Elgar: Symphony no.1 - Adagio

Elgar's first symphony is such an amazing piece. His two symphonies are my favourite pieces ever written! And I think this adagio is probably my favourite slow movement that Elgar ever wrote, it is just so beautiful! :)

I hope you enjoy it and I would love to hear your opinion about the piece!

London Philharmonic Orchestra
Georg Solti

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Elgar:
• Symphony
• no.1
• Adagio
• british
• classical
• music
• georg
• solti
• london
• philharmonic
• orchestra

[GourouxPete]

This deep and meaningful movement is, I feel, where Elgar shows us what he believes to be the true journey through nature to god in musical terms. This is intensely personal, and occupies a different landscape from the other movements although linked closely to them by thematic artifice. If I could take only one symphonic adagio to "that desert island" then it would be this one.

[elgarian497]

@GourouxPete I would agree, this would probably be my favourite symphonic adagio, with the lento from Elgar 2 coming close!

[llyranor]

Really beautiful. 2:58, just wow.

[elgarian497]

@llyranor Yes, that's my favourite section as well, so wonderful! :) I especially love it around 20 seconds after the timing you mention when the cellos take up the theme, beautiful textures! :) If only people would listen to this (the real Elgar) instead of the Pomp and Circumstance march! ;)

[clarenceclutterbuck]

Bleddy gorgeous symphonies, both of 'em. I've got outstanding versions of em on CD conducted by Vernon Handley. The final movement that follows this one where Elgar resurrects the opening theme, with knobs on, is very thrilling. I love how he uses brass instruments. His music embodies a certain ideal vision of Englishness for me.

It would be nice to see Elgar's Third Symphony, as completed by Anthony Payne represented on Youtube. That one is also a corker.

[elgarian497]

@clarenceclutterbuck Yes, I agree, both beautiful symphonies! My favourite pieces ever. no.3 is a very interesting piece. It is fantastically put together by Anthony Payne and I really do love the piece, however, I don't think it is how Elgar would have intended this symphony to be. As a conductor said to Anthony Payne on a look at the score: "since when did Elgar finish a symphony with a gong stroke?!"

I will upload the "third" symphony soon!

[wondermusic63]

First 2 notes are exactly like the beginning of the Nimrod section of Enigma Variations. Wonderful expressive Adagio!

[Astron278]

@elgarian497 But as Payne explains in a book (Elgar: An Anniversary Portrait; multiple authors), Elgar was a great composer, and since when have great composers avoided to do unexpected things? We cannot know whether Elgar would have ended the symphony with a gong stroke or not. Perhaps he would have included a cannon bang.

[AlfieStroudR]

@8:50 onwards gives me goosebumps every time

[777wallaby777]

it's wonderful, i like this adagio

[DeclanVB84]

The first time I heard this symphony was last summer, when I went to see the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform it (conducted by Sir Andrew Davis). Once I got home that night, I wanted to hear this very movement.

Like most people, I only knew Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" Marches and "Enigma Variations". I am happy to have taken the time to listen to another one of his works besides these.

[smudgepots]

I just attended a performance in Manchester (where the piece was premiered in 1908) which began with Elgar's biographer the 85 year old Michaek Kennedy being awarded the medal of the Elgar Society for his service to the composers music. He thanked the Halle & Mark Elder for their fabulous performances of the First Symphony, past and present..

[smudgepots]

Needless to say, the orchestra played their hearts out to return this great critic's admiration and thanks. What a performance it was! As Sir Mark said afterwards, learning forward to the front row of the stalls, "not bad, eh?"

[ThaSchwab]

@starry2006

I've never heard Elgar's interperation, but I can safely say the one I heard was one of the best.