Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by George Weldon
HMV XLP 20033. mono matrices: 2XEA 1976 -4N / 2XEA 1977 -2N Recorded: 1960. EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road
Sir Edward Elgar:
"Sea Pictures", op.37 - (Gladys Ripley, Contralto)
"In the South" (Alassio), op.50
HMV XLP 30008. (Columbia 33SX 1028) 1962 pressing/matrices: XAX 526 -3N / XAX 527 -3N
G.F. Handel, arr. Elgar: Overture in D (Chandos Anthem No. 2)
G.F. Handel: "Solomon" - Sinfonia; Arrival of the Queen of Sheba / Occasional oratorio - March**
Columbia SED 5516 1958 pressing/matrices: 7TCA215 -3N / 7TCA216 -2N 4 files zip FLAC Mega Download
London Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Weldon Recorded: 19/26 February 1954 - EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road. (**29 October 1953)
SED 5516 scan / sleeve-notes / info >>>
The Handel/RPO was issued on CD (Royal Classics ROY 6442 -1994). This mono version was released before the stereo LP and has excellent sound + superb orchestral playing.
Handel/RPO files from February 2012. In the South/Overture: 29 October 2009 post: re-edited.
Thanks once again. I saw Weldon conduct the Halle regularly, probably more often than I saw JB, who considered Weldon an utterly reliable colleague. He was indeed reliable, which unfortunately sounds as though he is damned with faint praise, but that is not my intention.
ReplyDeleteI have an idea that he recorded Sea Pictures, or In The South, or both, twice. Any information?
Andrew Smith
If you do a 'simple search' via CHARM:
Deletehttp://www.charm.rhul.ac.uk/discography/search/disco_search.html
..you can see a 1946/Philharmonia recording of Sea Pictures (also with Ripley).
I don't have much of him conducting: I suspect 'serious collectors' didn't 'collect' him..and have yet to listen to his Philharmonia/Sleeping Beauty (33SX).
Some time back was asked to upload the LSO/Collingwood Elgar: Nursery, etc (don't have Weldon's Enigma, etc, 33SX) - which was intended to be the coupling for this Elgar..but had the Handel files 'kicking-around' on the laptop (was intending coupling them with the Grieg: listed on the Handel rear-sleeve) - as it seemed a shame to keep the splendid 'In the South' performance unavailable for so long.
The 45 EP has excellent/vivid sound: which makes the rather dire 'Sea Pictures' even more disappointing..
At the time I bought that LP of In The South I was more interested in just building up a library of music rather than being a "serious collector". I think perhaps that is still the case, in spite of the thousands of LPs and CDs cluttering the house; I'm a magpie.
ReplyDelete(This recording was more or less the only one around at the time: I certainly didn't acquire the Boult until box RLS7716 appeared.) Then along came Silvestri, and we were all bowled over by the performance and the sound; it was a guilty pleasure, in that although we (the plural refers to my local Gramophone Society) thoroughly enjoyed it we weren't sure that Elgar was supposed to be quite so exciting and 'un-english'. In time we were proved wrong. I'm meandering down Memory Lane again - sorry.
Andrew Smith
Hello Andrew.
DeleteNo need to 'apologize' - as it makes the blog more interesting for others (and saves me commenting 'in detail'!!).
First heard the Silvestri ASD, on a Sunday, upon its recent issue when having a bath!! (big Decca TP86 portable radio) - and recall Silvestri's 'Stereo Showpieces' album (Bournemouth/TWO) being reviewed on Alan Dell's Radio 2 'Album Time' show that year (1968) after I'd came back from school.
I do have that Boult 1980's Elgar box (from an HMV Sale) and had been considering the Symphony 1- which got a blisteringly bad EMG review/s.
Boult's In the South performance, as with the later one (initially bought as the '80's 'Greensleeve' reissue) is very fine - but 'on CD' - so little purpose served in 'spending time' editing those LP/s.