{"product_id":"elgar-the-kingdom","title":"Elgar: The Kingdom","description":"In 1968, to celebrate his forthcoming 80th birthday the following                     year, Sir Adrian Boult was given by EMI the choice of a major                     work to record. This distinguished Elgar interpreter might have                     been expected to choose \u003ci\u003eThe Dream of Gerontius\u003c\/i\u003e but his                     admirers had to wait a few more years for that. Instead he chose                     \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e and it was through his fine, dedicated recording                     (EMI 7 64902-2) that I first came to know and love Elgar’s                     last oratorio. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    Boult was a great admirer of \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e and in a note                     accompanying the original release of his recording he included                     the following statement: \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003ci\u003e“I think there is a great deal in The Kingdom that                     is more than a match for Gerontius, and I feel that it is a                     much more balanced work and throughout maintains a stream of                     glorious music whereas Gerontius has its up and downs. Perhaps                     I was prejudiced by hearing a great friend of Elgar’s                     [Frank Schuster] (who was very kind to me in my young days)                     jump down the throat of a young man who made this criticism                     [that Gerontius was a finer achievement than Kingdom]: ‘My                     dear boy, beside The Kingdom, Gerontius is the work of a raw                     amateur’.” \u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e                    \u003cbr\u003e                    I wouldn’t go as far as Schuster but I know what Boult                     meant about \u003ci\u003eKingdom\u003c\/i\u003e being a more\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003ebalanced work                     - perhaps because Elgar fashioned his own libretto. Also, I                     believe that by the time he composed \u003ci\u003eKingdom\u003c\/i\u003e, six years                     on from \u003ci\u003eGerontius,\u003c\/i\u003e Elgar had become an even more accomplished                     orchestrator and a more assured choral writer. \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                    Boult’s version, though now starting to show its age sonically,                     remains a benchmark. Since it appeared there have been two more                     recordings. One was a sumptuously engineered Chandos set from                     Richard Hickox (CHAN 8788\/9). The other, which I have not heard,                     was made for RCA Red Seal by Leonard Slatkin but I suspect is                     no longer available. Sadly, that fine Elgar conductor, Vernon                     Handley, never had the opportunity to record the work. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    Every since I reviewed                     his superb recording of \u003ci\u003eGerontius\u003c\/i\u003e I have been hoping                     that Sir Mark Elder might make a recording of \u003ci\u003eKingdom\u003c\/i\u003e                     and now, here it is. Unlike his \u003ci\u003eGerontius\u003c\/i\u003e, which was                     recorded under studio conditions, this is taken from a single                     live concert performance. ‘Live’ recordings often                     include a few edits from rehearsal. I don’t know if that                     happened here but if it did the edits are completely undetectable                     and, in fact, I’m pretty sure that what we have here is                     a single, unedited performance; that’s what it sounds                     like. Those who worry about applause on CDs can be reassured;                     unlike Elder’s recent recording of \u003ci\u003eGötterdämmerung\u003c\/i\u003e                     applause is absent here. \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                    One thing I should say at the start is that if you buy this                     recording for no other reason - and there are \u003ci\u003emany\u003c\/i\u003e reasons                     why you should buy it - do so in order to hear the orchestral                     playing. That may be an odd thing to say about a choral recording                     and in saying it I do not mean in any way to disparage the vocal                     contributions. However, when Elgar wrote \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e                     he was at the height of his very considerable powers as an orchestrator                     and his colourful and resourceful orchestral scoring is a major                     element of this score. I think the composer would have rejoiced                     to hear his music so magnificently played as it is here by the                     Hallé. Their playing is truly world class and a vivid                     testament to the achievement to date of their Music Director,                     Sir Mark Elder. The playing radiates assurance and a familiarity                     with Elgar’s idiom. The strings consistently play with                     richness and flexibility while the woodwind has great finesse.                     Best of all, the brass section possesses splendid power and                     authority but, schooled by Elder, this is never overdone. One                     small example will suffice. Towards the end of Part III, beginning                     five bars after cue 120 in the Novello score, the brass nobly                     play the ‘New Faith’ motif (CD 1, track 9, 4:25).                     In the Hickox recording this is delivered \u003ci\u003efortissimo\u003c\/i\u003e                     and it’s rather grandiose as a result. Elder, like Boult,                     has noticed that the marking is only \u003ci\u003eforte\u003c\/i\u003e and the consequent                     restraint in both recordings is more effective. \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                    The LPO plays excellently for Boult on his recording while the                     LSO is on refulgent form for Hickox. However, I feel that the                     Hallé surpass both their rivals. They may not be recorded                     as vividly as the LSO - I’ll comment about the respective                     recordings later - but they are no less impressive. Also, I                     feel that Hickox has a tendency to underline points in the score.                     This rather impedes the natural flow of the orchestral playing                     in a way that is absent from either Boult’s or Elder’s                     performances though both of these conductors - and their respective                     players - consistently display admirable attention to Elgar’s                     copious markings. