Search - Various Artists :: Elgar: The Collector's Edition (30 CDs)

Great Bargain of Elgar Masterworks and Forgotten Gems!

Darin Tysdal | Bloomington, MN 55420 | 12/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like Sony's Stravinsky set, this Elgar set from EMI seems to want to challenge the Brilliant Classics label by providing lots of music for little money. This costs more than the Stravinsky, but you get 30 cds here as opposed to the 22 in the Stravinsky set. On the average, you are paying $2 a disc, as opposed to the seperate issues listed on Amazon that are going for about $20 in some instances.

What about the performances? I have many of these works already in my collection and most are digital recordings. Two are bonafide classics: Jaqueline du Pre's Cello Concerto and Janet Baker's Sea Pictures. Problem is, many people might already have these already-this remastering was in 2004 and released as a "Great Recordings of the Century" for $12.98. Most of the orchestral works are conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. The symphonies are impressive, but I can think of better ones to use as supplements-Solti, Previn, Colin Davis and George Hurst in No.1 and Solti, Previn, Downes in No.2. Barbirolli's interpretations are rather mellower than the ones listed above and I feel that one should get to know these works through their recordings first. The smaller works fare better: Introduction and Allegro, Elegy, Sospiri, Cockaigne Overture, Serenade in E Minor. Falstaff and Froissart come in competition with Simon Rattle on EMI and Mark Elder on the Halle Orchestra's label. The Enigma Variations and Pomp and Circumstance Marches will be much appreciated for those who like the old school way of performing these works. Also note that the Barbirolli recordings are analog stereo and the quality varies from work to work. Hugh Bean's recording of the Violin Concerto was chosen instead of both of Nigel Kennedy's and Menhuin's recordings-and this was a great idea, because there is no duplication involved with my collection! Bean's recording is on the slow side which seems to be the norm nowadays. Anyone used to this should really enjoy his interpretation. He also plays the Violin Sonata. Cd 7 includes Sir Charles Groves conducting Suites: Nursery, Severn, Crown of India (with it's swaggering March of the Mogul Emperors) and Coronation March. The rest of the set has relatively unknown Elgar compositions that have been recorded sporadically, therefore upping the desirableness of this set. There are some very good digital recordings here. Although I have not listened to all of it, here are some highlights: the Coronation Ode (with its end using "Land of Hope and Glory", Gordon Jacob's orchestration of the Organ Sonata, a illustrated talk on The Apostles and The Kingdom narrated by Sir Adrian Boult, Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf, The Spirit of England, and a Elgar conducts Elgar sampler for cd 30. Even if there is duplication, this cd set has much repertoire that is hard to find, although you will be missing texts and program notes, which may be more of a detriment in the choral works with orchestra. If you already have those on other recordings you can use their texts along with this set. Maybe EMI will post texts on their web site. I will continue to sample and discover new works of Elgar as well as appreciate these performances of works that I already am familiar with."

Excellent if imperfect

Michael Suh | 07/20/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's hard not to like Elgar -- his music is tuneful, bombastic in all the right ways, and has an air of ceremony that somehow perfectly fits what British music should sound like. I guess it's just that Elgar defines "British" music.



There are certainly highlights in this set -- Falstaff and the Cello Concerto are so good that I think any other performance I'll ever hear of either of them will be ruined because they won't compare. The oratorios The Dream of Gerontius and The Apostles as presented are widely considered the best out there. And I haven't heard better. There's plenty more here to enjoy even if they're not absolutely authoritative.



I don't like Barbirolli's interpretation of the symphonies -- he takes the "noble" themes in both symphonies and slows them down, probably thinking that stretching them out emphasizes their gloriousness. He does this in the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, too. It's pretentious and doesn't work. The momentum is disrupted to the point that the music is painfully dragging.



I also take issue with the remastering job. Most of the digital remastering was done 15 to 20 years ago, and it shows. The sound is not as crisp as it should be, especially among the strings. It's not terrible, but it really sticks out in the later discs (20 and beyond). It's all of the non-famous stuff, so I don't know if many people will care; some may never work their way all the way to the end.



One reason why many may get turned off by this set and never get through it is that the booklet included just lists the tracks. There's no text, libretto, biography, or explanation of the works. I recommend going to the Elgar Foundation's website to get more information about the compositions and Elgar's life. But with the exception of Gerontius, you're going to have a tough time finding libretti. It's painful to listen to 20 hours of choral works when you can't follow along.



