Richard Pennycuick wrote:

>The mono Enigma was my first version and IMHO it's never been bettered,
>although Boult's stereo remake comes close.  This latter is generously
>coupled with his last version of The Planets, assuming it's not a victim
>of EMI's mania for deletion.

I think the Planets is still around.  In fact, I think it's just been
reissued along with the earlier one with the New Philharmonia.  I like this
Enigma, too, by the way, in case I gave the impression I didn't.  It's just
that I'm a stereo nut.  My favorite is the later Barbirolli.

>If you're interested in a slightly different view of Elgar, I'm a fan of
>Leonard Slatkin's versions of the symphonies on RCA which also have the
>Serenade for Strings (with #1) and In the South (with #2).

Different is one way to put it.  The First is almost militaristic, even the
second movement, which usually comes off somewhere around bucolic.  I do
find it intriguing though.

But are I and my wife the only people in the world who can't stand
Slatkin's Second? We must be.  I've tried several times and to me, it's
so drawn out that Slatkin seems to be draining the life out of the piece.
It's probably one of the few recordings that comes close to making me
dislike the piece--and that takes some doing!  I think at this point, I'd
be grateful to hear from one other person who dislikes this performance.
I feel like I'm opposing motherhood here.  Bad enough I'm an American who
doesn't don't like cars, but this?

Roger Hecht