FinnishFlash
Head-Fier
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I was surprised not to find a single thread on Head-fi dedicated to these 20th century masterpieces, and thought they deserve their own "favorite recordings" thread just like the works by more productive and recognized symphonists.
If I may, I would like to start on a personal note: I discovered these works (the 1st and 2nd, that is, have not yet heard any of the completions of the unfinished 3rd) fairly recently, and was totally taken by surprise by the melodic beauty, drama, emotional depth (no British "stiff upper lip" here!), and orchestral color that they display. I must admit that although I know and love the Cello Concerto and the Enigma Variations, I had always ignorantly though of the symphonies as less-than-great works, their significance blown out of proportion by the British press (Elgar's 1st was, after all, the first real British symphony). When listening to Elgar's 1st, I cannot help thinking that this is how Tchaikovsky would have sounded like had he lived to see the 20th century. The 2nd is an emotionally stressed work that, in my view, travels over emotional abysses comparable only to those to be found in Mahler's symphonies.
I have approached these works through the Andrew Davis/ BBC SO recordings on Warner Apex and I am considering starting the expansions of my Elgar collection by acquiring the Solti set.
What are your favorites among the recordings of these great symphonies?
If I may, I would like to start on a personal note: I discovered these works (the 1st and 2nd, that is, have not yet heard any of the completions of the unfinished 3rd) fairly recently, and was totally taken by surprise by the melodic beauty, drama, emotional depth (no British "stiff upper lip" here!), and orchestral color that they display. I must admit that although I know and love the Cello Concerto and the Enigma Variations, I had always ignorantly though of the symphonies as less-than-great works, their significance blown out of proportion by the British press (Elgar's 1st was, after all, the first real British symphony). When listening to Elgar's 1st, I cannot help thinking that this is how Tchaikovsky would have sounded like had he lived to see the 20th century. The 2nd is an emotionally stressed work that, in my view, travels over emotional abysses comparable only to those to be found in Mahler's symphonies.
I have approached these works through the Andrew Davis/ BBC SO recordings on Warner Apex and I am considering starting the expansions of my Elgar collection by acquiring the Solti set.
What are your favorites among the recordings of these great symphonies?
