Philharmonic Orchestra & Andrew Litton – Holst: The Planets, Op. 32 – Elgar: Enigma Variations, Op. 36 Bergen (2019) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Philharmonic Orchestra & Andrew Litton – Holst: The Planets, Op. 32 – Elgar: Enigma Variations, Op. 36 Bergen (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:22:32 minutes | 1,32 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © BIS

It is striking that two of the true classics in English orchestral music were composed within the short space of some fifteen years around the turn of the previous century. Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations have charmed as well as fascinated listeners since the first performance in 1899. In 14 remarkably diverse variations Elgar demonstrates his compositional mastery while creating miniature portraits of his closest friends, as well as of his wife and himself. By turns gentle, idyllic, tempestuous and boisterous, the pieces which often run seamlessly into each other nevertheless make up a coherent whole, like a group portrait taken during a country weekend.
In 1916 Gustav Holst completed another set of musical character sketches his suite The Planets, in seven movements. These have little to do with astronomy and even less with the Roman deities whose names they carry. Holst was rather inspired by astrology and the suite actually concerns human character as influenced by the planets.

Performing the programme in the warm acoustics of Bergen’s Grieg Hall, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Andrew Litton give it their all in this sonic spectacular.

Tracklist:
1 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Theme. Andante “Enigma” 01:29
2 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 1, L’istesso tempo “C. A. E.” 02:04
3 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 2, Allegro “H. D. S-P.” 00:46
4 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 3, Allegretto “R. B. T.” 01:24
5 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 4, Allegro di molto “W. M. B.” 00:32
6 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 5, Moderato “R. P. A.” 02:20
7 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 6, Andantino “Ysobel” 01:20
8 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 7, Presto “Troyte” 00:59
9 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 8, Allegretto “W. N.” 02:05
10 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 9, Adagio “Nimrod” 04:16
11 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 10, Intermezzo. Allegretto “Dorabella” 02:45
12 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 11, Allegro di molto “G. R. S.” 01:02
13 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 12, Andante “B. G. N.” 02:46
14 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 13, Romanza. Moderato “* * *” 02:54
15 Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”: Var. 14, Finale. Allegro “E. D. U.” 05:45
16 The Planets, Op. 32, H. 125: I. Mars, the Bringer of War 07:19
17 The Planets, Op. 32, H. 125: II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace 07:51
18 The Planets, Op. 32, H. 125: III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger 04:03
19 The Planets, Op. 32, H. 125: IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity 08:00
20 The Planets, Op. 32, H. 125: V. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age 09:13
21 The Planets, Op. 32, H. 125: VI. Uranus, the Magician 05:40
22 The Planets, Op. 32, H. 125: VII. Neptune, the Mystic 07:59