Firstly, the Hallé's stellar playing: it's genuinely hard to imagine how music of this English vintage could be performed better. Not only is everything beautifully idiomatic and clear, there's also strong characterisation in every department, with a particularly vivid response to Bridge's intricate solo woodwind writing.

There couldn't be better advocates for this neglected corner of the repertoire than the Halle and Elder. His conducting is superb in the way it teases out the detail through the overall drive, balancing out the galvanising passion with attention to hummingbird-like flashes of colour. Where there's a danger of galumphing - heavy scoring, supposedly bouncy rhythms - he manages to make the music dance instead.

Not only is Elgar adept at teasing out the myriad details in Bridge's meticulous orchestral canvas, his bracingly cogent conception also manages to stress this music's more daringly progressive, "continental" features without stinting on its gorgeous local colour...a truly cherishable account of a great work to crown a collection that bids fair to be one of my records of the year.

Elder's grasp of [Enter Spring's] structure is idea, the pacing convincing...The golden glow of the strings and the ripe, thrusting brass are extremely satisfying...There is no finer orchestra with a pedigree in this repertoire than the Hallé

[Enter Spring] is a brilliantly extrovert display of his skill as a colourist, sustained by an irresistible rhythmic energy. The Hallé plays it with fabulous finesse, and the orchestra is equally assured in Arnold Bax's quasi-symphonic Spring Fire

Brilliant orchestral playing throughout and ripe sound.