Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Sea Pictures, Op 37 [23:41]
Falstaff, Symphonic Study for orchestra, Op 68 [35:13]
Elīna Garanča (mezzo-soprano)
Staatskapelle Berlin/Daniel Barenboim
rec. live, 14 & 15 October, 2019 (Falstaff) and 16 & 17 December, 2019 (Sea Pictures), Staatsoper, Berlin and Philharmonie, Berlin
Texts and French & German translations included
DECCA 4850968 [58:58]
Daniel Barenboim and the Berlin Staatskapelle have taken a unique route in the last few years by choosing to make a series of recordings of the works of that most English of composers, Edward Elgar. This extended examination of repertoire that is not normally part their core, such as Bruckner or Brahms, has served to offer some fresh perspectives on pieces that often seem to be performed in a traditionally prescribed manner. Barenboim and his orchestra really throw themselves into the proceedings with abandon and while the results may not please Elgar aficionados with long allegiances to older recordings, for those of us who remain blissfully un-initiated there is a great deal to enjoy in this release.
The Sea Pictures song cycle, which premiered in 1899, has long been a sort of Holy Grail to much of the British musical establishment(see Ralph Moore’s survey of Sea Pictures). Although I am sometimes guilty of the opposite, I come to this recording with no particular allegiance to any of the mezzos or contraltos who have recorded the piece in the past. I also have no fixed idea on how this work should be performed; therefore, I have found much to enjoy in the versions by Janet Baker, Yvonne Minton, and Sarah Connolly. I have also found great beauty in the rarely discussed recording by Maureen Forrester under maestro Richard Hoenich. This is likely because this CD had a very limited release, made by McGill University in Montreal, who also were responsible for the distribution until type of undertaking for the University closed down for good. It is very difficult to find a copy of that CD but well worth the trouble to obtain as Forrester comes very close to the sound of Dame Clara Butt who premiered the song cycle in 1899. I have also long thought it a shame that no one thought to record the absolutely wonderful Sarah Walker in the song cycle, an opportunity sadly passed by.
The lovely Latvian mezzo Elīna Garanča shows on this recording that she is the real deal: A cosmopolitan singer who can adapt herself to any style she attempts. Her gorgeous velvet-hued voice is just at the perfect point of development to perform this song cycle with luscious even tone throughout her range, and there is not a hint of pushing her voice to overwhelm the songs with more tone than they require to make their effect. In “Sea Slumber Song” Barenboim and his orchestra beautifully capture the rush of the waves at the opening. Garanča shows her mettle right off by reaching down into the contralto range with surprising success for her beautiful well-schooled voice that is absolutely even throughout her range. Only in the calm depths in the middle of “Where corals lie” did I feel that the song might just be a half size to large for her voice. Occasionally her sung English begins to sound a bit veiled in a very central European way, but this is in no way an impediment to the enjoyment of this performance. “Sabbath Morning at Sea” begins gravely, and her sound and interpretation grow commandingly as the song sails towards its climax. In “The Swimmer” the partnership of Garanča and Barenboim really mesh. Garanca molds her phrasing most movingly at “From the heights and hollows of fern and heather”; while Barenboim obtains some wonderful snarling brass figures at “staining the green gulf crimson”. Garanča rides the crest of the conclusion magnificently without a hint of discomfort at the final “no love wanes”. All things considered this is a beautiful version that is quite able to stand with its head held high alongside the much-lauded recordings of the past on my CD shelves.
For Elgar’s symphonic study of Falstaff I must here disclose that it is not a piece that I have any particular fondness for although I have enjoyed Dutoit’s Decca recording of it in the past. Barenboim brings a true sense of passion and involvement to the proceedings and I really must compliment Decca on a very fine sounding live recording that has the orchestra placed in a very evocative acoustic. Occasionally some of the woodwind passages sound mite distant to my ears but this has the compensation of them always sounding better integrated into the full sound picture than when the instrumentalists are focused with too much of a spotlight microphone technique. All things considered I am most pleased to know with this release that Decca is still able to offer a really fine release of core repertoire that has much to say and yet provides true aural pleasure.
Mike Parr
Previous reviews: John Quinn ~ Simon Thompson
