Paul Watkin's new recording of the Elgar 'cello concerto.

[pastoralguy]

Oh dear, Fraudian slip there!!

I did, of course, mean affection!

[Barbirollians]

I yield to no man in my affection for the du Pre/Barbirolli recording and I apologise if I can across as 'bashing' it. (I would buy it on SACD too) My point was that others have valid points of view too.

And BAL isn't infallible. Look at the Britten violin concerto/Ida Haendel debacle a couple of years ago!

True - an utter scandal ! I was almost tempted to arrive at the BBC with a horsewhip on Ida's behalf !

[pastoralguy]

Horsewhipping would be too good for those responsible!!

[Mr Pee]

This thread has been moribund for a while, but I thought it worth reviving for the sake of Hugh Canning's review in today's Sunday Times:-

Watkins writes in the booklet that he found it "daunting" to record Elgar's Cello Concerto (the competition is stiff, and Casals, Tortelier and Du Pre still dominate the catalogue), but he rises superbly to the challenge. His playing- of exceptional beauty, refinement and technical address- is all the more remarkable given that he is no longer a full-time soloist. In addition to conducting activities, he is a leading light of the Nash Ensemble and about to join the much travelling Emerson Quartet. With Davis, one of the most experienced of all Elagarians, as his conductor, this is a valedictory account of the composers last important orchestral work, closer in spirit to Tortelier under Boult than to the youthful, fiery and wayward Du Pre with Barbirolli. His long legato lines in the melancholic opening movement and the elegaic Adagio are imbued with a sense of Elgar's wistful, nostalgic look back at his past, and he captures the restless nervosity of the Allegro Molto "Scherzo", finally triumphing over pessimism in the the expansive finale. I doubt this great concerto can be more convincingly interpreted today. Davis's brilliant accounts of the Introduction and Allegro, the five Pomp and Circumstance marches and the brief, touching Elegy complete a varied programme executed with panache in state-of-the-art sound.

[Alison]

Yes, it's an excellent disc, a stimulating mix of great Elgar. Spot on Mr Canning,

Judgment reserved for now on the recording quality pending an audition on the 'main' system.

The RPO/Previn P&C Marches on Philips are still finer IMHO.

[Barbirollians]

Casals in Elgar ? Dominates the catalogue ? What a bizarre suggestion.

Tortelier is miles better with Sargent that with Boult IMO and Isserlis and Hickox provide much my favourite alterntive to du pre

[Pabmusic]

Casals in Elgar ? Dominates the catalogue ? What a bizarre suggestion.

Tortelier is miles better with Sargent that with Boult IMO and Isserlis and Hickox provide much my favourite alterntive to du pre

'Dominates' is hyperbole, but the Casals/Boult recording had always been around since it was recorded in ?1945, and it's very good indeed. I suspect the critic just latched onto a big name.

[waldhorn]

Oh dear, Fraudian slip there!!

I did, of course, mean affection!

'Fraudian'... nice one!

[Barbirollians]

Someone was once quoted as saying Casals could never get the opening right - I can remember who but they were quite eminent .

At risk of thread drift the coupling on the EMI References CD now that is magnificent the Dvorak Concerto with Szell and the Czech PO in 1937.

[Chris Newman]

'Fraudian'... nice one!

I had refrained from making that comment, waldhorn, in case I had missed one of pastoralguy's jokes but I think he had made another slip.