Track Listing

1. Andante. Nobilmente E Semplice-Allegro
2. Allegro Molto
3. Attacca Adagio-Molto Expressivo E Sostenuto
4. Lento-Allegro-Grandioso
5. Le Roi Lear, Op.4 (Overture)
6. Beatrice Et Benedict, Op.9 (Overture)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #244433 in Music
• Released on: 2006-09-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .69 pounds
• Running time: 75 minutes

Customer Reviews

At last the performance which matchs greatness of the work!!

After listening to Colin Davis' epic account of the same symphony on LSO live CD, I immediately ordered this live recording with Staatskapelle Dresden, and I was amazed by difference of interpretation, yet not disappointed.

Usually, I do not regard very highly of Elgar's Symphonies conducted by English conductors for their too much restraint of emotion and conservative adherence to every marking on the score, so called Elgar tradition starting from the composer himself and handed down from Boult to Vernon Handley, Andrew Davis, Richard Hicox and so on. Their interpretations all have something remarkable, but still asks for more, something greater which matches greatness of the music.

Sir Colin Davis has already broken that mold with the LSO live performance of the 1st symphony by bold treatment of tempi and Wagnerian grandeur of the last movement. Yet this performance in Dresden is no less bold and powerful.

The first movement and the last movement are much faster this time, and there is greater sense of urgency and struggle in the both movement. The finale is driven to the limit and the most violent one I've ever come across. The slow section just before the finale and the 3rd movement are warmly expressive with strings really singing their heart out. Climaxes have no restraint or what critics might call noble control, instead they are executed with maximum impact by almost brutal force.

What distinguishes this performance from the traditional renderings is the way Davis enriches every phrase and every part of the score with truly heart-felt singing of each instrument ( as Giulini said, every part of orchestra must sing ). And despite all the untamed emotion and the huge emphasis on contrast of drama, the work as a whole never sounds vulgar, because the music is never distorted nor exaggerated against the solid architecture of the work.

Acoustics are much better than Barbican Hall, but higher registers are too brightly lit to my taste.