Richard Pennycuick wrote:

>On the contrary, Roger!  My first version of the 2nd was a little-known
>Boult version he made with the Scottish National (originally for the
>Waverley label, IIRC).  I also tried his Lyrita version which was better
>but didn't affect me as much as the 1st always did.

Keep going.  The EMI was the best.  I haven't heard the Lyritas in a while,
but I always thought the EMIs were better--by far.  An odd thing about the
Lyritas, again, if my memory serves.  Boult always divided the violins, but
on those Lyrita recordings of the Elgar symphonies I don't think he did.
No idea why.

>I heard Barbirolli (don't recall which), which I found too slow,

Must be the second one.  I like it a lot, but it is definitely slow.  The
earlier one is faster and more angular.

>I heard Slatkin on the radio, found myself involved in the music as never
>before, and just had to buy it.

Out it comes again. One more try.

>I remember striking up a conversation on a train between Edinburgh and
>London - the man I was talking to had very similar musical tastes to mine,
>but when I raised Slatkin's Elgar 2nd, which I'd only recently bought, I
>was left in no doubt that American conductors performing English composers,
>particularly Elgar, was total anathema.

Even I don't go that far.  If an American can do well by Mahler, eventually
one will do well by Elgar.  I hope so anyway.

>I don't recall the man's name but he lived in Blackheath.  So you're not
>alone after all:-)

Finally!

Roger Hecht