Customer Reviews

Planets / Enigma Variations

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I originally purchased this solely because of its reputation as being the best recording of The Planets to date and overlooked the Enigma Variations as a cute tack-on.

After I listened once through and became completely impressed with Boult's style and the orchestra's definitive performace of The Planets, I began to like Enigma. And with each passing listen to Enigma, I began to like it even more. It certainly is a different type of composition than the Planets; most tracks are minute-long shorties when compared to the epic-length of The Planets. W.M.B. and Ysobel are extremely energetic pieces with the Elgar theme interwoven between them.

Highlight tracks of The Planets in personal preference are:

1. Mars (of course) 2. Jupiter (the "slow" performance is unique) 3. Uranus (stop laughing)

All in all, the combination of Boult, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Enigma make a great CD. Don't pass off Enigma as filler; listen to it objectively and I'm sure you will like it.

Boult's performances of both the Holst and the Elgar are excellent and stand amongst the most satisfying readings of two of the most popular orchestral showpieces to come from Britain. The Planets is wonderfully played throughout, especially in the ending of Mars, and the London Philharmonic's brass makes Jupiter into an incredible listening experiences. The Enigma Variations is beautifully performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, and Boult's reading is definitive, with an incredibly moving account of Nimrod as its center piece. With two such excellent readings on one CD, I highly recommend this for anyone interested in either work.

In Britain, Boult more than any other is the conductor associated with English music. He conducted the first (private) performance of 'The Planets' way back around 1918 and recorded it 5 times, I think. This is the equal best version, with his BBC Symphony version of 1944, and of course this one has sound of incomparably better quality than the old one. Both here and in 'Enigma' the music comes across, not just as clever, or original, or lively or colourful, but great. Partly, in 'Enigma' at least, that is because Boult sees the thing whole, not just a series of short pieces, and there is a very real sense of structure and forward movement. But every movement is characterised and satisfying within the whole. In the Holst, 'Mars' is massive, bestial and frightening, 'Venus' serene and incredibly beautiful (lovely orchestral phrasing here), 'Jupiter' exultant and noble, and so on. The heart of 'Enigma' is 'Nimrod', given a very powerful and moving performance because Boult allows the strings, especially the lower ones, to build the intesity in a way that really tells, so that the big brass don't create the climax, they crown what is already almost happening. In a much recorded work (I have 23 versions), very few conductors do this. Anyway, here are two scores in which the conductor's sixty year and more involvement really tells. They are profoundly satisfying, and the sound is very good.

Two of the most famous pieces of English classical music from the past 150 years are the Enigma Variations by Elgar and The Planets by Gustav Holst. Both sets of pieces are evocative, dramatic and wonderful; and fit within the Romantic tradition of classical music that has worked its way westward thru Europe from the early 1800s. Like previous works of Romantic classical music, each piece evokes an image, or scene. The Planets, of course, remind the listener of different planets, though from a Greek mythology point of view. The Enigma Variations embody different themes from the life of Edward Elgar himself.

This CD contains both sets of music, and is performed by Sir Adrian Boult, supposedly the first one to ever perform some of the pieces. The performance is flawless, the sound quality is great, and the music is beautiful. I highly recommend this CD.

When I found that my favorite version of The Planets was not available on CD, I turned to this version. Boult supposedly conducted the world premier of The Planets and he seems to know what he's doing. A good all-around tradional interpretation, which is what you want with a work like this. Driving and powerful when it needs to be, subtle and delicate elsewhere (such as the Venus movement.) The Enigma Variations are a nice extra that I didn't have before. A worthwhile package.

Both The Planets and The Enigma Variations are amazing works by themselves, and what a treat to find them on the same CD! I've had the pleasure of performing segments from both of these works, and though I'm not an expert at orchestral interpretation, I was nevertheless pleased with the conductors' respective interpretations.

These works are truly classics and can be held up as models of what good classical music is. The imaginative musical colors and themes of "Jupiter" from The Planets, and the emotionally stirring Nimrod variation from The Enigma Variations have always been my favorites. These two works are the very best I own.