[Swprograms] Elgar Orgy from WHRB

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

The complete (recorded) works of Sir Edward Elgar are being presented as the
last `Orgy` of January on WHRB, Harvard University, with stereo mp3 webcast,
Friday-Tuesday Jan 27-31 (skipping Saturday, and not continuously) totalling 58
hours. See listings at http://www.whrb.org/pg/JanFeb2006.pdf

Sir Edward Elgar, Bart., O.M., K.C.V.O. (1857-1934) is often dismissed as a
jingoistic, Blimpish apologist for empire on the strength of his Pomp and
Circumstance marches. Astoundingly the music of this greatest of English
composers, excepting perhaps the Enigma Variations and sublime Cello Concerto,
is rarely performed in this country. Yet it is the noble and seductive work of
genius, blending red-blooded passion and subtle grace.
WHRB redresses this balance by presenting the entire output of the violinist
from Worcestershire who never forgot his humble roots and the fact that his
wife was of a higher social status than he, even when he was showered with
honours; the concert-goer who, in Bernard Shaw?s anecdote, would grip the arm
of his companion so fiercely that you would come out bruised and who
once confronted the playwright at a dinner party, spitting out that ?Music is
written on the skies, and you compare that to a damn?d imitation!?; the
apparently outgoing composer who enshrined his deep personal secrets in his
scores, frequently naming his themes for friends and lovers, but who, crushed
by Lady Elgar?s death, wrote little for the final decade of his life.

This Orgy does not restrict itself to British interpreters of Elgar?s work, but
presents some of the finest international modern performers, together with fine
historical recordings which chill the spine like none other, most importantly,
at the end of the Orgy, those helmed by Elgar himself.

Dedicated Elgar-lovers will seize this opportunity. To others we quote, as did
Elgar at the top of his Second Symphony, this line of Shelley: ?Rarely, rarely,
com?st thou, Spirit of Delight!? It came to him often, and we hope it will come
to you too.

(via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 
_______________________________________________
Swprograms mailing list
Swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://arizona.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms

To unsubscribe:  Send an E-mail to  swprograms-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown above.