Semi-major works like Caractacus and Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf are hard to appreciate when there's limited information about them online. They're 2 hour blurs to me -- I can't focus on them because I don't know what all the singing is about and there's virtually no way to know because the diction is so-so and the sound quality isn't crystal clear. Maybe others don't share this problem, but I get the feeling I'm not alone.



There's plenty of good here, especially in the orchestral side, to justify the price. The packaging is satisfactory -- paper sleeves for the discs in a shelf-saving format. For $50, it's what you should expect. But EMI fails to grasp that Elgar's works aren't just about the recording legacies Groves, Barbirolli, and Handley -- it should also be about Elgar himself. With a composer who wrote so much vocal and choral music, the lack of texts and biographical information is enough to take away a significant amount of appeal of this box set, regardless of its price point."

Generally Execellent

Steven G. Weikert | Chicago, Illinois United States | 10/12/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have to agree with the previous 2 reviewers as to both the strengths and weaknesses of this set, but for anyone interested in really getting to know the music of Sir Edward Elgar, this certainly can't be beat.



If you want to decide on whether to purchase this based on the particular performances (which can be researched elsewhere), here are the details of the recordings that comprise these 30 disks:



CD1 [67:54]

Symphony No. 1 in A flat Op. 55

Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Introduction and Allegro, Op. 47

Allegri Quartet, Sinfonia of London/Sir John Barbirolli



CD2 [65:40]

Symphony No. 2 in E flat Op. 63

Hallé Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Elegy, Op. 58 , Sospiri, Op. 20

New Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



CD3 [63:30]

Falstaff: Symphonic Study in C minor Op. 68

Hallé Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Cockaigne (In London Town) - Concert Overture Op. 40

Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Froissart - Concert Overture Op. 19

New Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



CD4 [73:17]

Variations on an Original Theme 'Enigma' Op. 36

Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Pomp and Circumstance March Nos. 1, 4

Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Pomp and Circumstance March Nos. 2, 3, 5

New Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Serenade in E minor Op. 20

Sinfonia of London/Sir John Barbirolli



CD5 [53:55]

Sea Pictures Op. 37

Dame Janet Baker, London Symphony Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



Cello Concerto in E minor Op. 85

Jacqueline du Pré, London Symphony Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



CD6 [74:36]

Violin Sonata in E minor Op. 82

Hugh Bean, David Parkhouse



Violin Concerto in B minor Op. 61

Hugh Bean, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Charles Groves



CD7 [69:33]

Nursery Suite, Severn Suite Op. 87, Suite from The Crown of India Op. 66, Coronation March Op. 65

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Charles Groves



CD8 [62:29]

Organ Sonata in G Op. 28 (orch. Gordon Jacob), The Wand of Youth Suites Nos. 1 & 2 Op. 1a & 1b

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon Handley



CD9 [52:51]

Three Bavarian Dances, Chanson de nuit Op. 15 No. 1, Chanson de matin Op. 15 No. 2, Fantasia and Fugue in C minor Op. 86, Overture in D minor, In the South (Alassio) Op. 50

London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult



CD10 [49:46]

Carillon Op. 75, Elgar arr. of Chopin Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Grania and Diarmid Op. 42, Polonia Op. 76, Caractacus Op. 35, Imperial March Op. 32, Empire March

London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult



CD11 [62:28]

Minuet Op. 21, May Song, Rosemary, Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra Op. 62, Sevillana Op. 7, Sérénade lyrique, Mazurka Op.10 No. 1, Serenade mauresque Op. 10 No. 2, Contrasts Op. 10 No. 3, Carissima, Mina



Minuet from Beau Brummel, Dream Children Op. 4, Salut d'amour Op. 12,

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Lawrence Collingwood, Northern Sinfonia of England/Sir Neville Marriner



CD12 [77:09]

Piano Quintet in A minor Op. 84

John Ogdon, Allegri Quartet



String Quartet in E minor Op. 83

Music Group of London



Serenade, Concert Allegro Op. 46

John Ogdon, piano



CD13 [38:49]

The Dream of Gerontius Op. 38 - Part I



CD14 [70:40]

The Dream of Gerontius Op. 38 - Part II

Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano); Richard Lewis (tenor); Kim Borg (bass); Halle Choir; Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus; Ambrosian Singers/Halle Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli



CD15 [78:00]

The Apostles Op. 49 - Part I



CD16 [57:38]

The Apostles Op. 49 - Part II

Sheila Armstrong (soprano); Helen Watts (alto); Robert Tear (tenor); Benjamin Luxon (bass); Clifford Grant (bass); John Carol Case (bass); Choir of Downe House School; London Philharmonic Choir; London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult



The Apostles and the Kingdom - An Illustrated Introduction by Sir Adrian Boult (lecture with music)



