Composer: Edward William Elgar
Performer: John Corigliano, Leopold Rybb, William Lincer, Laszlo Varga, J. Spencer Cornwall, Alexander Schreiner, Richard Lewis, Westminster Choir, Warren Martin, Morley Meredith, Maureen Forrester, Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra: New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Sir John Barbirolli
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Somm
Catalogue: ARIADNE50152
Release: 2022
Size: 625 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
01. Introduction & Allegro for String Quartet & String Orchestra, Op. 47
Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf, Op. 30
02. No. 2, The Challenge of Thor
03. Epilogue. As Torrents in Summer
The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38, Pt. 1
04. No. 1, Prelude
05. No. 2, I Am Near to Death
06. No. 3, Rouse Thee, My Fainting Soul
07. No. 4, Sanctus fortis, sanctus Deus
08. No. 5, I Can No More
09. No. 5, Proficiscere, anima Christiana
CD 02
The Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38, Pt. 2
01. No. 6a, Introduction
02. No. 6b, I Went To Sleep
03. No. 7, My Work Is Done
04. No. 8, Low-Born Clods of Brute Earth
05. No. 9, I See Not Those False Spirits
06. No. 10a, Praise to the Holiest
07. No. 10b, And Now the Threshold
08. No. 11, Thy Judgment Now Is Near
09. No. 12, Be Merciful
10. No. 13, Softly and Gently, Dearly-Ransomed Soul
SOMM Recordings adds to its acclaimed treasure trove of historic recordings with “Volume III of Elgar from America”, again masterminded by the extraordinary restoration talents of Lani Spahr. Here the centrepiece is a live 1959 Carnegie Hall recording of Elgar’s masterpiece, The Dream of Gerontius, with the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra conducted by one of the composer’s most eloquent and ardent champions, Sir John Barbirolli. Elgar hailed Barbirolli as “a rising hope of music in England for whom I have admiration and in whose work I have confidence”. His trust in the conductor led to a long, mutually admiring relationship between two men who did so much to define English music. The soloists in The Dream of Gerontius include Richard Lewis (Gerontius), Maureen Forrester (The Angel) and Morley Meredith (The Priest and the Angel of the Agony).
Also recorded live in 1959 is the Introduction and Allegro for Strings, with Barbirolli and the NYP-SO joined by violinists John Corigliano and Leopold Rybb, William Lincer on viola, and cellist Laszlo Varga. Making their first appearance here are two choruses from Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf with J. Spencer Cornwall directing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 1953 and 1956.