Elgar: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2 & Sospiri
City of London Sinfonia, Bernard Haitink, Richard Hickox, Sir Adrian Boult
Magnificent Elgar from Haitink, masterfully balancing long-range sweep and fine orchestral detail, and finding ferocious brilliance in the First Symphony's Scherzo. Boult's Cockaigne is a coruscating...
Elgar: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2 & Sospiri
City of London Sinfonia, Bernard Haitink, Richard Hickox, Sir Adrian Boult
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Magnificent Elgar from Haitink, masterfully balancing long-range sweep and fine orchestral detail, and finding ferocious brilliance in the First Symphony's Scherzo. Boult's Cockaigne is a coruscating...
About
Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was England's greatest composer since the death of Henry Purcell in 1695. He was a relatively late developer, with his first major symphonic work, the Enigma Variations (1898-99), being produced when he was already in his forties.
Elgar wrote two very fine symphonies that unerringly captured the zeitgeist of Edwardian England; both are included in this set in superb performances by Bernard Haitink. The first disc ends with two additional Elgar pieces performed by the late lamented Richard Hickox.
Contents and tracklist
Work length53:55
This work is only available as an album download.
- Philharmonia Orchestra
- Bernard Haitink
- Recorded: 1983-01-01
- Recording Venue: 20 & 21 April 1983, Walthamstow Assembly Hall
I. Andante: nobilmente e semplice - Allegro
Track length22:01
This track is only available as an album download.
III. Adagio
Track length12:35
This track is only available as an album download.
IV. Lento - Allegro
Track length12:29
This track is only available as an album download.
- Philharmonia Orchestra
- Bernard Haitink
- Recorded: 1983-04-21
- Recording Venue: 20-21 April 1983: Walthamstow Assembly Hall
- City of London Sinfonia
- Richard Hickox
- Recorded: 1984-02-22
- Recording Venue: 16 & 22 February 1984, St Barnabas Church, Woodside Park, London
- City of London Sinfonia
- Richard Hickox
- Recorded: 1984-02-22
- Recording Venue: 16 & 22 February 1984, St Barnabas Church, Woodside Park, London
Work length59:05
This work is only available as an album download.
- Philharmonia Orchestra
- Bernard Haitink
- Recorded: 1984-01-01
- Recording Venue: 22 & 23 March 1984, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London
I. Allegro vivace e nobilmente
Track length20:33
This track is only available as an album download.
II. Larghetto
Track length16:02
This track is only available as an album download.
IV. Moderato e maestoso
Track length14:06
This track is only available as an album download.
Work length14:48
This work is only available as an album download.
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Sir Adrian Boult
- Recorded: 1987-12-31
- Recording Venue: 29 Sept 1970 & 19 Feb 1971, All Saints', Tooting
Awards and reviews
May 2011
Magnificent Elgar from Haitink, masterfully balancing long-range sweep and fine orchestral detail, and finding ferocious brilliance in the First Symphony's Scherzo. Boult's Cockaigne is a coruscating bonus.
May 2011
conductor and orchestra seem alert to every nuance of Elgar's wonderful scoring. They make the most of the stranger and more remote regions of this great work, resulting in a performance that is full of interest as well as beautifully played and very well paced by Haitink.
