odd because I love Slatkin, Solti, Mackerras and Haitink in the First Symphony.

I more or less agree with the following

Rather a Cinderella attitude to the work (which I believe to be one of the very finest ever written) - "avoid this, it's too fast"; "avoid that, it's too slow"; - and some casual racism chucked into the mix ("a Hungarian dance for elephants", "too much Scandanavian coolness and detachment" - which still managed to convey the "febrile" aspect of the Music in ways left to our imaginations) offset by the final choice. Some inconsistencies, too - Morrison cautioned against Barenboim's rubati, but overlooked a huge one (not suggested in the score) in the Colin Davis that he praised. I'm tempted to buy another copy of the Solti to add to the one I already have - that'll larn him!

The Barenboim? For every passage that makes me think "he's nailed it - just listen to that playing: this is perfect!" there follows another that I find infuriating in its faffing around with tempi. I feel I ought to buy it for the many miraculous moments (and to boost the sales to encourage other non-British artists to perform the work) - but I don't think my blood pressure could cope with too many playings

(except the bit about Solti!). I suppose RM would point to his final choice to parry the charge of casual racism ... though I thought the same thing.

I thought Elder and the Hallé had it nailed on towards the end; though that high-handed remark Keraulo refers to was a big straw in the wind from Berlin.

The final choice...? Like ferney, I'm not sure. I just don't trust Barenboim somehow. And even though RM compared the sound of the Berlin recording favourably to the LSO live, I didn't like the sound of the German recording much either. I'll give it a listen on Monday morning.

The 'foreign' reading that most caught my ear was Oramo's - I REALLY trust him in Elgar (the Enigma referred to by akiralx earlier in this thread, with the CBSO, is my absolute favourite of all) - as you say ferns, that Swedish reading sounded very interesting to me - superbly played and the sort of orchestral recording sound I love.

And I have all the Elder/Hallé Elgar discs except the Second Symphony - I trust them too.

So subject to hearing the 'winner' again on Monday, it's Oramo and Elder that won this for me. But they did nothing to displace my huge love for the Boult/LPO performance from the 1960s

[Don Petter]

I didn't like the sound of the German recording much either.

Casual racism?

[Nick Armstrong]

Casual racism?

[BBMmk2]

Quite liked Oramo's account too, Cali. I see where the reviewer came to his conclusion about the Barenboim, with the lush Richard Strauss overtones, etc. His style was quite communicable to the Germanic audience of his day though. I will be buying this account. Time for fresh impetus.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[COLOR="#0000FF"]

Can't wait for Barbirollians to come on-thread....

To ask which version won, you mean?

[Nick Armstrong]

To ask which version won, you mean?

Wrong B ... !

[verismissimo]

I've enjoyed reading today's additions to this thread even more than listening to the BaL!

How true, how true.