ELGAR: Complete Songs for Voice and Piano, Volume 2 [Tracklist below] – Amanda Roocroft, soprano; Konrad Jarnot, baritone; Reinild Mees, piano – Channel Classics multichannel SACD CCS SA 28610, 66:30 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****:
It’s hard to believe that it has been almost 2 ½ years since the first volume of this collection appeared. Nothing has changed here—this is a superb edition beautifully sung by Amanda Roocroft and Konrad Jarnot, baritone, with sparkling accompaniment by Reinild Mees in fantastic surround sound. Elgar was a natural songster, though I’ll bet it’s been a while since you heard any of his songs on a recital. This is a real shame, for the tunefulness and inherent drama in this music should grab almost anyone—especially those who thought they did not like Elgar before. This one will change your mind for sure.
The uniqueness of this album features the first and last songs the composer ever wrote. The former, “The Language of Flowers” (1872), was penned by the composer at the ripe age of 15 as a present for his sister’s 20th birthday. The latter was “It isnae me”, words by Sally Holmes found in a magazine called Country Life written in a delightful local dialect. The texts were very important for Elgar, though he often spurned “great” poetry under the guise of “it should stand alone”. Nevertheless, the words he used obviously inspired some romantic, terribly penetrating emotions. Who, even the most anti-monarchical non-Brit, can listen to “The King’s Way” and not be moved?
Easily recommended—five stars for the consistency!
TrackList:
Speak, my Heart!
Is she not passing fair?
A Song of Flight
The Shepherd’s Song
The Language of Flowers
After
It isnae me
The Pipes of Pan
Shakespeare’s Kingdom
Rondel
The Poet’s Life
A War Song
The Torch
The River
Was it some golden Star?
Through the long Days
Arabian Serenade
As I laye a-thynkynge
Roundel
A Child asleep
The Chariots of the Lord
The King’s Way
— Steven Ritter
