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ELGAR
The Longed for Light
Simon Callow (speaker) Susan Gritton (soprano) SOMM CD247 An admirable release which extends knowledge and appreciation of Elgar for today's listeners. I recall Boult championing The Sanguine Fan and am pleased to become re-acquainted with it in a strong and persuasive performance. Une Voix dans le Désert and Le Drapeau Belge are fine war inspired works, given full value here. For a fuller review, see Music Web Elgar Starlight Express From Elgar, 1915, incidental music for a hopelessly dated children's play which is unlikely to appeal now in this form to children of any age, or their great grandparents, not even with Simon Callow as indefatigable narrator... There are some great tunes and the singers are fine. There is a useful alternative which many listeners will prefer within the boxed set, Andrew Davis's 45 mins Suite which can be heard separately and comprises half of the second disc. Maybe that will lend itself to purchase by downloading, but I cannot see the boxed double CD as viable, at a 'special offer' of c. £17 from MDT... However, there is a A L Webber musical "the most successful of all time"* which had passed us by, and which might explain its CD release? Peter Grahame Woolf See the Webber finale with roller skating on YouTube |
Polonia (1915) Carillon for speaker and orchestra (1914)
Sospiri (1914) 
