From: EMI / Seraphim Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Original recording remastered Label: EMI / Seraphim Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: October 17, 1995
Amazon.com: Sir Adrian Boult's recording of the Enigma Variations with the London Symphony was made when both he and the orchestra were at their peak. It reflects an extraordinary blend of spontaneity and the grand manner, and shows great insight into the score. Smooth, flowing, and majestic yet animated, it is a finely molded account in which every variation counts toward the whole. Boult's approach is direct and eloquent rather than rhetorical, but very expressive. The sound is closely miked and remastered at a very high level, and a little on the bright side. --Ted Libbey
Disc 1:
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: Theme
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: I. C.A.E. (Caroline Alice Elgar, The Composer's Wife)
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: II. H.D.S.-P. (Hew Daivd Steuart-Powell)
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: III. R.B.T. (Richard Baxtet Townshend)
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: IV. W.M.B. (William Beath Baker)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: V. R.P.A. ( Richard Penrose Arnold)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: VI. Ysobel (Isabel Fitton)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: VII. Troyte (Troyte Griffith)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: VIII. W.N. (Winifred Norbury)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: IX. Nimrod (A. J. Jaeger)
Solve the enigma I ordered the recording and the score to see if I could break the code. Besides identifying each variation with one of Elgar's friends, is there something in the main motif itself? Like the digits of pi? Has anyone found the pattern?
Great recording, great price. Buy this without question!!!!! I stumbled across this little gem for the low price of about $3.00. I almost kept going assuming that the price was an indication of the quality. Glad I looked twice.
This is a wonderful album with respectful treatments and excellent sound quality, performed by the some of the greatest musicians in the world from the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonica Orchestra.
The Enigma Variations, a Theme and 15 short orchestrations that Sir Edward then named after his friends and family based on personality traits, are a wonderful, uncelebrated Opus. I love these pieces. They truly showcase the power of Elgar's compositional style and flair. They certainly rival his more famous Pomp and Circumstance, in my humble opinion. The recording is sharp, well mixed, with no perceivable noise.
As for the Pomp and Circumstance recordings, well done throughout. All 5 pieces are played wonderfully and recorded beautifully with excellent sound mixing and very little, if any, background noise.
Cockaigne Overture is, once again, perfect. Marvelous treatment, wonderful musicianship, excellent sound and quality.
THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE GREATEST MUSICAL VALUE ON THE SHELVES RIGHT NOW. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I ONLY PAID $3.00 FOR THIS RECORDING. I WOULD HAVE GLADLY SHELLED OUT THE OBLIGATORY $15.00 - $20.00 CONSIDERING THE QUALITY OF THIS CD.
IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU MUST BUY RIGHT NOW, BEFORE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES AND RAISE THE PRICE!
CLASSICAL MASTERS I BOUGHT THE CD FOR POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE BUT QUICKLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ENTIRE PIECE. IT IS WONDERFUL!
Noble Elgar, unbelievable price This is not some schlock budget disc, which the price might suggest. Boult was one of the great Elgar interpretors (Barbirolli too) and these performances, especially the inspired Enigma Variations, bring out the very soul of Elgar. Sound quality, by the way, is excellent--warm and rich analog glow.
Great for High School Graduations! I am the Principal of a small private boarding school that opened just last year. We do not have a school orchestra, so when the time came for us to plan our graduation ceremony, I searched all over the web for the traditional music. I heard some awful, piano versions of Pomp and Circumstance #4, and some other lackluster symphonic versions. Seraphim's CD of Elgar's works is by far the best. It is warm, heartfelt, inspiring, rich and incredibly well produced. Perhaps having the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra was the best choice, as they are playing the works of a fellow countryman. Several people came up to me after the ceremony to comment on the music, saying they were extremely moved by the music. Not bad for just playing it over a boombox!
By the way, if you are planning on using this for a graduation, know that you will have to edit out the long introductory passage and figure out how to loop the most famous "graduation" section over enough times to get through your ceremony!
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