Very good # 2; presentable #1
Jerry White | London, UK | 10/08/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Teldec have now repackaged Andrew Davis's views on the two Elgar symphonies. The recordings come from two different sessions, and I think this shows. The first symphony (on disc 1) is given a performance that is somewhere between good and very good; it is straightforward but ultimately lacking in any special qualities. The coupled marches similarly are quite well done. Maybe the rather dry acoustic of Barking Town Hall in East London had something to do with it.The version of the second has been generally praised in the UK, and Davis moves up a notch here with a performance to rank with the best, although for me Barbirolli isn't quite matched. In the South also comes over very well, and the church used for the recording of these two works imparts a greater sense of atmosphere than in the works in disc 1. Overall, it could be argued that the set is very worth having just for the second symphony and the overture. If you take this view, you will get a presentable first as a bonus."