Album

Make no mistake, Richard Hickox's recording with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales of Edward Elgar's Symphony No. 1 in A flat major is a brilliant achievement, and listeners who discover the work through this astonishing-sounding SACD will be thoroughly delighted with it. However, those who know the symphony from the classic EMI recording by Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic Orchestra may find that Hickox is quite relaxed and leisurely in his pacing, in marked contrast to Boult's tightly controlled and fairly urgent rendition. Elgar instructed that the piece should be played "elastically and mystically," and one can turn to his 1930 recording to get an idea of the fluid effect he desired, though his use of rubato and flexible tempos seems to fall between Boult's and Hickox's. That said, there is much to enjoy about this deeply felt and powerful performance, which is full of the generosity and compassion Elgar wished to convey; the orchestra is both scintillating in its impressionistic colors and glorious in its moving statements of the noble main theme. Somewhat less essential to most listeners is Gordon Jacob's 1947 orchestration of Elgar's Organ Sonata, Op. 28, which was a fairly youthful work that does not approach the subtlety of the symphony, and seems a bit bombastic in this exuberant arrangement. Chandos' reproduction in both works is spectacular, and the wide frequency range delivers true pianissimos, as well as resounding fortissimos.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1
Sir Edward Elgar Composer Symphony No.1 in Ab, Op.55 Work 51:47 BBC National Orchestra of Wales Orchestra, Richard Hickox Conductor
1	1.Andante. Nobilmente e semplice	19:24			$3.49
2	2.Allegro molto	7:17			$1.49
3	3.Adagio	12:55			$1.99
4	4.Lento. Allegro	12:11			$1.99
Sir Edward Elgar Composer Organ Sonata No.1 in G, Op.28...Organ Sonata No.1 in G, Op.28 (arr.orchestra) Work 25:50 BBC National Orchestra of Wales Orchestra, Richard Hickox Conductor
5	1.Allegro maestoso	8:13			$1.49
6	2.Allegretto	4:33			$0.99
7	3.Andante espressivo	7:42			$1.49
8	4.Presto (comodo)	5:22			$0.99