CD17 [72:19]

The Kingdom Op. 51 - Part I



CD18 [64:05]

The Kingdom Op. 51 - Part II

Margaret Price (soprano); Yvonne Minton (alto); Alexander Young (tenor); John Shirley-Quirk (bass); London Philharmonic Choir; London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult



Coronation Ode Op. 44

Dame Felicity Lott (soprano); Alfreda Hodgson (alto); Richard Morton (tenor); Stephen Roberts (bass); Cambridge University Musical Society Chorus; Choir of King's College Cambridge; New Philharmonia Orchestra; Band of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall/Sir Philip Ledger



CD19 [71:12]

The Light of Life (Lux Christi) Op. 29

Margaret Marshall, (soprano), Helen Watts (mezzo-soprano), Robin Leggate (tenor), John Shirley-Quirk (bass-baritone) Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Charles Groves



CD20 [72:21]

The Black Knight Op. 25

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Charles Groves



Scenes from The Saga of King Olaf Op. 30 - Part I



CD21 [48:43]

Scenes from The Saga of King Olaf Op. 30 - Part II

Teresa Cahill (soprano), Philip Langridge (tenor), Brian Rayner Cook (bass), London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir/Vernon Handley



Spanish Serenade Op. 23, The Snow Op. 26 No. 1, Fly, singing bird Op. 26 No. 2

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Choir/Sir Charles Groves



CD22 [54:19]

Caractacus Op. 35 - Scenes I & II



CD23 [59:01]

Caractacus Op. 35 - Scene III - VI

Sheila Armstrong (soprano), Robert Tear (tenor), Peter Glossop (baritone), Brian Rayner Cook (bass), Stuart, Richard (bass), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Choir/Sir Charles Groves



CD24 [46:10 ]

The Banner of St George Op. 33, Great is the Lord (Psalm 48) Op. 67, Te Deum and Benedictus Op. 34

Stephen Roberts (baritone), London Symphony Chorus, Northern Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox



CD25 [46:10]

The Spirit of England Op. 80, Give unto the Lord (Psalm 29) Op. 74, O hearken thou (Offertory) Op. 64,

Land of Hope and Glory (arr. Arthur Fagge)

Dame Felicity Lott (soprano), London Symphony Chorus, Northern Sinfonia of England/Richard Hickox



CD26 [76:10]

Ave verum corpus Op. 2 No. 1, Ave Maria Op. 2 No. 2, Ave maris stella Op. 2 No. 3, 11, Vesper Voluntaries Op. 14, Angelus Op. 56 No. 1, Give unto the Lord Op. 74, O hearken thou Op. 64, Te Deum and Benedictus Op. 34,

Harry Bramma (organ), Worcester Cathedral Choir/Christopher Robinson



Organ Sonata in G Op. 28

Herbert Sumsion (organ)



CD27 [55:19]

The Music Makers Op. 69

Dame Janet Baker (soprano), London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult



The Sanguine Fan Op. 81

London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult



CD28 [70:40]

The Starlight Express - Incidental Music Op. 78

Valerie Masterson (soprano), Derek Hammond-Stroud (baritone), London Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon Handley



CD29 [72:38]

Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands Op. 27,

Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus/Norman Del Mar



Pleading Op. 48 No. 1, Was it some golden star? Op. 59 No. 3, Oh, soft was the song Op. 59 No. 1, Twilight Op. 59 No. 6, The Torch Op. 60 No. 1, The River Op. 60 No. 2,

Robert Tear (tenor), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Vernon Handley



The Shower Op. 71 No. 1, My love dwelt in a northern land,

City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus/Simon Halsey



Five Part-Songs from the Greek Anthology Op. 45, The Wanderer, The Reveille Op. 54, 4

Baccholian Singers of London



Choral Songs Op. 53 - Deep in my Soul

King's Singers



Herbert Parry - Jerusalem (arr. Elgar)

The National Anthem ("God Save the King") (arr. Elgar)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Goldsmiths Choral Union/Owen Arwel Hughes



CD30 [76:55] - Historical recordings conducted by Sir Edward Elgar

Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 - 5, The Dream of Gerontius Op. 38 - Prelude, Serenade in E minor Op. 20

Five Piano Improvisations, Salut d'amour Op. 12, Chanson de nuit Op. 15 No. 1, Chanson de matin Op. 15 No. 2, Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D Op. 39 No. 1 - Trio, Cockaigne (In London Town) - Concert Overture Op. 40

BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, New Symphony Orchestra/Sir Edward Elgar







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