[geoxile]

Well, I'm looking for a balance between best performance and recording quality of Elgar's Enigma Variations (complete).

 

[mbhaub]

Well how did I miss this thread. Elgar is one of my favorites of all time. The Enigma doesn't suffer from a lack of superb recordings. For sound & performance overall the Halle Orchestra's recording on their own label with Mark Elder conducting is first rate. Another version that I would recommend is the Andrew Davis on Teldec (Warner). Now you can get it in a superb boxed set with the symphonies and more. Davis's DVD of Enigma is definitely worth investigating. Whatever you do, if Enigma is really important to you, get one of Barbirolli's versions. As so state-of-the-art sound, there's an SACD with Ashkenazy from Exton, but don't go there. Wrong conductor who just doesn't understand the music. The other SACD you can get is Sir Colin Davis with the London Symphony, but I can't stand his noisy breathing and humming along. Intolerable. Get Elder and Halle. You'll love it. Get his recordings of the two symphonies, too.