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Date: | Sun, 29 Jun 2003 10:57:53 +0100 |
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I've been relistening to the Naxos Elgar 1 conducted by George Hurst
(BBC Phil) and am again impressed by the stunning conducting. A beautiful,
subtle rubato at the start, flowing & graduated Adagio and an exciting
Allegro molto. Above all, though, the finale is thrilling. Hurst screws
the tension keeping the beautiful theme before the coda in tempo (no
Barbirolli over-milking here!) but increasing its poignancy by encouraging
the strings to soar gloriously. The timpani and brass at the end are
riviting. The sound natural and full - one of the better Naxos efforts.
This CD was selected as top choice on BBC Radio 3 Building A Library 10
years ago. Apparantly the BBC Phil was talking about the sessions months
afterwards.
This is my favourite Elgar recording besides the Slatkin/LPO Elgar 2.
Why aren't there more recordings by Gerge Hurst? I cannot believe he
was a one-hit wonder. What happened to his career?
All the best,
David Harbin
Nottingham, UK
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