I am travelling across England today by train after a trip to Manchester for a centenary performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto played, superbly, dramatically and tearfully by one of the new kids on the block in violin playing, Nicolaj Znaider in an outstanding partnership with conductor Mark Elder and the newly rejuvenated Halle Orchestra. Magnificent and memorable.
The concerto which is almost a symphony is part of a group of works that Elgar wrote at this time under the romantic inspiration of a beautiful woman called Alice Stuart-Wortley (see yesterday’s blog). That Elgar was in love is not really in doubt when you hear the music, in the concerto but also in the next work to come from his pen, the glorious Symphony No 2 and then in his less well known The Music Makers.
Quieter style would better suit what you want to confide. Tearfully cannot be in the future, vis-a-vis your optic!
Hi Martin, thanks for taking the trouble to express your opinion here, different folk, different styles, I suspect. I said tearfully, because the Elgar tour was introduced by Znaider’s recording of the Elgar Concerto, which established his interpretation, which her did repeat in Manchester, and, I’m told, in Philadelphia too.