Don Satz wrote:

>I'm not very familiar with the recordings of Elgar's two Symphonies and
>would like some input concerning the version or versions you like best.
>Thanks in advance.

Do you have access to Third Ear--Classical Music (Backbeat Books)?  I
wrote a long annotated discography on Elgar there, including the symphonies.

I also covered them in ARG's English Symphonies Overview in the July/August
2000 issue.  If you have access to Infotrac at your library system, the
latter is available there.  I cover a lot of recordings in both of these
sources.

Briefly for both, you want to check out all of Barbirolli's recordings
(and there are several), the late Boults, Menuhin's, maybe Loughran's.

Also, for 1) Judd, Otaka, Pritchard, Previn.
2) Downes, A. Davis, Tate, Solti,

Mackerras is intersting.

I don't care much for Barenboim, Haitink, Slatkin (many do), Handley,
Hurst, Thomson, or Norrington.  Nor do I like Solti 1 (but many do).

Also consider the Third.  Best is probably the new Colin Davis (though
I did not like his Second).  A Davis is good as is Daniel.

And don't forget Elgar's recordings.

Have I missed anything? Probably.

Roger Hecht <[log in to unmask]>