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    The Hallé Choir is by no means put in the shade by their                     orchestral colleagues. From the very start they sing with great                     confidence and impressive tone. It’s evident that they’ve                     been scrupulously prepared by their guest Director, Tom Seligman.                     I particularly appreciated the dynamic range of their singing.                     They are capable of producing very exciting loud singing where                     Elgar requires it but their quiet singing is just as noteworthy.                     The precision and attack that they bring to the music is excellent                     throughout, as is the clarity of their diction and altogether                     I think the choir’s contribution is top-class. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    The four soloists take respectively the roles of the Blessed                     Virgin Mary (soprano), Mary Magdalen (mezzo), St John (tenor)                     and St Peter (baritone). Of these, it is the role of St Peter                     that is the most prominent though to the soprano falls the very                     best music in the whole work, the aria, ‘The sun goeth                     down’. \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                    The tenor role is not easy to present. It has its dramatic moments                     but it is primarily lyrical. In fact, I think Elgar portrayed                     St. John as The Comforter among the Apostles, and certainly                     as a more reflective character than St Peter. The challenge                     to the tenor soloist is to sing the role with sufficient impact                     but without straying into vehemence, which was the main reason                     why I thought Adrian Thompson was miscast in the role at a Three                     Choirs Festival concert this summer.                     Arthur Davies, for Hickox, sings with ringing assurance but,                     I think, misses some of the humanity for which the role calls.                     Alexander Young (Boult) is the exemplar in this part and I don’t                     think John Hudson matches Young. For the most part he sings                     reliably, though there were a couple of occasions on which he                     seemed to approach important high notes from below. However,                     to my ears he doesn’t have the same lyrical grace and                     ease that Young brought to the music. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    The mezzo role of Mary Magdalen is sung by Susan Bickley, who                     so impressed me in Mahler’s Second Symphony at the Three                     Choirs Festival this summer.                     She makes a fine job of this role too, singing with warm tone                     and great clarity throughout. I’d say she’s as good                     as the excellent Yvonne Minton (Boult) and I prefer her to Felicity                     Palmer (Hickox). She blends well with Clare Rutter in the fresh,                     lightly scored duet that forms Part II of the work. Later, she                     has a couple of very important narrative passages. One such                     is at the start of Part III (“And suddenly, there came                     from heaven”). Here she’s dramatic and exciting,                     rising to a thrilling top G sharp. Further on in the work, she’s                     just as involving in the narration at the start of ‘The                     Arrest’ (Disc 2, track 3). \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                      That narration ushers in the great soprano aria, ‘The                     sun goeth down’. This is a huge test for the soprano soloist,                     who has to begin and end the aria in a mood of prayerful contemplation                     but must rise to great dramatic heights in the central section.                     Margaret Price (Boult) is peerless here, setting standards that                     I’ve never heard matched on disc or live. In the outer                     sections of the aria her singing is rapt, supported with great                     sensitivity by Rodney Friend (I think), playing the luminous                     solo violin part. In the middle of the aria the dramatic fervour                     that Price brings to the music elevates it to the highest level.                     I’m afraid Margaret Marshall (Hickox) doesn’t match                     this accomplishment at all. There are some instances of wayward                     pitching on sustained notes at the start of the aria and, beside                     Miss Price, she sounds a bit squally in the central section.                      \u003cbr\u003e                    Clare Rutter may not quite equal Margaret Price but she makes                     a fine job of this aria. I’d have liked her to sing the                     opening phrases just a little more softly - especially after                     Lyn Fletcher has prepared the way so beautifully with a lovely                     account of the violin solo - but overall her delivery of the                     more inward passages of the aria shows pleasing sensitivity.                     When the dramatic intensity of the music picks up she responds                     with very committed singing. At cue 159 (“The Gospel of                     the Kingdom”) (disc 2, track 4, 4:55) she’s really                     fervent yet within a few moments she’s fined things down                     to produce an exquisite \u003ci\u003epianissimo\u003c\/i\u003e on the word “Jesus”                     (5:57). This is a distinguished piece of singing, which means                     that the aria is a high spot, as it should be. This is the most                     important contribution that Elgar gives to his soprano but elsewhere                     Miss Rutter’s singing is very good, not least in the afore-mentioned                     duet with Susan Bickley. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    The key solo role in \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e is the baritone part,                     here entrusted to Iain Paterson. He sings well and with authority.                     Once again, the Boult recording sets the benchmark for John                     Shirley-Quirk is quite magnificent in the role, singing with                     a marvellous combination of controlled intensity and tonal richness.                     For Hickox, David Wilson-Johnson does very well without surpassing                     Shirley-Quirk. I enjoyed Iain Paterson’s singing very                     much. He brings intelligence to the role and, as I’ve                     already said, authority. His crucial, long solo in Part III,                     built around the ‘New Faith’ theme, is a cornerstone                     of the work and Paterson doesn’t disappoint. He delivers                     this and his other solos with conviction and at every turn his                     diction is clear.  \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                    I had hoped that Sir Mark Elder would prove an authoritative                     interpreter of \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e and indeed he does. Several                     things mark out his interpretation. One is an impressive control                     of pace and structure. That, I suppose, is no surprise given                     his pedigree as a fine operatic conductor. Another is his attention                     to detail, respecting Elgar’s copious and vital markings                     in the score. That, again, should be no surprise to anyone who                     has heard his previous excellent Elgar recordings. He also demonstrates                     a great understanding of the score, ensuring that the sentiments                     it expresses are given their due weight but never letting the                     music sound sanctimonious. It seemed to me that his choice of                     tempi was, almost without exception, excellent. Elder displays                     a mastery of the score that is comparable with Boult’s                     and he doesn’t indulge in any of the over-emphatic point-making                     that slightly mar Hickox’s otherwise impressive reading.                     To cap it all, this is a live recording so we can benefit from                     the sweep and electricity of the occasion. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    I should mention the quality of sound in the respective recordings.                     The Boult recording was made in Kingsway Hall by Christopher                     Bishop and Christopher Parker. It’s a very good recording                     but it is now over forty years old and it hasn’t got the                     same degree of presence and inner clarity as its two more modern                     rivals. The Chandos recording for Hickox was made in St Jude’s                     Church, London by Brian and Ralph Couzens. The sound has great                     presence, indeed punch, and in many ways it’s a splendid                     achievement. The sound can be thrilling and, as usual with Chandos,                     a great deal of detail is revealed. However, playing all three                     recordings on the same equipment and without adjusting the controls                     made me think that perhaps the fullness of the Chandos sound                     was just a bit too much of a good thing at times. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                      The engineering team behind this new Hallé recording                     is exactly the same one that produced Elder’s warmly                     received recording of \u003ci\u003eGötterdämmerung.\u003c\/i\u003e                     I haven’t yet had the time to do more than sample that                     Wagner recording though what I’ve heard has impressed                     me. I’m certainly very impressed indeed by this new Elgar                     recording. It seems to me to present a nicely truthful concert                     hall balance. The soloists are given a properly prominent position                     in the aural picture without one feeling that they’re                     artificially close. The choir, though behind the orchestra is                     reported with presence while the orchestra is in excellent balance                     with both the choir and the soloists, allowing one to appreciate                     their superb playing without feeling that the orchestra is too                     dominant. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    It only remains to say that the notes are by the doyen of Elgar                     commentators, Michael Kennedy, who provides a succinct but completely                     satisfying note about the work and a good synopsis of the action.                     \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                      I hope that this fine new recording of \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e will                     enhance the reputation of this marvellous work. It contains                     a great deal of quintessential Elgar, not least ‘The sun                     goeth down’. And much of Part III, from the start of St                     Peter’s extended aria (‘I have prayed for thee’)                     to the end of that movement, is top-drawer Elgar. The ending                     of Part III never fails to move me, especially when it’s                     done as superbly and convincingly as is the case here. As I                     said earlier, I might not go as far as Frank Schuster in evaluating                     the respective merits of \u003ci\u003eGerontius\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eKingdom\u003c\/i\u003e                     but I feel that \u003ci\u003eKingdom\u003c\/i\u003e has been unfairly in the shadow                     of Elgar’s earlier choral masterpiece so it’s a                     cause for rejoicing that this splendid new Hallé account                     is now available. \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                      Elder has already given us a recording of the Prelude to \u003ci\u003eThe                     Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e as a filler to his recording, with Thomas Zehetmair                     of the Violin Concerto. That was a different performance of                     the Prelude, set down in 2005. Reviewing                     the disc William Hedley said that Elder’s account of the                     Prelude made him want to hear the complete oratorio again. Well,                     now he can and I hope he’ll enjoy it as much as I have.                     With this excellent recording Sir Mark Elder further enhances                     his reputation as the finest Elgar conductor currently before                     the public. I hope he will go on before too long to give us                     a much-needed new recording of the companion oratorio, \u003ci\u003eThe                     Apostles\u003c\/i\u003e. Can I also enter a plea that the Hallé’s                     evolving Elgar Edition will encompass the shamefully neglected                     \u003ci\u003eSpirit of England\u003c\/i\u003e, of which I’m sure Sir Mark would                     be a fine interpreter? \u003cbr\u003e                      \u003cbr\u003e                    Sir Adrian Boult’s recording of \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e must                     retain its place as a reference performance, not least because                     it has the finest quartet of soloists that I’ve ever heard                     in the work. However, this new Elder interpretation is a worthy                     rival and should be heard by all Elgar enthusiasts. It is certainly                     the pre-eminent digital account. \u003cbr\u003e                        \u003cbr\u003e                   -- John Quinn, MusicWeb International","brand":"Halle","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49704765358360,"sku":"5065001341250","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1799344.jpg?v=1777707519","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/elgar-the-kingdom","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}