Search - Edward Elgar, Constantin Silvestri, John Barbirolli :: Elgar: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; In the South; Serenade for Strings

About a man mated to his destiny

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 04/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cast into the conducting spotlight as an emergency replacement in 1927, London-born cockney Sir John Barbirolli (1899-1970) directed the Symphony No. 2 of his countryman, Edward Elgar, beginning a long and prosperous relationship both interpreting the music of his native composer and working for British recording giant EMI. The music of Elgar became the signature of Barbirolli, whose box of orchestral recordings is still available but lacks some of the wonderful add-ons here Elgar: Orchestral Works [Box Set].



Barbirolli's way with Elgar is well represented here in the first two symphonies. As was his wont with Elgar and all others, Barbirolli took a broader pace than most. He typically sought to wring out the emotion, opulence, sentiment and drama in any score. He does so here in lengthier readings of the Elgar symphonies than any of his competitors. A comparison of his recordings against others graphically displays these tendencies to wit:





Symphony 1 Barbirolli Solti Boult (Lyrita)

Movement 1 21:38 17:45 18:28

Movement 2 7:02 7:08 7:13

Movement 3 12:15 12:12 10:27

Movement 4 12:18 11:38 12:24



Symphony 2 Barbirolli Solti Boult (Lyrita)

Movement 1 19:24 15:30 16:31

Movement 2 13:50 15:31 13:17

Movement 3 8:19 7:50 8:26

Movement 4 14:20 12:34 12:58



While timing doesn't tell the whole story, it tells you a lot about Sir John and the way his mind and heart wrapped around music. He saw each score as a larger, more majestic conception than most people including the composers. In a way, he used the elongated technique to give us more of the good thing than others provided. While the slower pace and longer line tends to work better in Elgar's more programmatic and autiobiographical Symphony 2, which was dedicated to the memory of the late King Edward VII, it also works wonderfully in the opening nobilmente theme of the more mercurial Symphony No. 1. Listen to Amazon's sound bytes to get a handle on the way Barbirolli presented this honorable music as well as the frenzy he creates in the second movement. This is the kind of contrast Sir John creates that resonates long after the music ends for most listeners.



What makes this package special is the pair of add-ons, the first being Constantin Silvestri's famous recording of In The South. Composed after a Mediterranean vacation to Italy, Elgar began this music with a rollicking theme similar to Strauss's Don Juan before moving closer to Resphigi's Pines of Rome. Afterward, a typically Elgarian theme appears before a Neapolitan love song closes the 20-plus minute concert travelouge. Silvestri's conception has been famous since its first appearance on LP and this is its only recording currently being circulated. It ranks with any version of this music ever recorded.



Norman Del Mar's Serenade for Strings, recorded like the Silvestri with the Bournemouth Symphony, is an ironic bit of loveliness before the storm that follows with the Symphony No. 2. These are two of my favorite Elgarian shorts and their inclusion in this package, all recorded in warm and fabulous ADD sound, amkes this one of the best packages of Elgar's music before the public today. Barbirolli's way may not seem natural for anyone coming anew to Elgar but, rest assured, his style grows on you with repeated listening and you will soon be converted. While the BBC recorded Sir John's final concert that included the first symphony Elgar: Introduction & Allegro for Strings; Symphony No. 1, that is no reason to cast aside this marvelous low-priced issue."