Gustav Holst; Edward Elgar - The Planets; Enigma Variations (Adrian Boult)

Information

Composer: Gustav Holst; Edward Elgar

• Elgar - Variations on an Original Theme "Enigma", Op. 36
• Holst - The Planets, Op. 32

London Symphony Orchestra

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Adrian Boult, conductor

Date: 2002

Label: EMI Classics

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 9

This is the last of Adrian Boult’s umpteen recordings of The Planets, and while it isn’t the most disciplined (“Mars” in particular is not always together), it’s certainly the best recorded and a very powerful interpretation. Perhaps the most noteworthy feature is the extremely fast tempo for “Neptune”–a couple of minutes shorter than Boult’s previous go-round, and it works wonderfully. In fact, the swift tempos in evidence generally (“Mercury” really flies) demonstrate conclusively that not all conductors slow down as they age, and also show that Boult remained in full control of his faculties until the very end. This highly regarded performance of the “Enigma” Variations also holds up well, a touch stodgy perhaps in the finale, but with an eloquently flowing “Nimrod” and a beautifully wistful “Romanza”. Nor does Boult miss the bluff humor of “G.R.S.” The vintage EMI recordings have been well restored, but the differences between this and previous issues are not huge. [5/14/2002]

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

More reviews:
http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/n/nxs55776a.php

https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/May02/Planets_Boult.htm

https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Jan11/Elgar_Holst_6317832.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Holst-Planets-Elgar-Enigma-Variations/dp/B000063UN4

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Gustav Holst (21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer and teacher. He studied at the Royal College of Music under Charles Villiers Stanford. Holst served as musical director at Morley College from 1907 to 1924, and pioneered music education for women at St Paul's Girls' School from 1905 until his death in 1934. He was an important influence on younger English composers, including Edmund Rubbra, Michael Tippett and Benjamin Britten. Apart from The Planets and a handful of other works, his music was generally neglected until the 1980s, when recordings of much of his output became available.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Holst

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Edward Elgar (2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos for violin and cello, and two symphonies. He also composed choral works, including The Dream of Gerontius, chamber music and songs. Elgar has been described as the first composer to take the gramophone seriously. Between 1914 and 1925, he conducted a series of acoustic recordings of his own works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Elgar

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Adrian Boult (8 April 1889 – 22 February 1983) was a British conductor. Known for his championing of British music, he gave the first performance of his friend Gustav Holst's The Planets, and introduced new works by, among others, Elgar, Bliss, Britten, Delius, Rootham, Tippett, Vaughan Williams and Walton. In his years as director of music of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Boult established the BBC Symphony Orchestra, became its chief conductor, and introduced works by many foreign composer to the British audience. From the mid-1960s until his retirement in 1978 he recorded extensively for EMI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Boult

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