Search - Elgar, Hindemith, Kleinert :: Enigma Variations / Philharmonic Concertos

The two things that recommend this work are: 1) a fantastic rendition of Elgar's famous Enigma Variations, and 2) a rarely-recorded Hindemith gem. Both works were written intentionally to exploit the textures and colors of the orchestra, and they are both a set of variations. Elgar's is a set of portraits of his friends and his wife and perhaps himself. Elgar was mum on its broader meaning--probably why it's called the Enigma Variations. Duh. The 1932 Philharmonic Concerto is a set of alternating woodwind and string passages that is typical of Hindemith's writing. This is an odd pairing that, strangely, works grandly. --Paul Cook