Elgar Conducts "Enigma" Variations (1926)

Sir Edward Elgar
"Enigma" Variations Op. 36
1. Theme: Andante (0:07)
2. Variation I - C.A E. (1:36)
3. Variation II - H.D.S.P. (3:34)
4. Variation III - R.B.T. (5:18)
5. Variation IV - W.M.B. (6:41)
6. Variation - V R.P.A. (7:09)
7. Variation VI - Ysobel (9:07)
8. Variation VII - Troyte (10:33)
9. Variation VIII - W.N. (11:33)
10. Variation IX - Nimrod (12:07)
11. Variation X - Dorabella (15:15)
12. Variation XI - G.R.S. (17:30)
13. Variation XII - B.G.N. (18:19)
14. Variation XIII - Romanza (20:35)
15. Variation XIV - Finale (22:38)
Sir Edward Elgar, conductor
Royal Albert Hall Symphony Orchestra
Recorded on April 28/August 30, 1926
at Queen's Hall, London
Listeners to this channel know that we have been trying to achieve a high quality restoration of this historic recording for years. We have tried various sources, and it turns out that the EMI version is the best.
Elgar's second recording of his masterpiece is the farthest we can get from "cut and dry". He sought to give the music, in his own words, an "elastic and mystical quality". The present recording was made just two days after he gave a memorable concert performance with the London Symphony.
First performed in 1899 by Hans Richter, the work elevated Elgar to international acclaim. His reputation as one of the world's foremost conductors made this an extremely popular recording in the early 20th Century. Elgar was the biggest artist on the label at the time.
This recording comes from the earliest period of electrical recording, and it is fun to listen to the early approach that was taken here. They put a microphone with a figure-8 pattern in front of the orchestra and let them play. Of course, EMI and other labels would soon realize that it was more complicated than that, and recordings made between late 1926 through 1932 would soon obtain a much drier quality as they brought acoustics under control to get a more direct sound. Still, it is remarkable how well this simple, early approach sounds on modern reproducers. Even this early in the technology the Gramophone Company obtained a coherent sonic image.
In order to preserve the original sonic quality no filtering or enhancement has been used beyond acoustic scaling at the original rollover characteristic. As always, getting the original physics of a recording accurately is the best restoration method possible.
After nearly a century some noise is bound to come through like cracks in the Sistine, this has been left alone.
Digital Transfer (1999): Andrew Walter/Abbey Road Studio
Full acoustic restoration (2024): Paul Howard - The Yucaipa Studio
We do not monetize on this channel and our posts are commercial free. If you wish to support this kind of music you can buy us a cup of coffee at:
www.paypal.com...