Elgar: Cockaigne Overture, Op. 40 'In London Town'

Bringing together Eduard van Beinum’s complete Elgar recordings for Decca, this important historic reissue presents multi-faceted sides of the composer: his sense of national pride in Cockaigne, his fondness of childhood memories in The Wand of Youth, and his profundity in the little Elegy and his masterpiece, the Cello Concerto. The Wand of Youth music actually originated as far back as 1870 when the Elgar children, at their home at Broadheath near Worcester, concocted a family playlet for which the youthful composer provided some music. He kept the music of this enchantingly innocent premise and, 37 years later, at a time when he was feeling his way into the very different world of his first symphony, looked over the sketches and decided to re-score them for full orchestra. The music was such a success when Henry Wood premièred the first suite in London in 1907 that Elgar straightaway produced a second which, conducted by him at the 1908 Three Choirs Festival at Worcester, happily took the music right back to its geographical source nearly 40 years before.

The tiny Elegy for Strings written In Memoriam for an official of the Worshipful Musicians Company who had died. In 1901 Elgar’s embrace widened when he dedicated his new overture Cockaigne ‘To my many friends the members of British orchestras.’ ‘Honest, healthy, humorous, and strong but not vulgar’ was his own description of his musical portrait of London at the turn of that century, in which the pomp and high spirits of the capital are celebrated in music of a thoroughly patriotic and exuberant style. Although Elgar lived for another fifteen years, the Cello Concerto of 1919 was his last major work: the remaining years produced only occasional pieces such as the Nursery Suite and the fifth Pomp and Circumstance march and some planned projects that were never completed. He called the Concerto ‘a man’s attitude to life’ and its introverted mood stayed with him, particularly after the death of his wife the year after it appeared.

Elgar’s music was one of Eduard van Beinum’s enthusiasms, and it was fascinating in the post-war period in England to be able to hear a foreign maestro’s view of Cockaigne, the Cello Concerto and the suites of the Wand of Youth music, all recorded in London. The brilliant, sure-footed playing in the Elgar pieces heard on this disc testifies to the alert, warm-hearted response he was capable of obtaining as much from the LPO as from his Concertgebouw players. The friendliness towards musicians for which he became renowned and the absolute trust he placed in them endeared him to everybody, ultimately earning both respect and devotion.

All recordings are remastered from the original sources.

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was England's greatest composer since the death of Henry Purcell in 1695. He was a relatively late developer, with his first major symphonic work, the Enigma Variations (1898-99), being produced when he was already in his forties.

Elgar wrote two very fine symphonies that unerringly captured the zeitgeist of Edwardian England; both are included in this set in superb performances by Bernard Haitink. The first disc ends with two additional Elgar pieces performed by the late lamented Richard Hickox.

These discs present a rich and varied flavour of Britain’s capital city. Offering a diverse and wide-ranging taste of music spanning over three centuries, the pieces on this compilation are evocative of London in all its glory, whether that be light musical cameos of famous locations, to the archetypal Coronation Anthems of Handel and the eponymous symphonies of Haydn and Vaughan Williams. This 2-CD set contains music by some of Britain’s most popular native and adopted composers. The first disc on this compilation offers a nostalgic trip back through British light music, easily recognized for its emphasis on instantly accessible and catchy melodies. Tracks include the popular Yeoman of the Guard overture by Arthur Sullivan, as well as extracts from the London Suites by Dam Busters composer Eric Coates and Dankworth’s Rediffusion London Call Sign. The second disc comprises more traditional pieces, ranging from delicate lute arrangements of Henry VIII’s attributed ditty Greensleeves to Walton’s joyous coronation march Crown Imperial.

Last year we released the debut album of the Oregon Symphony on PentaTone which received great reviews, both sides of the pond! This new recording has already received some great reviews from the US press and we hope will be equally well received in the UK.

Brand new recordings of Elgar, one of Britain’s finest composers, by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and distinguished British conductor Barry Wordsworth.

Includes the complete Pomp and Circumstance Marches.

Recorded last year at the RPO’s London home, Cadogan Hall.