Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Elgar from America - Volume 3
The Dream of Gerontius, Op.38
Introduction and Allegro, Op.47
Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf, Op.30: The challenge of Thor: As torrents in summer
Richard Lewis (tenor), Maureen Forrester (mezzo-soprano), Morley Meredith (baritone), Westminster Choir
Alexander Schreiner (organ), Mormon Tabernacle Choir/J Spencer Cornwall (Olaf)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli (Gerontius, Introduction)
rec. 1953 and 1 April 1956 (Olaf), Mormon Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah; 3 January 1959 (Introduction), 25 January 1959 (Gerontius)Carnegie Hall, New York, USA
SOMM ARIADNE 5015-2 [2 CDs: 129]
This is the latest instalment in SOMM’s fascinating series of recordings of the music of Elgar in performances from the USA. This volume, like the others, has been put together by Lani Spahr who, in addition to his work on the audio restoration, has authored the very valuable booklet essay. This set is of particular interest to me because I’m already familiar with the two Barbirolli performances. They were included in a four-disc set issued by West Hill Radio Archives, which I reviewed back in 2010. That set included performances of all but two of the works that Barbirolli brought with him when in January 1959 he returned to the podium of the New York Philharmonic for the first time since he ceased to be their Chief Conductor in 1943. The audio restoration on both the WHRA set and this new SOMM release is the work of Lani Spahr. I think I’m correct in saying that he used the same source material for both issues of the Introduction and Allegro but for SOMM he had access to a different source recording for Gerontius.
This SOMM release has already been the subject of a very detailed appraisal by my colleague Paul Corfield Godfrey, which I read before I received these discs. I agree with almost everything that Paul says about the performances. I think a bit more highly of the performance of the Introduction and Allegro than he did though, returning to it now, twelve years after first listening, I can understand his caveats. If I’m honest, I couldn’t detect any significant difference between the sound quality on this SOMM set and on the earlier WHRA issue.
The two short choral excerpts from Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf need not detain us long. In ‘The challenge of Thor’, the orchestral accompaniment is played on an organ and isn’t any too convincing. The sound of the choir comes across as somewhat bass-heavy and congested. ‘As torrents in summer’ is an unaccompanied piece. Here, though the choir is a large one and singing in a big, resonant acoustic, the singers are sensitive to Elgar’s dynamics. I was surprised by the weight of the bass line. Since the basses aren’t singing at excessive volume, I can only conclude that the choir had a large bass section.
The chief interest lies in the performance of The Dream of Gerontius. I hadn’t appreciated, until I saw a poster reproduced in the SOMM booklet, that the present performance was the last of four – given on consecutive days – and it was the final concert, therefore, in Barbirolli’s New York stint. Let it be said straightaway that the there is no sense of fatigue in either the singing or the playing.
The work would not have been familiar to the Manhattan audience: it hadn’t been given by the Philharmonic since 1932 (and, I believe, it would not be played again by them until 2001). They heard a very fine account of it in January 1959. Richard Lewis, who was making his New York debut in these performances, was in better voice than was the case when he sang, hampered by a cold, in Barbirolli’s 1964 EMI studio recording. As I commented in my earlier review, he’s intimate with the role, which he’d already recorded for Sir Malcolm Sargent, and so he brings out both the ardent passages and the many more reflective sections.
The other two soloists were Canadians. Returning to the performance after some
years, I wondered at first if in 2010 I had been a little harsh on baritone Morley Meredith. However, I still don’t like some of his vowel sounds; nor do I warm to his apparent tendency to attack words such as “go” from below. Furthermore, I continue to find his delivery of the words somewhat stilted. It’s only fair to record that Paul Corfield Godfrey was more impressed. There are three Barbirolli recordings of Gerontius in the catalogue and on none of them is the bass soloist at all satisfactory. I like Meredith no more than I like Kim Borg on the otherwise excellent 1964 EMI studio recording or Marian Nowakowski who sang for JB in a 1957 performance given in Italy (review). I find it astonishing that Barbirolli should have been so poorly served by three basses/baritones.
The other Canadian participant is in an entirely different league. To the best of my knowledge Maureen Forrester never recorded the role of the Angel commercially so her admirers will want to hear this fine artist in this performance. So, too, will all those who love Gerontius. I can do no better than repeat what I said when reviewing the WHRA release. She sings the part really well and with great intelligence. Her tone is full and warm throughout and she displays excellent feeling for the music and for its spirit.
We get a very good contribution from the Westminster Choir, who sing very well. Listen, for example, to the commitment with which they declaim the start of ‘Praise to the Holiest’. This isn’t a choir which is tired after four consecutive performances of the work. On the contrary, this is a group of singers, determined to give the music their best shot. The NYPO plays very well for Barbirolli and here we must now address the key question of the two transfers. In my review of the WHRA issue I said this: “The orchestra sounds somewhat distant at times – certainly the soloists are much more forwardly placed. But the orchestral contribution is evidently a distinguished one…..” I can now be more precise. The new SOMM transfer allows the listener to hear much more of the orchestra and they do indeed play very well for JB. Yes, the soloists are still in the foreground but on this pair of CDs we can discern far more of what is going on behind them.
I did extensive A/B sampling of the two sets and I took care not to alter the controls on my audio system, so that I was comparing apples with apples. I also did my listening through high-quality headphones so that I could be sure to pick up detail. At every comparison the SOMM transfer was a clear winner. One can appreciate the difference right at the start. In the WHRA transfer, the Prelude to Part I is preceded by quite loud background noise. I took this in my stride when I first heard the transfer in 2010 but I can’t now do so, because when I played the SOMM transfer there was a slight amount of noise at the very start, but it’s far less pronounced than is the case on WHRA. In fairness, the background noise soon becomes less of an issue on the WHRA set but you know what they say about never getting a second chance to make a first impression. Just as damagingly, there’s intrusive background noise before the delicate start of the Part II Prelude, whereas SOMM offers a transfer that is all but free from egregious noise at this point – and, indeed, throughout the whole work.
Consistently throughout the performance I found the SOMM transfer superior. One hears a good deal more detail, the three solo voices have more presence to them – though they’re well-presented on WHRA too – and the choral sound is clearer. Both recordings have an element of congestion at climaxes, though one must remember we are listening to sound which is now sixty-three years old. That said, I found the SOMM sound slightly more comfortable at these climaxes.
If one is looking for a live Barbirolli recording of Gerontius then I'm
sure the 1959 New York performance is the one to go for. The 1957 Turin performance, now available in an excellent transfer from the Barbirolli Society, is very interesting as an opportunity to hear Jon Vickers and Constance Shacklock (review). However, the orchestral playing and, especially, the choral singing are superior in New York. In addition, in New York one gets an alternative, better-voiced performance from Richard Lewis and a marvellous Angel in Maureen Forrester. This New York account is an invaluable supplement to the justly famous EMI recording.
Comparing the two transfers of the 1959 reading, my vote would go unhesitatingly to SOMM. It was well worth Lani Spahr making a second effort at transferring the performance to disc because this new source is much superior to the one which was available to him in 2010. It has more presence and does greater justice to a fine performance. So, even if you have the WHRA set I’d strongly suggest you add this SOMM set; it’s a definite upgrade. For new purchasers the decision is easier, not least because I’m not sure how easy it now is to acquire the WHRA set. Lani Spahr’s booklet essay for SOMM is full of interest and very well written.
John Quinn
Previous review: Paul Corfield Godfrey
