Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis - Elgar: The Starlight Express (2012)

10 Sep, 05:19
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Artist: Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Title: Elgar: The Starlight Express
Year Of Release: 2012
Label: Chandos Records
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (image + .cue, log, booklet)
Total Time: 2:18:07
Total Size: 531 MB
WebSite: Album Preview

Tracklist:

Disc: 1
1. Song, 'To the Children'. Allegro Non Troppo - Moderato - Tempo I - Più Mosso
2. In the Village of Bourcelles...
3. Allegretto
4. Lento
5. Allegretto
6. Moderato - Molto Animato - Allegro - A Tempo Allegro
7. Lento
8. Allegretto
9. Allegro
10. Allegro Molto
11. Lento
12. Andante
13. Andante
14. Andantino
15. Song, 'The Blue-eyed Fairy'. Allegro
16. Allegro Non Troppo
17. Moderato - Lento - Allegro - Lento - Più Lento
18. Song, 'The Sun Has Gone'. Allegretto - Lento - Allegro - Allargando
19. Andantino
20. Lento - Quasi Recitative - Lento
21. Allegro
22. Lento
23. Allegro
24. Allegro Molto
25. Song, 'I'm Ev'rywhere'. Presto
26. Allegro
27. Song, 'Wake Up, You Little Night Winds!' Allegro Non Troppo
28. Dance of the Winds. Moderato - Lento - Brillante - Lento
29. Moderato
30. Lento
31. Sun Dance. Presto
32. Adagio
33. Song, 'Dandelions, Daffodils'.
34. Andante
35. Allegretto
36. Più Lento
37. Song, 'O, Stars Shine Brightly'. Allegro Moderato - Andante
38. Adagio
39. Allegro
40. Song, 'Dawn Song'. Allegro

Disc: 2
1. Song, 'My Old Tunes'. Allegro - (Più Lento) - Poco Più Lento - Tempo I
2. Song, 'Dandelions, Daffodils'
3. Lento - Più Mosso - Più Lento - Più Lento
4. Tempo Di Valse
5. Lento - Allegro - Poco Sostenuto - Moderato E Grazioso - Moderato - Moderato
6. Andante - Allegretto
7. Moderato - Animato - Moderato
8. Finale. Duet, 'Hearts Must Be Soft-shiny Dressed'.( ) - L'istesso Tempo
9. 'The First Nowell'. Grandioso
10. The Organ-grinder's Song. Andante Comodo
11. The Dustman's Song. Tranquillo E Misterioso
12. The Gardener's Song. Allegretto Fantastico
13. Song, 'To the Children'. Allegro Non Troppo - Moderato - Tempo I
14. Andantino
15. Song, 'The Blue-eyed Fairy'. Allegro
16. Song, 'The Sun Has Gone'. Allegretto - Lento - Allegro - Allargando
17. Andantino
18. Lento
19. Allegro
20. Song, 'I'm Ev'rywhere'. Presto
21. Song, 'Wake Up, You Little Night Winds!' Allegro Non Troppo
22. Dance of the Winds. Moderato - Lento - Brillante - Lento
23. Lento
24. Sun Dance. Presto
25. Andante
26. Allegretto
27. Song, 'O, Stars Shine Brightly'. Allegro Moderato - Andante
28. Song, 'Dawn Song'. Allegro
29. Song, 'My Old Tunes'. Allegro - (Più Lento) - Poco Più Lento - Tempo I
30. Song, 'Dandelions, Daffodils'
31. Moderato - Animato - Moderato
32. Finale. Duet, 'Hearts Must Be Soft-shiny Dressed'.( ) - L'istesso Tempo
33. 'The First Nowell'. Grandioso

What you're getting here takes a little explanation. The Starlight Express started life as a novel for young people by Algernon Blackwood, A Prisoner in Fairyland, a story of a group of children who collect stardust and carry on a secret existence apart from the adult world. It is not unlike Peter Pan in its general outlines, but from the evidence here it is not nearly as elegantly done. Blackwood's novel was made into a play by one Violet Pearn, and Elgar, in 1915, was asked to write incidental music and songs for this play, turning it into a kind of melodrama. Next, the play was reduced here to a narrative, read by actor Simon Callow and structured in such a way as to keep apparently all of Elgar's music, including some little songs. Finally, three songs and a long sequence of instrumental excerpts were collected into a pair of suites by the present conductor, Andrew Davis, leading the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and an assortment of British singers. These final suites are probably the most attractive items here for the average listener. Elgar's music is actually charming, with an airy, tonally simple, yet absolutely characteristic quality as far as could be from the weighty world of his symphonies and oratorios. You could even imagine other performances of these suites as an ideal opener for concerts of English music. The narrated play itself doesn't quite come off, and the original material seems uncertain at times as to whether it wants to be for children or adults. Nevertheless, recordings of this material in any form are rare, and to hear this music from one of Elgar's foremost champions will likely appeal to the composer's fans. ~ James Manheim

Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis - Elgar-The Starlight Express.rar - 531.3 MB