On this evidence, George Hurst is a breezy, no-nonsense Elgarian. Certainly, the Imperial March seems to be right up his street and comprises a hugely enjoyable curtain-raiser here—a rousing, affectionate display indeed. He directs a dapper, comparatively lightweight account of the First Symphony, stronger on bustle and outward pomp than private introspection. After a slightly pedestrian presentation of the motto theme, the first movement Allegro proper proceeds in athletic, unlingering fashion, though experienced Elgarians may well baulk at the way Hurst occasionally whips up the excitement to rather inorganic effect: the resulting whiff of superficiality hangs in the air longer than is desirable. Similarly, the sublime slow movement just misses out on that last ounce of rapture (though the concluding bars come very, very close), and the main portion of the finale (rather bluffly done) brings little sense of cumulative power. Yet the scherzo is splendid, the pastoral, distinctly Dvorakian overtones in the lyrical secondary material most engagingly brought out. Come the symphony's coda (uncommonly well handled by Hurst, I thought) and wonderfully brazen BBC PO horn and trumpets really show their mettle through the surrounding buffeting texture, though I could have done without the crude timpani thwack at 10'33'', just seconds before the end. Otherwise, the Manchester orchestra respond with commendable sensitivity and pleasing discipline for one of their previous chiefs, and the glowing, nicely detailed sonics are probably the best I've yet heard from Naxos.
Hardly one of the essential recordings of the symphony, then, and not quite as idiomatically Elgarian an experience as, say, Naxos's own version of the Violin Concerto with Kang and Leaper (4/92). Then again, there is much that's genuinely satisfying here and the value is obvious. For my own money, and staying in super-budget territory, I'd turn in preference to James Loughran's rather more subtly realized 1979 Halle recording on ASV Quicksilva, but, with both versions retailing for around a fiver, many Elgarians will surely want to sample Hurst too. Incidentally, next up from the Naxos stable is an Elgar Second with Sir Edward Downes and the BBC PO—now that should be worth waiting for!'