Anyone who made it to their high school graduation will instantly recognize Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March #1, which features possibly one of the most memorable classical music melodies of the 20th century. But I wouldn't bother making today's recording, Elgar's Symphony #2, a building block of your classical music collection. ********************** Sir Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic Orchestra Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Symphony #2 (1911) EMI Classics, 1991 (0riginal recording 1976) ********************** The symphony seemed both shapeless and plotless to me, even after two close listens. That would be fine if the music were in any way arresting or beautiful (see Debussy or Vaughan Williams, both of whom composed shapeless, plotless beautiful music), but I found I had zero emotional involvement in this symphony throughout. In fact, if anybody would like my copy of this CD, just shoot me a quick email with your snail-mail address (see my profile for my ema...
"The study of the history of music and the hearing of masterworks of different epochs will speediest of all cure you of vanity and self-adoration."