On this evidence, Edo de Waart is clearly an Elgar conductor of no mean instinct. Both performances benefit from his judiciously clear sighted direction; numerous felicities within Elgar’s meticulously detailed canvases are skilfully brought out, and he undoubtedly has the measure of both these large-scale masterworks.

De Waart’s Gerontius launches most propitiously with a subtly blended, raptly intuitive account of the Prelude. Not only is the playing of the Royal Flemish PO devoted and disciplined but de Waart also sees to it that textures have that authentically Elgarian glow. In the title-role, Peter Auty could hardly be more fervent but seldom comes close to effacing memories of the peerless Heddle Nash on Sargent’s legendary 1945 HMV recording. Sensitively though Michelle Breedt sings, I don’t find her quite as distinctive or affecting as either Alice Coote (with Elder and the Hallé) or Lilli Paasikivi (Ashkenazy/Sydney SO), to say nothing of Gladys Ripley (Sargent), Yvonne Minton (Britten’s 1972 Decca recording) or Janet Baker (Barbirolli). Moreover, John Hancock’s tone is not of the most alluring, while the choral contribution lacks something in sheer heft – though the Collegium Vocale Gent (around 80 members strong) otherwise display commendable acumen and accuracy.

Unfortunately, the sizeable coupling – a refreshingly lithe, defiantly unstuffy account of the First Symphony – means having to contend with a disruptive break in Part 2 of the oratorio. Nonetheless, there’s an endearing freshness, sense of new discovery and wholehearted application about this substantial undertaking and prospective purchasers can rest assured that the sound possesses the satisfying realism, wide dynamic range and depth of sonority in the SACD encoding we have come to expect from Pentatone. Worth sampling, at the very least.