Our Summer BAL 51: Elgar's Enigma Variations

[richardfinegold]

I have Bouldt in the First, Barbiroli in the Second, Paul Daniels for whatever we will call the Third. I have the famous Du Pre recording of the Cello Concerto, Nigel I in the VC.
My favorite Elgar is the Cello Concerto and Enigma. The Symphonies, particularly the Second, have inspired respect but not love. The VC has eluded me, and The Oratorios aren't my bag of tea.
Other English Composers travel better-Holst and RVW being my two favorites but Finzi, Rawsthorne, Bliss, Rubbra, Howell,
Allwyn. Britten of course all get air time here. Elgar would come next, and the one that has never moved me a jot is Bax.
I know Elgar is at the top of the heap there, but internationally...not so much. Couldn't tell you why

[cloughie]

I have Bouldt in the First, Barbiroli in the Second, Paul Daniels for whatever we will call the Third. I have the famous Du Pre recording of the Cello Concerto, Nigel I in the VC.
My favorite Elgar is the Cello Concerto and Enigma. The Symphonies, particularly the Second, have inspired respect but not love. The VC has eluded me, and The Oratorios aren't my bag of tea.
Other English Composers travel better-Holst and RVW being my two favorites but Finzi, Rawsthorne, Bliss, Rubbra, Howell,
Allwyn. Britten of course all get air time here. Elgar would come next, and the one that has never moved me a jot is Bax.
I know Elgar is at the top of the heap there, but internationally...not so much. Couldn't tell you why

Thanks for the response and I am interested that the VC has eluded you as I love the work - incidentally I also like Barber's VC - what is your view there. As far as the CC is concerned I tend to have rested listening to it as I think it has suffered overexposure here - not too keen on the Oratorios and I avoid the Elgar-Payne 3 as it to me is not the real thing!

[Barbirollians]

If VC eludes you try the 1932 Menuhin/Elgar

[mikealdren]

If VC eludes you try the 1932 Menuhin/Elgar

Or Heifetz.....

English music and Elgar as a whole eluded me when I was young; buying the Heifetz VC recording and playing the 1st symphony changed that.

The other masterpiece that took me ages was the Britten Frank Bridge variations. The Boyd Neil recording changed my view of that.

[BBMmk2]

Not Bax, RFG? Must be a British thin g! :)

[ucanseetheend]

I recently played Barbirolli/Hallé; Del Mar/RPO; Monteux/LSO; and Jochum/LSO - all recordings I have known for decades, but which I've mot played in tears. The one that made the deepest impression was the Jochum - I was surprised at how uninvolving I found Monteux this time.

"Uninvolving" the Monteux LSO? Its the most "sane" version, even 50 years later, not surpassed!

[LeMartinPecheur]

Or Heifetz.....

Or try the first complete recording, Albert Sammons/ Henry Wood. It's how I first learnt the work (LP reissue, I don't quite go back to 78s). Tried it the other night on a friend who was worried that he'd never really 'got' this work - it seems to have made the wished-for connection!

It's much faster than the Menuhin/ Elgar: probably more like the Heifetz though I don't know that version. Faster, more urgent, exciting but never superficial.

[Lordgeous]

A favourite Enigma for me featuring organ and a lovely echo from the acoustics of Guildford Cathedral is Del Mar with the RPO which started life as a Contour LP but graduated to DG.

just bought the Del Mar. Exciting but wow, everything so fast! I also thought this recording a bit shrill, and very heavy on the cymbals, but enjoyable nevertheless.