Chandos
Elgar: The Light Of Life / Hickox, Howarth, Finnie, Davies, Shirley-Quirk, LSO
$13.99
Details
- Composer
- ELGAR, SIR EDWARD
- Artist
- Hickox, Howarth, Finnie, Davies, Shirley-Quirk, W
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Chandos
- Released
- Jul 31, 2012
- Catalog #
- CHAN 10726 X
- UPC
- 095115172629
About
"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
- 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
Tracklist 17 tracks
-
1 Meditation 05:29
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Meditation
- Duration
- 05:29
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
2 Chorus and Solo: Seek Him that maketh the seven stars (Chorus, Tenor) 06:56
- Track
- 2
- Title
- Chorus and Solo: Seek Him that maketh the seven stars (Chorus, Tenor)
- Duration
- 06:56
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Arthur Davies, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
3 Recitative and Chorus: As Jesus passed by (Contralto, Women's Chorus) 01:24
- Track
- 3
- Title
- Recitative and Chorus: As Jesus passed by (Contralto, Women's Chorus)
- Duration
- 01:24
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Linda Finnie, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
4 Solo: Be not extreme, O Lord (Soprano) 03:05
- Track
- 4
- Title
- Solo: Be not extreme, O Lord (Soprano)
- Duration
- 03:05
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Judith Howarth, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
5 Solo: Neither hath this man sinned (Baritone) 02:59
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Solo: Neither hath this man sinned (Baritone)
- Duration
- 02:59
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
6 Light out of darkness (Chorus) 05:05
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Light out of darkness (Chorus)
- Duration
- 05:05
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
7 Recitative: And when He had thus spoken (Contralto, Baritone) 01:19
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Recitative: And when He had thus spoken (Contralto, Baritone)
- Duration
- 01:19
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Linda Finnie, John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
8 Women's Chorus: Doubt not thy Father's care! (Chorus) 02:16
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Women's Chorus: Doubt not thy Father's care! (Chorus)
- Duration
- 02:16
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
9 Solo and Chorus: He went his way therefore (Contralto, Tenor, Chorus) 05:20
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Solo and Chorus: He went his way therefore (Contralto, Tenor, Chorus)
- Duration
- 05:20
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
10 Solo: As a spirit didst Thou pass before mine eyes (Tenor) 04:32
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Solo: As a spirit didst Thou pass before mine eyes (Tenor)
- Duration
- 04:32
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Arthur Davies, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
11 Recitative and Chorus: They brought him to the Pharisees (Contralto, Tenor, Chorus) 02:42
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Recitative and Chorus: They brought him to the Pharisees (Contralto, Tenor, Chorus)
- Duration
- 02:42
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
12 Solo: Thou only hast the words of life (Contralto) 02:44
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Solo: Thou only hast the words of life (Contralto)
- Duration
- 02:44
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Linda Finnie, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
13 Soli and Chorus: But the Jews did not believe (Soprano, Contralto, Tenor, Chorus) 03:37
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Soli and Chorus: But the Jews did not believe (Soprano, Contralto, Tenor, Chorus)
- Duration
- 03:37
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Judith Howarth, Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
14 Solo and Women's Chorus: Woe to the shepherds of the flock (Soprano, Women's Chorus) 03:01
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Solo and Women's Chorus: Woe to the shepherds of the flock (Soprano, Women's Chorus)
- Duration
- 03:01
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Judith Howarth, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
15 Recitative and Soli: Jesus heard that they had cast him out (Contralto, Tenor, Baritone) 02:30
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Recitative and Soli: Jesus heard that they had cast him out (Contralto, Tenor, Baritone)
- Duration
- 02:30
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- Linda Finnie, Arthur Davies, John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
16 Solo: I am the Good Shepherd (Baritone) 04:29
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Solo: I am the Good Shepherd (Baritone)
- Duration
- 04:29
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- John Shirley-Quirk, John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox
-
17 Light of the World, we know Thy praise (Chorus) 05:04
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Light of the World, we know Thy praise (Chorus)
- Duration
- 05:04
- Composer
- Edward Elgar
- Performer
- John Scott
- Ensemble
- London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Richard Hickox