Symphony 1 / In the South

Elgar (Artist), Slatkin (Artist), Lpo (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 15, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00000E6LI
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #433,812 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. In The South (Alassio), Op.50: Overture

2. Sym No. 1 in A-Flat, Op. 55: Andante. Nobilmente e semplice; Allegro

3. Sym No. 1 in A-Flat, Op. 55: Allegro molto

4. Sym No. 1 in A-Flat, Op. 55: Adagio

5. Sym No. 1 in A-Flat, Op. 55: Lento; Allegro

Editorial Reviews

classical cd - general - symphony

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peerless, November 22, 2011

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G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Symphony 1 / In the South (Audio CD)

It is pretty shocking that this performance hasn't received more attention or praise than it has. It is shocking because Slatkin's performance of Elgar's first symphony with the LPO is (as far as I know) the absolutely best version in the catalogue, and by some distance. Indeed, I am willing to claim that Slatkin's Elgar's first deserves to be counted among the greatest recordings made throughout the history of recorded music. Strong words, but the more I listen to it, the more I am convinced that they are appropriate. So what are the qualities that justifies this praise? Slatkin's Elgar is thoroughly idiomatic, vital, vibrant, swaggering, lushly colored and glittering, but more importantly it is imbued with an energy and sense of urgency that compares not unfavorably with Carlos Kleiber's Beethoven fifth.

The first movement is masterly shaped and rapturously played - never sentimental but nevertheless harrowing in its emotional intensity; the slow movement is gorgeous and imbued with a depth realized by few or no others, and the finale is utterly brilliant, breathtaking in its sweep an energy. Still, it is the Molto Allegro that places Slatkin's version in a different league than his competitors. It is among the quickest on disc (if not the very fastest), and once you have heard it I doubt that you will ever be satisfied by anyone else's take on it ever again (it is interestingly also pretty close to the composer's own take). The combination of staggering drama and intense wistfulness and even mystery achieved in this version quite simply makes every other effort go completely flat. It is music-making of a different world, playing that captures the spirit, depth and ingenuity of this work in a manner no one else has been able to do. Quite simply breathtaking.

As a coupling we get an utterly thrilling, fierce and scintillating In the South (though here I still retain a certain weakness for Solti), and again the LPO has rarely played with more ferocity and sheen than they do for Slatkin on this disc. If there is a single drawback it must be that the music is recorded at a relatively low level - it is well-balanced, clear, rich and full, but you may have to crank up the volume a little (so this objection is pretty insubstantial). Recommended with all possible enthusiasm; my arsenal of superlatives is sorely deficient for doing this recording justice.