David Stewart wrote:

>Falstaff - Tate
>In the South - Tate
>Froissart - Tate

How are these? I've heard Tate conduct Elgar live, not on recordings.

>Light of Life - Groves
>(just got this - thanks for recommending)

Terrific work. Maybe the best of the early chorus/orchestra stuff.

>Violin Concerto - Haendel/Boult (as recommended by someone - thanks for
>that)

PRobably me, for what it's worth.  I'm extremely enthusiastic about this
recording, and a lot of people don't like it.  (Not speaking for anyone on
the list.)

>Enigma - Barb/Halle

If you see the one with JB on EMI, try it.  There's so much dispute between
these two, I'd be curious as to what you think.  As I've said many times,
I prefer the EMI.

>Intro and Allegro - Barb/Halle

Classic.

>Sea Pictures - Janet/Barb/LSO

Ditto. But if you ever can get the Brigitta Svenden on Forlane try it.
Berkshire has it, and it's absolutely gorgeous.

>Now, conspicuously missing is the Cockaigne.  I seem to have scooted over
>that somehow.  Also the Slatkin 2 has taken some criticism and I would like
>to try another.

Good idea.

>I can get hold of Barbirolli with 2 and cockaigne or the Boult 2 and
>cockaigne or any other CD which has it on which isn't going to duplicate
>things I don't want it to.

If you can have only one, get Barbirolli, with the caveat that much is
slow.  "Slatkin done right?" But I'd get both, and in fact, since you have
one very slow one, maybe you should get Boult if you can get only one--for
the variety.  If you want to throw around some short change, get Downes on
Naxos.

>And do I want to try any Cantatas? Caractacus/Black Knight?

Sure, but you can wait if money's tight. I'd start with Caractacus between
the two.

Having said that, you're missing The Apostles and The Kingdom.  You might
want to get those first.  I think Hickox has done both and he would be a
good choice.  I have the Boults and like them.  I've heard differing things
about Slatkin.

>What about chamber music?

String Quartet, Piano Quintet.  Absolutely.  There are a lot of good ones.
Coull, but I think that's two CDs.  A lot of issues do both on one.  Naxos
does and is is very good--a little dusky, but the price is right.  I would
avoid the Medici with Bingham.

>Dream children

You'll get that coupled somewhere.  Davis's Falstaff has it and is very
good.  By the way, the new Naxos Falstaff is very good, too, the opposite
style of Davis.

>King Olaf

Another early oratorio. Comments on Caractacus apply.

>The Spirit of England

Entertaining stuff, a bit kitschy, but I haven't listened to this in a long
time, so maybe I'm forgetting.

>The Banner of St. George

I haven't listened to this in a while either, but I think what I said about
the other early oratorios applies.

>The Wand of Youth Suite
>Nursery Suite

One early, one late, but both on the light side. Very nice.

Roger Hecht