All three of these works are realizations by Anthony Payne and the March is receiving its premiere recording. Elgar left behind only a mass of sketches and notes for his Third Symphony when he died. He left conflicting instructions about it: one that it should not be tinkered with at all, and another that perhaps somebody else will complete it later on. Well, Payne has done the latter and what we have is a rather overlong symphony that does sound like Elgar. All of its four movements except for the second are 15 minutes length. The third movement Adagio solenne seems too stretched out and marking of time. There are many wide orchestral vistas opened up in the other movements. Both the second and final movement make use of themes from the incidental music Elgar wrote for a 1923 play, Arthur, about the legendary English king. So the royal pomp feeling that Elgar is so adept at is in strong evidence thruout. The last movement has a very strong theme ending in three fast repeats of the same note, but not a great deal is done with it, and the finale ends very quietly and unconvincingly. (It reminded me of the ending of No Country for Old Men, which many have complained about.)
The Princesses mini-oratorio came about following the death of the Queen Mother, Alexandra, in 1925. Elgar was Master of the King’s Music and he later set a poem by Poet Laureate John Masefield to music for chorus and military band. Anthony Payne arranged it for orchestra and for publication. The nearly eight-minute Sixth Pomp and Circumstance March has a rather un-march-like central Trio section with a catchy melody. During its conclusion, the work quotes a bit of the composer’s most famous march which continues to serve graduation ceremonies everywhere.
The 5.0 channel surround is excellent, as usual with Chandos. Fans of Elgar will want to have this worthwhile addition to his opera in their collection. (Perhaps readers have guessed – Elgar is not my favorite composer.)
– John Sunier
