Elgar Symphony No 2 etc
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Edward Elgar
Label: British Composers
Magazine Review Date: 6/1997
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 69
Mastering:
Mono
ADD
Catalogue Number: 566399-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Symphony No. 2 |
Edward Elgar, Composer
Edward Elgar, Composer Hallé Orchestra John Barbirolli, Conductor |
| Cockaigne, 'In London Town' |
Edward Elgar, Composer
Edward Elgar, Composer Hallé Orchestra John Barbirolli, Conductor |
| Dream children, Movement: Andante |
Edward Elgar, Composer
Edward Elgar, Composer Hallé Orchestra John Barbirolli, Conductor |
Author: Andrew Achenbach
Listening to the original mono LP of Sir John Barbirolli’s 1954 recording of the main work for the purposes of my Gramophone “Collection” (9/93, page 28), I recall that the murky sound made it difficult for me to extract maximum involvement from a performance I thought fell “more into the ‘very good’ rather than ‘inspirational’ category”. Now, Paul Baily’s splendid refurbishment for CD forces a serious reappraisal of Barbirolli’s achievement.
Enormously fond as I am of JB’s own stereo version of ten years later, there’s no gainsaying the extra fire and cogency of the mighty opening movement in the earlier interpretation. This has an altogether thrilling thrust and authority, yet at the same time the ghostly development is as movingly realized as I can ever recall. The Rondo is now leaner, hungrier (the momentary drop in level at 2'18'' is presumably on the mastertape), while the finale is as distinguished as I had remembered, paced to perfection and exhilaratingly fresh (try the Poco animato section from 3'51'', with its hair-raising climactic trumpet top C). Only in the Larghetto do I retain a slight preference for the later performance, though the tear-spilling final climax (always a Barbirolli speciality) is as heart-rending as ever. Throughout, the Halle give their all, and this hugely committed reading fully deserves its new lease of life on CD. Hopefully, EMI will also get round to reissuing Sir Adrian Boult’s magnificent 1956 account (last available on Nixa Collector, 5/89), for it has a towering authority and concentration that not even Barbirolli equalled.
Similarly, the present Cockaigne scores over its stereo Philharmonia successor in terms of quick-witted, charismatic flair and affectionate warmth. A Londoner by birth, Barbirolli was in his element in this score: how tenderly rapt is the lovers’ music, and what terrific swagger and boisterous humour he brings to the big central march-past. (There exists an even earlier Halle/Barbirolli recording from 1949-50, which I’d also very much like to hear.) That just leaves the winsome Andante from Dream children in a tender rendering from February 1950, brimful of this conductor’s very personal brand of wistful nostalgia. Not to be missed.'
Enormously fond as I am of JB’s own stereo version of ten years later, there’s no gainsaying the extra fire and cogency of the mighty opening movement in the earlier interpretation. This has an altogether thrilling thrust and authority, yet at the same time the ghostly development is as movingly realized as I can ever recall. The Rondo is now leaner, hungrier (the momentary drop in level at 2'18'' is presumably on the mastertape), while the finale is as distinguished as I had remembered, paced to perfection and exhilaratingly fresh (try the Poco animato section from 3'51'', with its hair-raising climactic trumpet top C). Only in the Larghetto do I retain a slight preference for the later performance, though the tear-spilling final climax (always a Barbirolli speciality) is as heart-rending as ever. Throughout, the Halle give their all, and this hugely committed reading fully deserves its new lease of life on CD. Hopefully, EMI will also get round to reissuing Sir Adrian Boult’s magnificent 1956 account (last available on Nixa Collector, 5/89), for it has a towering authority and concentration that not even Barbirolli equalled.
Similarly, the present Cockaigne scores over its stereo Philharmonia successor in terms of quick-witted, charismatic flair and affectionate warmth. A Londoner by birth, Barbirolli was in his element in this score: how tenderly rapt is the lovers’ music, and what terrific swagger and boisterous humour he brings to the big central march-past. (There exists an even earlier Halle/Barbirolli recording from 1949-50, which I’d also very much like to hear.) That just leaves the winsome Andante from Dream children in a tender rendering from February 1950, brimful of this conductor’s very personal brand of wistful nostalgia. Not to be missed.'
Elgar Symphony No 2 etc
Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £8.75 / month
Subscribe
Gramophone Full Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £11.00 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.