Elgar (1857-1934)

[smittims]

I believe that was once voted the second-best TV programme of all time (the first, presumably, being the 1953 seven-hour live broadcast of the Coronation).

I do urge even those who don't like Elgar (or think they don't like him) to watch it. One of Weldon and Russell's aims was to awake an interest in Elgar among people who didn't listen to his music, by dispelling the fallacies that still hung about, and to reval the sensitivity and humanity in his character; but it's also a wonderful film in its own right irrespective of its subject.

[Serial_Apologist]

I believe that was once voted the second-best TV programme of all time

Russell's return to Elgar for the 2002 South Bank Show's Elgar - Fantasy on a Composer was much less successful, over sentimentalised in my view, although the woodland scene with the dancing forest sprites in blue was enchanting, I think.

[Roger Webb]

Russell's return to Elgar for the 2002 South Bank Show's Elgar - Fantasy on a Composer was much less successful, over sentimentalised in my view, although the woodland scene with the dancing forest sprites in blue was enchanting, I think.

Agreed. The high watermark for Russell....at least for the shorter Monitor films, was surely the earlier Elgar and the Delius Song of Summer. I've seen most of these from that period, and later, most don't stand the test of time eg. the Bax, the Bruckner, the Strauss, the Debussy (particularly poor!). Some of Russell's other films, the non-music ones, I quite liked, for example the little shown Gaudier-Brzeska, Isadora Duncan and Valentino films. Of course his big budget cinema films are a different matter...I'm a big fan!

Favourite Russell story is that Ken liked to see his films in a small cinema to see the audiences reaction. He sneaked into the little picture house in Keswick near where he lived to see Women in Love where he sat behind two 'old dears' when it came to the nude wrestling scene between Oliver Reed and Alan Bates the two old dears watched in silence, until one leant over and whispered to the other............'nice carpet'!

[Serial_Apologist]

Agreed. The high watermark for Russell....at least for the shorter Monitor films, was surely the earlier Elgar and the Delius Song of Summer. I've seen most of these from that period, and later, most don't stand the test of time eg. the Bax, the Bruckner, the Strauss, the Debussy (particularly poor!). Some of Russell's other films, the non-music ones, I quite liked, for example the little shown Gaudier-Brzeska, Isadora Duncan and Valentino films. Of course his big budget cinema films are a different matter...I'm a big fan!

Favourite Russell story is that Ken liked to see his films in a small cinema to see the audiences reaction. He sneaked into the little picture house in Keswick near where he lived to see Women in Love where he sat behind two 'old dears' when it came to the nude wrestling scene between Oliver Reed and Alan Bates the two old dears watched in silence, until one leant over and whispered to the other............'nice carpet'!

[pastoralguy]

I’m awaiting the delivery of a SOMM cd entitled’Boult’s Forgotten Elgar’ which includes a performance of the Second Symphony that was made in 1963 by him conducting the SNO. I’ve heard the download and it’s very impressive. One of my fiddle teachers played on that recording and recalls Boult being very aloof. A comment that stuck with my teacher was Boult saying ‘Now gentlemen, we need to help this section along a bit since it was obviously written by Elgar’s charwoman!’

[smittims]

I agree that that SNO Elgar 2 has been underrated by critics. I've always enjoyed it. I was surprised it was excluded from the EMI/Warner Boult boxes, as it had a run on Classics for Pleasure' in the 1970s. It was, I believe , a 'launch title' for the Waverley label, though Boult was not, of course , a Scot!

[pastoralguy]

I agree that that SNO Elgar 2 has been underrated by critics. I've always enjoyed it. I was surprised it was excluded from the EMI/Warner Boult boxes, as it had a run on Classics for Pleasure' in the 1970s. It was, I believe , a 'launch title' for the Waverley label, though Boult was not, of course , a Scot!

It’s encouraging that the long defunct Waverly label’s master tapes still exist. There are other SNO/Alexander Gibson recordings that are only available on old vinyl recordings. Perhaps these will get an outing on silver disc sometime.

I do have a CfP Lp of the Boult/SNO Elgar 2 but I’m always slightly disappointed when I hear vinyl records.

[smittims]

Sorry to hear that. I've had some wonderful experiences recently. Only this morning (sorry for diverting thread) I heard Balakirev's Symphony in C (Svetlanov , HMV/Melodiya from 1977) terrific sound. And returning to Elgar, I cleaned up my Argo LP of Louis Halsey part songs and that sounds good too. Maybe you need a new cleaing kit or stylus?

My only vinyl disappointment is that my 50-year old AR turntable snapped two little wires when I tried to change the cartridge yesterday, so I'm on the lookout for a new turntable.