Sir Edward Elgar:
Nursery Suite (Aubade ~ The Serious Doll ~ Busy-ness ~ The Sad Doll ~ The Wagon passes ~ The Merry Doll ~ Dreaming-Envoy, Coda)
Serenade in E minor, op.20 (Allegro piacevole ~ Larghetto ~ Allegretto -come prima)
Three Bavarian Dances, op.27 (The Dance ~ Lullaby ~ The Marksmen)
3 files zip 16/44 FLAC Mega Download 3 files zip 24/48 XR FLAC Mega Download
The London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lawrance Collingwood
EMI Music for Pleasure MFP 2046 (Columbia 33SX 1030) 1966 LP/matrices: XAX 500 -5 / XAX 499 -5 (Re-edited January 2021)
Recorded: 11/18 November 1953 / 11 February 1954 - EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road. NOT ON CD 33SX 1030 Sleeve/Sleeve-note >>>
Fine performances, and could well be my favourite version of Serenade. Seems England had a rather large supply of good conductors, as Collingwood is entirely new name for me... And the sound is really nice apart from the less than bothersome noise... thank you for this rarity (i assume it must be.)
ReplyDeleteCheck Wikipedia - he had a 40+ year career as conductor/record producer (presumably it was him announcing the 'motifs' on some Wagner 78's?)
DeleteThe LSO play better/ with more delicacy + concentration for him than for Collins' 'Falstaff' (or some of Sargent's Elgar); and these were recorded nearby the Weldon/LSO Elgar, below.
Could've upload the 24/96 - but the files didn't seem much different...and the editing was absolutely tedious...
These aren't 'rarities' - but the recordings haven't been in the catalogue for over 40 years..
i see - read the article about him, very active figure it seems, just not 'internationally fashionable star' these days, i guess.
DeleteThank you so very much for this excellent transfer and making it available for us. This is one of my all time favourite recordings of Elgar. Superbly played and typically warm and detailed recording of the period. It is not surprising Collingwood is not remembered. He was primarily a recording engineer who worked alongside Fred Gaisberg for many years. He was also the recording engineer for the last recordings of Elgar when he was on his death-bed in 1934. I doubt very much if he was first choice for this recording. I suspect this was originally scheduled for a "name" conductor (maybe Weldon or even Sargent) who dropped out or was ill at the last minute. Collingwood would be an obvious choice given his familiarity with the composer and repertoire. I don't know your opinion about recorded performances of the period, but, for me, Barbirolli is too romantic and Boult a bit straitlaced without the sheer vivacity of Elgar himself. IMO, despite the critical dislike of his performances generally, I do think Sargent's overall style is closer to Elgar's recordings than the others bearing in mind that they all knew and were very familiar with his performances. I am quite prepared for strong disagreement from other contributors but that is natural isn't it.
DeleteReply on 23rd Nov 2014
DeleteSorry I missed my name Best Wishes and thanks again
Howard
I like the performances - but EMI were sloppy with the pressings!
DeleteI'm not too sure that Collingwood was a 'stand-in', as he was well-versed with such scores - as you mention...but it would be Weldon, possibly; as he did the Enigma, etc at that time (don't have that LP).
I can't make my mind up about Sargent's Elgar; a few times have considered uploading the LSO Enigma - but really disliked the other LSO Decca performances (Elgar, Bax, Walton)..and doubt I've played all the Boult mono's in the 4LP HMV set bought some 30 years back.
Simply have far too many records 'jostling for attention'..
I'll have to upload the MfP sleeve (where they mis-spell his name..) as it's quite attractive - although Red creates problems in jpg format..
An LP I'd intended uploading quite some time back; but 'Clicks for Pleasure' pressings invariably would be too time-consuming to manually edit (caused by either the paper inner-sleeve - or cheap'n'cheerful processing)..
ReplyDeleteCollingwood understood the Elgar idiom; so is convincing in these 'slighter' pieces (also some nice LSO playing - Violin, Horn, etc)