Elgar- In the South

[verismissimo]

Just ordered!

And Elgar!

[Richard Tarleton]

And Elgar!

Not for want of trying, I assure you. It's nearly 50 years since I heard Paul Tortelier play the cello concerto with the selfsame Bournemouth SO (who played such an important part in my musical edication, such as it is, my first live Elgar).... I just don't, for the most part, like Elgar's orchestral music (and let's not start on oratorios)....I've heard Solti and Haitink do Elgar.... I thought of Richard Strauss in connection with In the South before I'd heard anyone else mention a resemblance.... Yesterday the impression received was that the music has nothing in particular to do with Italy or the south. . . . It was not as successful cacophony as Richard Strauss when at his most daring produces, but it will suffice. . . . (Chicago Tribune, 1904). It's a wonderful piece, I've also heard Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia give a fine account of it.

[verismissimo]

Not for want of trying, I assure you. It's nearly 50 years since I heard Paul Tortelier play the cello concerto with the selfsame Bournemouth SO (who played such an important part in my musical edication, such as it is, my first live Elgar).... I just don't, for the most part, like Elgar's orchestral music (and let's not start on oratorios)....I've heard Solti and Haitink do Elgar.... I thought of Richard Strauss in connection with In the South before I'd heard anyone else mention a resemblance.... Yesterday the impression received was that the music has nothing in particular to do with Italy or the south. . . . It was not as successful cacophony as Richard Strauss when at his most daring produces, but it will suffice. . . . (Chicago Tribune, 1904). It's a wonderful piece, I've also heard Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia give a fine account of it.

As usual, I misled with unnecessary brevity. I meant Elgar's conducting of In the South (LSO, 1930).

[cloughie]

Does nobody hereabouts like Boult’s recordings? There are two (1955 and 1970) - both pretty good to my ears! ...and both in the big Boult EMI/Warner 19cd box!

[Barbirollians]

The Sinopoli has arrived - not got to ITS yet but the Enigma Variations are very characterful indeed largely in a good way. Nimrod is outstanding but No 4 and 9 two of the Allegrettos a bit winsome and mannered on first hearing- Dorabella is also different accents stressed but for me that really works - otherwise excellent and very well played by the Philharmonia..

[Barbirollians]

The Serenade for Strings is charming and ITS is also very good - if not quite the fizz of Silvestri the superb Philharmonia playing is very fine - there is the odd exaggerated rit. though. Sinopoli seems to be groaning along a la Barbirolli at times. The viola , harp and horn episode in the middle is utterly gorgeous.

I imagine they might annoy me in places but I am very interested now in getting hold of his Elgar symphonies - I suspect the pluses will outweigh any minuses.

[Once Was 4]

Listening to it again this morning I wondered is there any other recording that comes close ( studio that is - there is a cracking live account from Barbirolli very near the end of his life) ro the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Constantin Silvestri ?

Any other faves ? What do you think of the Silvestri - it always lifts my spirits.

Well, how about this?

https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=elgar+in+the+south+utube#id=3&vid=ade7f23393b9ca3e8ad7bc296f5580f8&action=click

[Maclintick]

BBCSSO/Brabbins on Hyperion takes some beating, fond as I am of BSO/Silvestri...

[Master Jacques]

A word for Jeffrey Tate's In the South. I didn't know his Elgar, but was asked to write an obit. on his work and thought I ought to rectify the omission. I liked nearly everything I heard, but especially Falstaff ... and In the South, which suited his operatic temperament specially well, I thought - lively, voluptuous and no messing around!

[Maclintick]

A word for Jeffrey Tate's In the South. I didn't know his Elgar, but was asked to write an obit. on his work and thought I ought to rectify the omission. I liked nearly everything I heard, but especially Falstaff ... and In the South, which suited his operatic temperament specially well, I thought - lively, voluptuous and no messing around!

JT did a mean Falstaff, as you say....

[akiralx]

I will add support for Gibson in In the South - not least because his CD includes an even better performance of Froissart.

