The third volume in the series Elgar from the Archives from SOMM Recordings includes two historic recordings conducted by Sir Adrian Boult: the oratorio The Kingdom, Op. 51 and the ever-popular Variations on an Original Theme ‘Enigma,’ Op. 36. These variations form an interesting comparison to the two acoustic versions from the well-received Vol 1 in this series [ARIADNE 5046], one conducted by the composer in 1920, the other by Sir Henry Wood in 1924. These recordings, released commercially for the first time, are remastered by audio engineer Lani Spahr, whose work on Elgar from the Archives Vol 1 James Jolly, Editor in Chief of Gramophone Magazine, described as “astounding,” adding that “thanks to Siva Oke’s SOMM label, Spahr has an outlet for his truly revelatory work.”
Inspired by the remarks of one of his school teachers that the Apostles were poor men, young men, perhaps “no cleverer than some of you here,” Elgar conceived the idea of a work depicting the Apostles as ordinary men reacting to extraordinary events. He envisioned a trilogy of oratorios consisting of The Apostles, Op. 49, The Kingdom, and an unrealized work, The Last Judgement. He made initial sketches for The Kingdom as early as 1882, when he was still serving as organist at St George’s Catholic Church in Worcester. Following an orchestral Prelude, which introduces the main musical themes and sets the mood of the work, the oratorio is in five parts: I. In the Upper Room; II. At the Beautiful Gate; III. Pentecost; IV. The Sign of Healing; and V. The Upper Room.
The Kingdom is written for four soloists, choir, and large orchestra—featuring, in this recording, Heather Harper, soprano (The Blessed Virgin); Helen Watts, contralto (Mary Magdalene); William Herbert, tenor (St. John); and Gordon Clinton, baritone (St. Peter), with the Croydon Philharmonic Society and BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. This programme on 29 May, 1957 at the Royal Festival Hall was part of the centenary celebrations for Elgar’s birth. Boult admired The Kingdom above all the other major choral works of Elgar, and his complete understanding of and identification with the work is shown in his expert pacing and observation of dynamics.
On 29th February, 1940, about ten weeks before Nazi forces invaded The Netherlands, Boult conducted the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra in a concert broadcast from Hilversum by the Dutch public broadcasting association. The program concluded with Elgar’s Enigma Variations, the work that helped to establish Elgar’s growing reputation internationally. In a programme note, Elgar wrote, “This work, commenced in a spirit of humour & continued in deep seriousness, contains sketches of the composer’s friends.” This Dutch performance is one of Boult’s finest interpretations of the work, and it has more than stood the test of its 86 years.
On This Recording
Disc 1
The Kingdom, Op. 51 a
- Prelude
- I. In the Upper Room (18:26)
- II. At the Beautiful Gate (The Morn of the Pentecost) (5:38)
- III. Pentecost (In the Upper Room) (7:23)
- In Solomon’s Porch (17:35)
Disc 2
- IV. The Sign of Healing (At the Beautiful Gate) (9:38)
- The Arrest (10:45)
- V. The Upper Room (In Fellowship) (19:08)
Variations on an Original Theme “Enigma”, Op. 36* (26:35)b
- Theme. Andante (1:15)
- I. L’istesso tempo “C.A.E.” (1:48)
- II. Allegro “H.D.S.-P” (0:44)
- III. Allegretto “R.B.T.” (1:27)
- IV. Allegro di molto “W.M.B.” (0:26)
- V. Moderato “R.P.A.” (1:51)
- VI. Andantino “Ysobel” (1:14)
- VII. Presto “Troyte” (0:54)
- VIII. Allegretto “W.N.” (1:47)
- IX. Adagio “Nimrod” (4:12)
- X. Intermezzo. Allegretto “Dorabella” (2:36)
- XI. Allegro di molto “G.R.S.” (0:53)
- XII. Andante “B.G.N.” (2:17)
- XIII. Romanza. Moderato “***” (2:40)
- XIV. Finale. Allegro Presto “E.D.U.” (5:37)
aHeather Harper (soprano); Helen Watts (contralto); William Herbert (tenor); Gordon Clinton (baritone); Croydon Philharmonic Society; BBC Symphony Orchestra; Sir Adrian Boult (conductor)
bConcertgebouw Orchestra; Sir Adrian Boult (conductor)
