Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius/Sea Pictures Choir Orchestral & Concertos CHANDOS SACD

Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius/Sea Pictures

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CHSA 5140

Multiple Set of 2 CDs

Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius/Sea Pictures

Running Time: 123:41

Release Date: October 2014
Originally recorded in 2014

Composer (1857-1934)
Sir Edward Elgar

Solo tenor
Stuart Skelton

Solo bass
David Soar

Mezzo Voice mezzo-soprano
Dame Sarah Connolly

Choral
BBC Symphony Chorus

Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra

Conductor
Sir Andrew Davis

Venue
Fairfield Halls, Croydon

Producer
Brian Pidgeon

Engineer
Ralph Couzens

Engineer (Assistant)
Jonathan Cooper

Genre:
Choir
Orchestral & Concertos

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SIR EDWARD ELGAR (1857 – 1934)

(1857-1934)

COMPACT DISC ONE

Sea Pictures

21:46

Sea-Slumber- Song. Andantino - Tranquillo - Tempo I - Tranquillo -

4:43

In Haven (Capri). Allegretto

1:37

Sabbath Morning at Sea. Moderato - Più mosso - Più mosso - Tempo I - Molto maestoso -

5:31

Where Corals Lie. Allegretto ma non troppo

3:37

The Swimmer. Allegro di molto - Largamente - Poco meno mosso - Tempo I - Largamente

6:00

The Dream of Gerontius (beginning)

36:34

Part I

Prelude. Lento, mistico -

9:07

Gerontius: 'Jesu, Maria - I am near to death' -

3:42

Assistants: 'Kyrie eleïson' -

2:11

Gerontius: 'Rouse thee, my fainting soul, and play

0:51

the man' -

10.

Assistants: 'Be merciful, be gracious' spare him, Lord' -

2:48

11.

Gerontius: 'Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus' -

5:43

12.

Gerontius: 'I can no more; for now it comes again' -

2:06

13.

Assistants: 'Rescue him, O Lord, in this his evil hour' -

2:06

14.

Gerontius: 'Novissima hora est; and I fain would sleep' -

1:21

15.

The Priest: 'Proficiscere, anima Christiana,

1:54

16.

Assistantst: 'Go, in the name of Angels and Archangels'

4:38

de hoc mundo!' -

Total time: 58:33

COMPACT DISC TWO

The Dream of Gerontius (conclusion)

56:33

Part II

Introduction. Soul of Gerontius: 'I went to sleep; and now I am refresh'd' -

6:15

Angel: 'My work is done' -

2:20

Soul of Gerontius: 'It is a member of that family' -

1:42

Soul of Gerontius: 'I ever had believed' -

4:06

Soul of Gerontius: 'But hard! upon my sense comes a fierce hubbub' -

0:49

Demons: 'Low-born clods of brute earth' -

2:20

Demons: 'The mind bold and independent' -

2:23

Soul of Gerontius: 'I see not those false spirits' -

3:10

Choir of Angelicals: 'Praise to the Holiest in the height' -

2:59

10.

Choir of Angelicals: 'Glory to Him, who evermore by truth and justice reigns' -

1:18

11.

Soul of Gerontius: 'But hark! a grand, mysterious

1:17

harmony' -

12.

Choir of Angelicals: 'Praise to the Holiest in the height' -

6:49

13.

Angel: 'Thy judgment now is near' -

3:05

14.

Angel of the Agony: 'Jesu! by that shuddering dread which fell on Thee' -

3:53

15.

Soul of Gerontius: 'I go before my Judge' -

1:30

16.

Angel: '…Praise to His Name!' -

1:30

17.

Soul of Gerontius: 'Take me away, and in the lowest deep there let me be' -

3:20

18.

Souls in Purgatory: 'Lord, Thou hast been our refuge: in every generation' -

1:03

19.

Angel: 'Softly and gently, dearly-ransom'd soul'

6:34

20.

Prelude, concert version

9:23

Total time: 66:14

Solo: Stuart Skelton tenor

Solo: David Soar bass

Choral: BBC Symphony Chorus

Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis

3-5 April 2014

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Reviews

Building a Library – Best Recording Recommendation

“… This recording is one of only a handful in which Elgar’s orchestration and vocal writing is afforded the acoustic space and the clarity to be properly heard and, combined with Davis’s unhurried performance which allows the drama to unfold on its own terms…”

Mikel Toms – BBC Music magazine – April 2022

Winner - Choral Category

"...marvellous and truly Worthy winner."

