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Holst: The Planets - Elgar: Enigma Variations / Litton, Bergen Philharmonic
BIS

Holst: The Planets - Elgar: Enigma Variations / Litton, Bergen Philharmonic

$21.99

Details

Composer
ELGAR HOLST
Artist
Litton
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
Jul 05, 2019
Catalog #
BIS-2068
UPC
7318599920689

About

It is striking that two of the true classics in English orchestral music were composed within the short space of some fifteen years around the turn of the previous century. Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations have charmed as well as fascinated listeners since the first performance in 1899. In 14 remarkably diverse variations Elgar demonstrates his compositional mastery while creating miniature portraits of his closest friends, as well as of his wife and himself. By turns gentle, idyllic, tempestuous and boisterous, the pieces – which often run seamlessly into each other – nevertheless make up a coherent whole, like a group portrait taken during a country weekend. As for the enigma of the title, Elgar – who loved puzzles – maintained that another melody ‘went with’ the theme, and musicologists have searched for the answer ever since, without success.

In 1916 Gustav Holst completed another set of musical character sketches – his suite The Planets, in seven movements. These have little to do with astronomy and even less with the Roman deities whose names they carry. Holst was rather inspired by astrology and the suite actually concerns human character as influenced by the planets. The concept – like that of Elgar's variations – provides for a variety of moods and expressions, and in his score Holst took full advantage of these possibilities. To achieve this he made use of a large orchestra including much percussion, two harps, celesta, organ, two sets of timpani. He also included parts for certain unusual instruments such as bass flute, bass oboe and tenor tuba, and – in the final movement – a female chorus. Performing the programme in the warm acoustics of Bergen's Grieg Hall, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Andrew Litton give it their all in this sonic spectacular.

REVIEW:

Established collectors will probably have multiple performances of these works in their collection. They may not have them coupled together, however, and that is a bonus, especially for those lucky youngsters coming new to these works and for whom this disc is the perfect choice. Superbly recorded and with an excellent insert note by Philip Borg-Wheeler, it carries a most convincing performance of The Planets and a revelatory one of the ‘Enigma’ Variations.

– MusicWeb International

Tracklist 22 tracks

  1. 1 Introduction - 01:27
    Track
    1
    Title
    Introduction -
    Duration
    01:27
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  2. 2 Variation 1: C. A. E. (The Composer's Wife) - 02:04
    Track
    2
    Title
    Variation 1: C. A. E. (The Composer's Wife) -
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  3. 3 Variation 2: H. D. S-P. (Hew David Steuart-Powell) - 00:46
    Track
    3
    Title
    Variation 2: H. D. S-P. (Hew David Steuart-Powell) -
    Duration
    00:46
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  4. 4 Variation 3: R. B. T. (Richard Baxter Townshend) - 01:24
    Track
    4
    Title
    Variation 3: R. B. T. (Richard Baxter Townshend) -
    Duration
    01:24
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  5. 5 Variation 4: W. M. B. (William Meath Baker) - 00:32
    Track
    5
    Title
    Variation 4: W. M. B. (William Meath Baker) -
    Duration
    00:32
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  6. 6 Variation 5: R. P. A. (Richard Penrose Arnold) 02:20
    Track
    6
    Title
    Variation 5: R. P. A. (Richard Penrose Arnold)
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  7. 7 Variation 6: Ysobel (Isabel Fitton) - 01:20
    Track
    7
    Title
    Variation 6: Ysobel (Isabel Fitton) -
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  8. 8 Variation 7: Troyte (Troyte Griffith) - 00:59
    Track
    8
    Title
    Variation 7: Troyte (Troyte Griffith) -
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  9. 9 Variation 8: W. N. (Winifred Norbury) - 02:05
    Track
    9
    Title
    Variation 8: W. N. (Winifred Norbury) -
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  10. 10 Variation 9: Nimrod (A. J. Jaeger) - 04:16
    Track
    10
    Title
    Variation 9: Nimrod (A. J. Jaeger) -
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  11. 11 Variation 10: Intermezzo: Dorabella (Dora Penny) - 02:45
    Track
    11
    Title
    Variation 10: Intermezzo: Dorabella (Dora Penny) -
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  12. 12 Variation 11: G. R. S. (George Robertson Sinclair) - 01:01
    Track
    12
    Title
    Variation 11: G. R. S. (George Robertson Sinclair) -
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  13. 13 Variation 12: B. G. N. (Basil G. Nevinson) - 02:46
    Track
    13
    Title
    Variation 12: B. G. N. (Basil G. Nevinson) -
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  14. 14 Variation 13: Romanza: *** (Lady Mary Lygon) - 02:54
    Track
    14
    Title
    Variation 13: Romanza: *** (Lady Mary Lygon) -
    Duration
    02:54
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  15. 15 Variation 14: Finale: E. D. U. (The Composer) 05:30
    Track
    15
    Title
    Variation 14: Finale: E. D. U. (The Composer)
    Duration
    05:30
    Composer
    Edward Elgar
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  16. 16 I. Mars, the Bringer of War 07:14
    Track
    16
    Title
    I. Mars, the Bringer of War
    Duration
    07:14
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  17. 17 II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace 07:47
    Track
    17
    Title
    II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace
    Duration
    07:47
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  18. 18 III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger 04:00
    Track
    18
    Title
    III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger
    Duration
    04:00
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  19. 19 IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity 07:56
    Track
    19
    Title
    IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
    Duration
    07:56
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  20. 20 V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age 09:07
    Track
    20
    Title
    V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
    Duration
    09:07
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  21. 21 VI. Uranus, the Magician 05:34
    Track
    21
    Title
    VI. Uranus, the Magician
    Duration
    05:34
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton
  22. 22 VII. Neptune, the Mystic 07:29
    Track
    22
    Title
    VII. Neptune, the Mystic
    Duration
    07:29
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    female section Bergen Philharmonic Choir, female section Edvard Grieg Kor, Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Andrew Litton