Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin release Elgar’s Symphony No. 1 on Decca

[Petrushka]

I was present at Barenboim's RFH concert performance of the Elgar 2 with the Berlin Staatskapelle last April and found it absolutely wonderful. The recording is no match for that live concert, alas, but I'm still greatly looking forward to the release of the Symphony No 1. The special timbre of the Berlin orchestra suited Elgar's music extremely well

My 'go-to' recording of the 1st is LPO/Solti but Boult's 1968 Lyrita disc also with the LPO runs it close in my affections. Will be interested to see how Barenboim fares in this company.

[cloughie]

I'm hoping the new Elgar 1 will be a lot more coherent than his LPO recording - for me there are far too many places where that seems to lose motive power, or just to be "different" for the sake of it. Coming as it did hot on the heels of Solti's recording, Barenboim's early effort was something I found a depressing experience - but that was more than 40 years ago.

I think your summary is about right. I felt he recorded it without a real insight into Elgar's work and his LPO 2nd fared even worse with exaggerated portamenti. I've not heard his Berlin 2nd but the intervening years have hopefully given him greater understanding of the work. Maybe the release of the 1st will encourage me to try the pair.

[pastoralguy]

For me, one of the saddest things is that the late, great Todd Handley didn't get the opportunity to re-record the Elgar Symphonies with up to date sound with the LSO at full tilt. I suppose we have to be thankful that we have the classic LPO versions on CfP. (Available for £0.24 and £0.75 on Amazon...)

[cloughie]

The reviewer who described the Barbirolli account as staid and stolid - the man has cloth ears. It was ironic he then chose a performance evidently inspired by Barbirolli .

Barbs - I unashamedly share your bias for JB's Elgar and Bryden Thomson is the only one to get near it. Boult, Handley and others are excellent but without that extra space.

[Petrushka]

For me, one of the saddest things is that the late, great Todd Handley didn't get the opportunity to re-record the Elgar Symphonies with up to date sound with the LSO at full tilt. I suppose we have to be thankful that we have the classic LPO versions on CfP.

There's also a live Handley Elgar 1 with the LPO on the orchestra's own label which is very fine.

[pastoralguy]

There's also a live Handley Elgar 1 with the LPO on the orchestra's own label which is very fine.

Thanks, Pet. I must check that out.

[BBMmk2]

Hiya makropulos,

Actually I loved Barenboim's recording of Elgar's Second Symphony dispite something odd going on with the sound at one point. Barenboim has certainly not been a stranger to Elgar whilst in Berlin. During Rattle's tenure with the Berliner Philharmoniker Rattle has taken two Elgar scores but has allowed Barenboim (Falstaff, The Dream of Gerontius and the Cello Concerto) and also Zinman, Kiril Peterenko and Runnicles to take the orchestra in Elgar's works. Of course Barenboim has also been playing some Elgar with his own Staatskapelle Berlin.

Didn't it do rather well in a BaL? I've heard it, on Spotify, and thought really good. More central European approach, which I found quite refreshing to the ear(No.2)

[Zucchini]

As good a place as any.
A quick reminder that Tues night's "Welcome to Berlin" concert for refugees at the Philharmonie is free to watch at the Digital CH, features Barenboim, Rattle and Fischer and their 3 orchestras - Mozart, Prokofiev, Beethoven (and brief speeches)

[Nimrod]

The reviewer who described the Barbirolli account as staid and stolid - the man has cloth ears. It was ironic he then chose a performance evidently inspired by Barbirolli .

Cloth ears indeed! Refulgent, passionate and sensuous is how I'd describe JB's later EMI no. 2. I also like his earlier mid-50's account on HMV. With reference once again to The Barbirolli Society's latest book, "Barbirolli, A Chronicle of a Career" I see that he conducted the 2nd no less than 103 times and surprisingly, the first (only) 38 times. Searching the concert index of said book reveals that Barenboim first appeared with Barbirolli in Houston in November 1962; if he stopped to hear the 2nd half of the concerts he took part in, he would have heard JB conducting Bruckner 7th and 9th, Brahms's 1st and 2nd, V-W 5th and Mahler 6th, but no Elgar.