This compilation gets
off to an excellent start. The first
disc opens with
a virtuoso
performance of
In the
South.
This is
a muscular,
taut, no-nonsense,
crisp performance
with tremendous
panache in
the LPO brass.
Slatkin resists
the tendency
to dwell
too lovingly
on some of
the quieter
sections, as
other conductors are prone to do, although
at one point
the performance does almost
grind to
a halt!
Personally, I much
prefer performances
where the
music is
pushed along
rather than
being subjected to
an almost microscopic
examination.
The coda
here is particularly
successful and
is driven
along to a
compelling and
satisfying conclusion.
This is
highly recommended.
The remainder
of the disc is
devoted to
the First
Symphony.
I have always admired Slatkin’s versions
of the first and second symphonies (not
the third!) and those who have heard
and been impressed with his live performances
will not be disappointed. Slatkin
takes an
even-handed approach,
perfectly paced, unlike
Colin Davis in his LSO Live recording,
who takes the opening of the symphony
too slowly. Slatkin
gives an energetic, vibrant and dynamic
rendition, and although one could possibly
criticise the third movement for being
slightly too exaggerated and overblown
(more Mahlerian than Elgarian, and the
music really doesn’t demand that kind
of treatment here), as a whole, this
is a powerful and moving performance.
When we remember
that Elgar
himself took
about 47
minutes for
this work
and yet
other conductors
such as
Sinopoli and Tate
take well
over 60,
we can
understand that
there is
a certain
amount of
leeway to
the amount
of time
the symphony
can take.
The score
indicates about
51 minutes
and Slatkin takes
just over
52.
The second disc contains
the Second Symphony followed by the
Serenade for Strings and Salut
d’amour. Although there are a dozen
other versions of the Second Symphony
that are similarly characterised and
receive equally sympathetic performances,
this is still an impressive rendition.
To my mind, the climax of the second
movement is not quite overwhelming enough
and is eclipsed by Colin Davis’s live
performance with the LSO (LSO Live).
The rest of the symphony, however, is
sensitive, masterly, suitably intense
and most proficiently played. So, overall
the performances
of both
symphonies are
excellent, and certainly
will not disappoint
Elgar lovers.
The Serenade is elegantly played
but the second movement is a little
on the slow side. Slatkin's version
of Salut d’amour is utterly charming
and a most welcome conclusion to the
disc.
The third disc contains
the two earlier overtures, Froissart
and Cockaigne, as well as
the Enigma Variations. Froissart
was written in 1890 and was Elgar’s
only substantial work for full orchestra
until 1899, the year of the Enigma
Variations and Elgar’s subsequent
catapulting to national and international
recognition. This nine-year gap includes
some excellent choral and orchestral
works, written for the major music festivals
such as Leeds and Birmingham. Many theories
have been put forward as to why Elgar
did not tackle any other purely orchestral
work in this period. However, the fact
remains that Froissart, despite
its early gestation (although the composer
was 33 when it was written), does contain
some very characteristic Elgarian touches.
Some of these are brilliantly encapsulated
in this performance but unfortunately,
taken as a whole, it is not a particularly
inspired interpretation. Slatkin rarely
seems to get the tempo consistently
right and the result is a hotchpotch
of different sections which never seem
to come together as one overall conception.
Cockaigne is far more successful
and is an excellently characterised
performance. I have serious reservations
with Slatkin’s reading of the ensuing
Enigma Variations. It gets off
to a bad start, being much too slow
and lugubrious for my liking. Variation
II (H.D.S-P) is far too measured
and restrained. The performance doesn’t
truly come alive until Variation VII
(Troyte) with the timpani and
brass beautifully captured. Although
the pianopianissimo at the beginning
of Nimrod is conscientiously
observed, Elgar’s tempo markings are
not. With crotchet equalling 52, we
should get to the end of bar 17 at one
minute. Slatkin gets there in two minutes
exactly and the whole movement takes
5’ instead of 2’ 52" in Elgar’s
own performance. Can this be the slowest
Nimrod since Bernstein? The entire
performance comes across as far too
reserved and non-committed, and falls
far below, for example, the exquisite
1970 Boult recording, or Handley on
EMI, which I would recommend instead.
On the final disc we
have a coupling of the two string concertos
with accompaniment from the St. Louis
Symphony Orchestra (SLSO), rather than
the London Philharmonic as on the other
three discs. Pinchas Zukerman first
recorded the Elgar concerto in 1976
under Barenboim and this later RCA recording
was made in 1993. It is very uncommon
for a recording of an Elgar concerto
to have no participants from the United
Kingdom – one tends to find a foreign
conductor and soloist but with an English
orchestra. However, in this case the
SLSO under their then principal conductor
make a compelling contribution to this
disc. Zukerman, on the other hand, produces
a rather distant performance with little
insight into the ‘soul’ and character
of the music. His detachment is easily
illustrated if one follows the score
and takes note of Elgar’s meticulous
dynamic markings. Zukerman makes very
little distinction between ppp and
f in some passages. This is well
illustrated in the first movement where
there is the sudden diminuendo from
f to ppp two bars before
19. This diminuendo is barely observed
and unless these subtle nuances are
scrupulously followed, the music can
easily lose its passion and intensity,
ending up sounding simply ‘matter of
fact’. It should be remembered that
this score is prefaced by a quotation
in Spanish "aqui esta encerrada
el alma de ….". This quotation
is usually translated as "here
is enshrined the soul of…" However,
an equally good translation might be
"here is imprisoned the soul of
…" A point few commentators take
note of, I think the latter gives a
completely different slant to Elgar’s
intentions and seems to be the translation
favoured by Zukerman! The same observations
apply to the second and final movements
during which, although well played,
the performance as a whole never takes
flight as it should. There are many
other better performances than this
on disc. I would personally recommend
the – as far as I’m concerned – unrivalled
Sammons recording on Pearl above all
others (and similarly with the Delius
violin concerto, of which Sammons’ version
is simply unsurpassable) but realise
that historical recordings are not to
everyone’s taste. Otherwise, Kennedy
under either Rattle or Handley, or Menhuin
under Boult can be trusted to give outstanding
renditions, as would be expected.
Janos Starker is not
a well-known exponent of the Elgar cello
concerto but he gives us a measured,
straightforward, unsentimental approach
to the work. It is technically secure
but at times the sound seems rather
lean. He goes for rather conservative
tempi in the second movement and achieves
a stark nobility in the fourth movement.
The SLSO under Slatkin give an alert,
sympathetic and unobtrusive accompaniment.
So,
all in all, this
is a bit
of a
mixed bag
and it is
difficult to
give the set a
wholehearted recommendation.
Whilst the
performances of the two concertos
are not top-rate,
they will
certainly not disappoint.
However,
one would be hard-pressed to be able
to tolerate repeated hearings
of the, at times
dirge-like, Enigma
Variations.
It may be, although,
that the
potential purchaser
has already
obtained a
satisfactory version
of the
Variations
and is
now looking
to explore
Elgar's orchestral
music further.
Since this
collection contains
top ranking
versions of
the two
symphonies and
is excellent value
for money, it can
be recommended.
However,
the
competition is
very strong
in this
sector and there are
alternative, and
equally good collections
available such
as those
by Previn,
Handley, Andrew Davies
and Elgar himself (the EMI Elgar Editions)
which I would also highly commend.
Em Marshall
Janos Starker (cello), Pinchas Zukerman (violin)