Interesting in some of the conductors mentioned in this thread - I am a great devotee of Elgar's symphonies: my favourite in No 1 is Sinopoli (though not in No 2 where he is really too slow, and the recording has a clear editing error), while in No 2 it is LSO/Jeffrey Tate, who is weighty and powerful but not perversely slow and with idiomatic phrasing throughout.

I just realised that I was not aware Tate had recorded Falstaff (and In the South/Froissart) as they were not part of his Elgar Symphonies twofer! Sadly this CD seems very hard to obtain (there is one on UK amazon but does not ship to Australia...)

[Alain Maréchal]

1. I came late to Elgar. During my formative years the only Elgar played locally was those variations - they appeared in concert as regularly as the Franck Symphony (both popular with audiences). It may have been residual gratitude for his support during the first occupation. I later discovered the overtures and symphonies, and I had an LP of In The South conducted by Weldon, later acquiring the Silvestri LP. (I never understood the concertos, they continue to elude me, and the choral works remain completely unfathomable, indeed somewhat repellent. Sorry about this, but to me they are like Bruch, but more glutinous. There is plenty of that sort of thing available if you like it. I do not).

I have recently acquired the Somm remastering of Weldon's Elgar, and very warm and clear it sounds. It also makes clear just how good the Philharmonia was at that time.

2. France Musique yesterday played a sizeable extract from a recording of Falstaff by Andrew Constantine. The recorded sound was excellent to my ears, and the performance also, if a little heavy and over-detailed at times.

3. I'm not sure about the value of threads like this. Mention any work, and somebody is going to respond with their favourite recordings, (as I have just done) so that in time all the recordings will be mentioned. Purchasing on these recommendations would be costly.

[Pulcinella]

1. I came late to Elgar. During my formative years the only Elgar played locally was those variations - they appeared in concert as regularly as the Franck Symphony (both popular with audiences). It may have been residual gratitude for his support during the first occupation. I later discovered the overtures and symphonies, and I had an LP of In The South conducted by Weldon, later acquiring the Silvestri LP. (I never understood the concertos, they continue to elude me, and the choral works remain completely unfathomable, indeed somewhat repellent. Sorry about this, but to me they are like Bruch, but more glutinous. There is plenty of that sort of thing available if you like it. I do not).

I have recently acquired the Somm remastering of Weldon's Elgar, and very warm and clear it sounds.

2. France Musique yesterday played a sizeable extract from a recording of Falstaff by Andrew Constantine. The recorded sound was excellent to my ears, and the performance also, if a little heavy and over-detailed at times.

3. I'm not sure about the value of threads like this. Mention any work, and somebody is going to respond with their favourite recordings, (as I have just done) so that in time all the recordings will be mentioned. Purchasing on these recommendations would be costly.

But at least you'd probably be better informed than if you'd endured a Building a Library twofer on the work being considered.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm not sure about the value of threads like this. Mention any work, and somebody is going to respond with their favourite recordings, (as I have just done) so that in time all the recordings will be mentioned. Purchasing on these recommendations would be costly.

"Purchasing", by definition, is "costly". There are many valuable aspects of this type of Thread: they draw attention to a work, perhaps prompting Forumistas to revisit recordings they haven't played in many a year, and learn anew their delight; they draw attention to a work for Forumistas who do not know a work, and whose interest may be piqued to investigate further, bring otherwise untold pleasure into their lives; they provide a consensus (or, at least, an overview of opinions) so that Forumistas who believe that they dislike a work from a recording that is generally critically acclaimed, might be inspired to follow the enthusiasms noted in such Threads for less well-known recordings; and they allow recordings that have been unfairly reviewed by the terminally-opinionated professional critics to receive fairer assessment by a larger pool of enthusiasts. It enables those of us who dislike a work to read the enthusiastic comments of so many other Forumistas, and wonder what on earth the world is coming to.

Such value is beyond price

[Alain Maréchal]

But at least you'd probably be better informed than if you'd endured a Building a Library twofer on the work being considered.

Since every recording seems to get a positive opinion here from somebody, then I suggest one is not better informed. I have not listened to BAL for some time, and only would if it were about a work a recording of which I need to acquire. (please feel free to correct that clause, avoidance of the prepositional terminal usually defeats me).