Composer: Edward William Elgar
Performer: Elizabeth Llewellyn, Elgan Llŷr Thomas, Roland Wood, Christopher Purves, Alastair Miles, Huddersfield Choral Society
Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North
Conductor: Martyn Brabbins
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Hyperion
Catalogue: CDA68254
Release: 2019
Size: 1.59 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Caractacus, Op. 35
CD 01
01. Scene 1: No. 1, Watchmen, Alert! (Chorus)
02. Scene 1: No. 2, Watchmen, Alert! the King Is Here (Caractacus/Sentries)
03. Scene 1: No. 3, Father! Sire and King (Eigen/Caractacus/Orbin/Sentries)
04. Scene 1: No. 4, At Eve to the Greenwood (Eigen)
05. Scene 1: No. 5, On the Ocean and the River (Eigen/Orbin/Caractacus)
06. Scene 1: No. 6, Rest, Weary Monarch (Spirits of the Hill)
07. Scene 2: No. 1, Tread the Mystic Circle Round (Arch-Druid/Druids/Druid Maidens)
08. Scene 2: No. 2, Invocation. Lord of Dread, and Lord of Pow’r (Chorus/Arch-Druid)
09. Scene 2: No. 3, Bard, What Read Ye? (Arch-Druid/Orbin/Caractacus/Druids/Druid Maidens)
10. Scene 2: No. 4, Leap, Leap to Light (Caractacus/Soldiers/Orbin/Arch-Druid)
11. Scene 2: No. 5, Hence, Ere the Druid’s Wrath Is Woke (Druids/Druid Maidens/Orbin/Soldiers)
12. Scene 3: No. 1, Introduction. The Woodland Interlude
13. Scene 3: No. 2, Come! Beneath Our Woodland Bow’rs (Youths/Maidens)
14. Scene 3: No. 3, O’er-arch’d by Leaves (Eigen/Orbin)
15. Scene 3: No. 4, Last Night Beneath the Sacred Oak (Orbin)
16. Scene 3: No. 5, Come! Beneath Our Woodland Bow’rs – They Gather the Wreaths (Youths/Maidens/Orbin/Eigen)
CD 02
01. Scene 4: No. 1, Wild Rumours Shake Our Calm Retreat (Maidens)
02. Scene 4: No. 2, When the Glow of the Evening (Eigen/Maidens)
03. Scene 4: No. 3, We Were Gather’d by the River (Soldiers)
04. Scene 4: No. 4, Lament. O My Warriors (Caractacus/Chorus)
05. Scene 5: No. 5, Captive Britons, See Them! (A Bard/Druid Maidens)
06. Scene 6: No. 1, Processional Music. The March Triumphal Thunders (Chorus)
07. Scene 6: No. 2, Unbind His Hands (Claudius)
08. Scene 6: No. 3, Heap Torment upon Torment (Caractacus/Eigen/Orbin)
09. Scene 6: No. 4, Slay, Slay the Briton! (Roman Citizens/Claudius)
10. Scene 6: No. 5, I Plead Not for Myself (Caractacus/Orbin/Eigen/Roman Citizens/Claudius)
11. Scene 6: No. 6, Grace from the Roman! (Eigen/Orbin/Caractacus/Claudius)
12. Scene 6: No. 7, The Clang of Arms Is Over (Chorus)
The centuries do indeed ‘roll away’ as the libretto addresses questions of empire—Roman and Victorian—and Britain’s place in the world. But that shouldn’t detract from the music; this is simply glorious and worthy of the mature Elgar.