Elgar: Symphony No.2, Introduction & Allegro,;Shelley: Song (2003-2004) / Mark Elder(cond), Halle Orchestra

Even against the stiffest of competition, Mark Elder and the Halle Orchestra's 2003 recording of Elgar's Symphony No. 2 can more than hold its own. All the nobility and all the sentimentality, all the lyricism and all the heroism of the score is in this performance and, what's better, so is their deep and enduring love for the music, which animates every note of the performance. One could love any of Barbirolli or Boult's recordings; one could admire any of Colin or Andrew Davis' recordings; one could respect Solti's, Haitink's, Handley's, Menuhin, Previn's, or Thomson's; and, of course, one could and should stand in awe of Elgar's own inimitable recordings, but Elder and the Halle's strong-muscled and heartfelt performance is as good as the best of any of the others and it belongs in any collection of the music of Edward Elgar. The addition of a sweet and soulful performance of Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for strings only enhances the disc, as does conductor Elder's recitation of the poem by Shelley that inspired Elgar's Symphony No. 2, although one might not return to the recitation more than once or twice. Special mention should also be made of the sheer sound quality of the recording. To paraphrase Shelley, rarely, rarely comest thou, o spirit of absolute aural fidelity.