Elgar The Music Makers/Spirit of England

[BBMmk2]

The above have just been completed by Sir Andrew Davis! They finished a session early too! Looking forward to this release on Chandos!

[gradus]

The above have just been completed by Sir Andrew Davis! They finished a session early too! Looking forward to this release on Chandos!

BAL disc of the week in due course, I would hope.
I try to understand the dislike of Elgar and his music expressed by some on here but whatever his failings as a man his music never fails me.

[Serial_Apologist]

BAL disc of the week in due course, I would hope.
I try to understand the dislike of Elgar and his music expressed by some on here but whatever his failings as a man his music never fails me.

When it makes me think of the Malvern Hills, Elgar's friends, or of himself, at peace in a deckchair in the back garden of his nearby cottage, I love it; when it evokes patriotism, militarism, royalty, and the soul going to heaven, I don't.

[BBMmk2]

BAL disc of the week in due course, I would hope.
I try to understand the dislike of Elgar and his music expressed by some on here but whatever his failings as a man his music never fails me.

Elgar's music never fails and I think that Sir Andrew is the epitome of Elgar's music these days.

Ralph Couzens was very pleased!

[Pabmusic]

Elgar's music - more than most - comes from the same oven, and it's almost always autobiographical, intentionally so or not. The Music Makers is the second of three pieces into which Elgar told the Windflower he had poured his soul (the Violin Concerto and Symphony in E-flat were the others). The Spirit of England had a bad reputation because of its title - it was almost never played - until it was recorded in 1977, when several reviewers were a bit puzzled by its lack of jingoism and, frankly, considerable beaauty.

[BBMmk2]

Elgar's music - more than most - comes from the same oven, and it's almost always autobiographical, intentionally so or not. The Music Makers is the second of three pieces into which Elgar told the Windflower he had poured his soul (the Violin Concerto and Symphony in E-flat were the others). The Spirit of England had a bad reputation because of its title - it was almost never played - until it was recorded in 1977, when several reviewers were a bit puzzled by its lack of jingoism and, frankly, considerable beaauty.

Thanks for that Pabs. Be interesting to read the notes on this recording then!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm not sure whether this score is still available. The Elgar Society website lists it as being available in soft back, so perhaps it survived the Music Sales vandalistic pulping of some of the Novello volumes in the Complete Edition.

[Keraulophone]

Puts me in mind of the magisterial EMI recording of Elgar’s Coronation Ode by Philip Ledger and massed forces including Kneller Hall brass in King’s College Chapel. Worth listening with the wick turned right up.

Alexander Gibson coupled the work with his SNO Spirit of England which came out in the late 1970s, but still sounds excellent. IIRC it was preferred by most reviewers to the other recording of SoE then available, but I can’t recall what that was. Hickox et alia emerged later.

[Pabmusic]

...

Alexander Gibson coupled the work with his SNO Spirit of England which came out in the late 1970s, but still sounds excellent. IIRC it was preferred by most reviewers to the other recording of SoE then available, but I can’t recall what that was. Hickox et alia emerged later.

The Gibson was the first recording. It was issued on a double RCA Red Seal with the Coronation Ode in 1977. The Ledger EMI Ode pipped it to the post for the Ode, but the S of E was the first.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The Gibson Spirit of England had the wonderful Theresa Cahill as the soprano soloist. She always sounded magnificent in Elgar's music: Caractacus, S o E, King Olaf & A Voice in the Desert.

[VodkaDilc]

I'm not sure whether this score is still available. The Elgar Society website lists it as being available in soft back, so perhaps it survived the Music Sales vandalistic pulping of some of the Novello volumes in the Complete Edition.

The softback version was the only one available when I bought mine a couple of years ago. A shame it doesn't match the hardbacks - the colour is considerably darker. When I am rich (!) I will try to find a book-binder who could have a go at matching the soft back volumes I've bought with the rest of the set.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The softback version was the only one available when I bought mine a couple of years ago. A shame it doesn't match the hardbacks - the colour is considerably darker. When I am rich (!) I will try to find a book-binder who could have a go at matching the soft back volumes I've bought with the rest of the set.

Have you been collecting the full set, or are you dipping in, buying just those you really want?

[Keraulophone]

Puts me in mind of the magisterial EMI recording of Elgar’s Coronation Ode by Philip Ledger and massed forces including Kneller Hall brass in King’s College Chapel.

Bbm, I thought my mention of the band of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall might raise your . They sound superb in the huge King’s acoustic.

[BBMmk2]

Bbm, I thought my mention of the band of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall might raise your . They sound superb in the huge King’s acoustic.

Yes, i just saw that this morning(Tuesday). I have that recording as well. Marvelous sound and playing. Massed bands and orchestra should be on at the proms I think.

[BBMmk2]

Bbm, I thought my mention of the band of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall might raise your . They sound superb in the huge King’s acoustic.

Have duly ordered that CD Keraulophone!