Elgar: The Light Of Life / Hickox, Howarth, Finnie, Davies, Shirley-Quirk, LSO

$10.99
Label
Chandos
Release Date
July 31, 2012
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      ELGAR, SIR EDWARD
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
    • PERFORMER
      Hickox, Howarth, Finnie, Davies, Shirley-Quirk, W
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      July 31, 2012
    • UPC
      095115172629
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      CHAN 10726 X
    • LABEL
      Chandos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Choral - Sacred
    Works ⌄

    1. Meditation

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    2. Chorus and Solo: Seek Him that maketh the seven stars (Chorus, Tenor)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Arthur Davies, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    3. Recitative and Chorus: As Jesus passed by (Contralto, Women's Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Linda Finnie, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    4. Solo: Be not extreme, O Lord (Soprano)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Judith Howarth, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    5. Solo: Neither hath this man sinned (Baritone)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    6. Light out of darkness (Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    7. Recitative: And when He had thus spoken (Contralto, Baritone)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Linda Finnie, John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    8. Women's Chorus: Doubt not thy Father's care! (Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    9. Solo and Chorus: He went his way therefore (Contralto, Tenor, Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    10. Solo: As a spirit didst Thou pass before mine eyes (Tenor)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Arthur Davies, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    11. Recitative and Chorus: They brought him to the Pharisees (Contralto, Tenor, Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    12. Solo: Thou only hast the words of life (Contralto)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Linda Finnie, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    13. Soli and Chorus: But the Jews did not believe (Soprano, Contralto, Tenor, Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Judith Howarth, Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    14. Solo and Women's Chorus: Woe to the shepherds of the flock (Soprano, Women's Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Judith Howarth, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    15. Recitative and Soli: Jesus heard that they had cast him out (Contralto, Tenor, Baritone)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    16. Solo: I am the Good Shepherd (Baritone)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox

    17. Light of the World, we know Thy praise (Chorus)

      Composer: Edward Elgar

      Ensemble: London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: John Scott

      Conductor: Richard Hickox


"Hickox's superior Elgarian credentials are immediately established in the glorious orchestral "Meditation", where his conducting demonstrates a noble flexibility, sensitivity to dynamic nuance and feeling for climax that are wholly beguiling. Equally, the Chandos production team see to it that the familiar Elgarian 'glow'-.-a component largely missing from Sir Charles Groves's rival Liverpool recording—is in generous supply; indeed, the engineering, sumptuous yet nicely detailed, comes close to the ideal. The LSO respond for their Associate Conductor with playing that is both warm-hearted and alert; as ever, the London Symphony Chorus contribute to proceedings in exemplary, splendidly disciplined fashion..."

- Gramophone, (From the original 1993 release.)

This re-release of The Light of Life by Sir Edward Elgar forms part of the new Hickox Legacy commemorative series on Chandos Records, leading up to (and continuing beyond) the fifth anniversary, in Nov 2013, of the conductor’s untimely death.

The Light of Life, an oratorio for soprano, contralto, tenor, and baritone soloists, full choir and orchestra, is a lesser-known but imposing work by the composer who brought us the mighty Dream of Gerontius. The story concerns the blind beggar whose sight Christ restored. The words are taken from the Gospel of St John, with additions by the Reverend Edward Capel Cure.

Elgar proposed to call this his first oratorio Lux Christi, but his publishers persuaded him to provide an English title: as the work was written with the 1896 Three Choirs Festival at Worchester in mind, the concern was that an Anglican cathedral festival might detect a Roman Catholic bias… Elgar complied, and the work was given the more suitable title by which we know it today.

Hickox and the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus were joined on this recording by the soloists Judith Howarth, Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, and John Shirley-Quirk.

- Chandos