Plaudits to Christopher Robinson and the Cambridge University Chamber Choir for their keenly prepared and fervent exploration of this still under-appreciated repertoire. And what an absorbing creative portrait of the composer they give us, stretching from 1889 and “My love dwelt in a northern land” (the first Elgar work to be published by Novello) to 1925 and the delectably assured setting of Walter de la Mare’s “The Prince of Sleep”. Other bewitching gems along the journey include “As torrents in summer” (from the epilogue of the 1896 cantata King Olaf), “Evening Scene” (1905) and “Go, song of mine” (1909). In the five items (Opp 71-73) from 1914 Elgar’s treatment of the a cappella medium acquires an extra confidence (the writing at once dark, rich and penetrating), though perhaps the most sheerly gripping and diverse inspiration on this well filled anthology is to be found within the four Op 53 songs of 1907: sample the ear-tickling bitonality of “There is sweet music” or ghostly gloom of “Owls” (Elgar at his most daring and inscrutable).

Presentation-wise, I’d have preferred a lengthier gap between the lofty splendour of “Go, song of mine” and cosy cavortings of the first of the Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands (1895), heard in their original – and most winningly effective – guise with piano accompaniment (adroitly handled by Iain Farrington), not to mention a fractionally tighter focus to what is an otherwise tonally true sound-picture (the words are not always ideally clear – Naxos does, thankfully, supply full texts). Otherwise, these commendably disciplined and infectiously spirited performances are sure to give pleasure. A tempting price, too!