Gramophone Music Awards 2015

“…This rewarding performance of The Dream of Gerontius by Andrew Davis, beautifully annotated, is yet further confirmation of Elgar’s international reputation … comfortingly alive, perfectly recorded, and heartbreakingly beautiful… Skelton is moving and fine in the role. David Soar’s bass, ditto. Sarah Connolly’s voice is beyond beautiful here throughout… The Sea Pictures here are wonderfully and evocatively done as well… If I look around at the more modern Gerontius recordings, I’d say this is now the one to have, especially if you enjoy Sea Pictures…”

Steven Kruger Fanfare March/April 2015

Winner of Choral Category 2015

BBC Music magazine Awards 2015

“… an excellent recording to place alongside the classics. Conductor Davis brings sympathetic warmth to the score with excellent contributions from the BBC Chorus and orchestra. The piece, though, rests heavily on the tenor, who sings about half the entire score. The Australian Skelton sings with fine technique and careful attention to the text… Skelton sings with sensitive beauty … He is joined by an excellent Sarah Connolly, who is perhaps Britain’s leading mezzo today, and David Soar, a fine young English bass, who unfortunately has only a small role. This performance, then, belongs in the company of Barbirolli … and Boult… The recording is filled out with an excellent performance of Sea Pictures by Sarah Connolly …”

Paul Althouse American Record Guide March/April 2015

Choc de Classica Sound **** (Exceptional)

“...After Adrian Boult, John Barbirolli and Benjamin Britten, Andrew Davies now belongs to the finest interpreters of Elgar’s music.”

Michel Fleury Classica magazine France February 2015

“…I think fans of Elgar’s music, such as myself, should really like this disc. Andrew Davis is a superb interpreter of Elgar and the performances are wonderful. Even those who really are not acquainted with these works or with Elgar’s output ought to find much to admire. The sound quality is terrific and the packaging is at Chandos’ usual high quality and class. Highly recommended!” ****

Daniel Coombs - Audiophile Audition.com - 16 December 2014

“… A recording of the year and not to be missed.” *****

Philip Reed - Choir & Organ magazine - January/February 2015

Album of the Week

“…The BBC Symphony Chorus outdo themselves in Praise to the Holiest. Elgar at his most dramatic”

Hugh Canning The Sunday Times Culture magazine 19 October 2014

Critics’ Choice 2014

“Sir Andrew Davis’s inspired performance of Elgar’s glorious masterpiece is perfect …”

Ivan March - Gramophone magazine - December 2014

Recording of the Month

Simon Thompson - MusicWeb-International.com - December 2014

"Overall, this recording must rank among the finest for these two works ..."

Barry Collett - Elgar Society Journal - Vol 18 No 6 - December 2014

Recording of the Month

Performance ***** Recording *****

“…This Gerontius is a wonderful achievement, a deeply considered interpretation whose convincing spirituality never seems stuffy or over-reverential. It takes an honoured place among the finest-ever versions of this much-recorded masterpiece, and would unquestionably be my preferred digital version.”

Terry Blain - BBC Music magazine - Christmas 2014

“… A superbly paced and lovingly shaped Prelude immediately proclaims Sir Andrew Davis’s formidable credentials in this repertoire; indeed, his patient and scrupulously observant conception of the whole work evinces a selfless authority, wisdom and instinctive ebb and flow, and he certainly secures a splendidly disciplined and consistently fervent response from his massed BBC Symphony forces… Chandos’s thrillingly tangible SACD sound packs an almighty punch in terms of lustre, amplitude and range…”

Andrew Achenbach Gramophone magazine November 2014

“… In this performance [Sea Pictures] the intimate nature of much of the work is brought out by some excellent quiet singing and playing. Sir Andrew Davis and the BBC Symphony Orchestra are on top form… This new reading [Gerontius] is artistically superior, and superior also to those more recent performances I have heard…”

William Hedley International Record Review November 2014

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