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RECORD OF THE YEAR 2013 AND BEST CHORAL RECORD OF THE YEAR 2013 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE Conductor Sir Mark Elder leads the winners of the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2013. The Halles recording of Elgars oratorio The Apostles was named Recording of the Year at a ceremony in Kings Place in London today, 9 April. Right from the start this recording reveals the imagination, originality and radiant beauty of the score, said the jury of the recording which also won the Choral category and is on the Halles own label.
Review
No. 4 in Official UK Classical Chart! --classical-music.com/chart/official-classical-chart
"Elder's dramatic sense of the whole structure and of the significance of every detail made it all thrillingly compelling... the choral sound was truly imposing." --The Guardian
"Elder judged its solemn and mystical tone perfectly, conducting with ebb and flow and finding an arresting, dramatic urgency in places. Thanks also to excellent choral singing, the radiant glow of the climax was overwhelming." --Daily Telegraph
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
This superb Apostles is a mandatory purchase for all Elgar enthusiasts. The Hallé plays magnificently. Elder has developed this orchestra into a top-rank ensemble and currently it is as good as any I know when it comes to Elgar. The Hallé need fear no comparison. There is a sheen to their sound and the ensemble is wonderfully flexible. In the loud passages there is great power, though with no suggestion of forcing the tone, but what really grabbed my attention time after time was the sensitivity that they bring to quiet passages. Elgar was a glorious orchestrator who was at the height of his powers in the period that saw the composition of The Apostles. Elder and his splendid orchestra bring out all the colour, richness and inventiveness in this score. At the end of the day the triumph is Mark Elders. He is a marvellous Elgar conductor, as he has already proved many times. The score abounds with minute tempo modifications and observance of these is essential if the vital ebb and flow in an Elgar score is to be captured. Elder is masterly at this. Nothing escapes his attention but, more than that, he makes these tempo modifications, many of which are tricky and last only a bar or so, seem absolutely natural. However, the success of the performance is not just a matter of minutiae. Elder has a wonderful feel for the sweep of the work and his extensive operatic experience is surely crucial in putting the score across. Much of Apostles is essentially reflective but dramatic thrust is vital also and Elder is convincing throughout and in every respect. I felt that Elder s tempo selection was convincing throughout the oratorio. The new recording was made under performance conditions and engineer Steve Portnoi and his team have achieved excellent results. Their recording offers a satisfying concert hall perspective and balance; there is just enough distance and ambience but lots of detail emerges without any suggestion of performers being put under the microscope. The soloists are expertly balanced. This superb Apostles is a mandatory purchase for all Elgar enthusiasts. --John Quinn, Recording of the Month, MusicWeb-international.com
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times<br --The Times
Sir Mark Elders thrillingly commited and magisterially paced account of Elgars The Apostles with his Halle forces is a benchmark achievement for all involved. --Andrew Achenbachs Critics Choice 2012, Gramophone Magazine "It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
"Elder's dramatic sense of the whole structure and of the significance of every detail made it all thrillingly compelling... the choral sound was truly imposing." --The Guardian
"Elder judged its solemn and mystical tone perfectly, conducting with ebb and flow and finding an arresting, dramatic urgency in places. Thanks also to excellent choral singing, the radiant glow of the climax was overwhelming." --Daily Telegraph
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
This superb Apostles is a mandatory purchase for all Elgar enthusiasts. The Hallé plays magnificently. Elder has developed this orchestra into a top-rank ensemble and currently it is as good as any I know when it comes to Elgar. The Hallé need fear no comparison. There is a sheen to their sound and the ensemble is wonderfully flexible. In the loud passages there is great power, though with no suggestion of forcing the tone, but what really grabbed my attention time after time was the sensitivity that they bring to quiet passages. Elgar was a glorious orchestrator who was at the height of his powers in the period that saw the composition of The Apostles. Elder and his splendid orchestra bring out all the colour, richness and inventiveness in this score. At the end of the day the triumph is Mark Elders. He is a marvellous Elgar conductor, as he has already proved many times. The score abounds with minute tempo modifications and observance of these is essential if the vital ebb and flow in an Elgar score is to be captured. Elder is masterly at this. Nothing escapes his attention but, more than that, he makes these tempo modifications, many of which are tricky and last only a bar or so, seem absolutely natural. However, the success of the performance is not just a matter of minutiae. Elder has a wonderful feel for the sweep of the work and his extensive operatic experience is surely crucial in putting the score across. Much of Apostles is essentially reflective but dramatic thrust is vital also and Elder is convincing throughout and in every respect. I felt that Elder s tempo selection was convincing throughout the oratorio. The new recording was made under performance conditions and engineer Steve Portnoi and his team have achieved excellent results. Their recording offers a satisfying concert hall perspective and balance; there is just enough distance and ambience but lots of detail emerges without any suggestion of performers being put under the microscope. The soloists are expertly balanced. This superb Apostles is a mandatory purchase for all Elgar enthusiasts. --John Quinn, Recording of the Month, MusicWeb-international.com
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times<br --The Times
Sir Mark Elders thrillingly commited and magisterially paced account of Elgars The Apostles with his Halle forces is a benchmark achievement for all involved. --Andrew Achenbachs Critics Choice 2012, Gramophone Magazine "It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
"It was thrilling to experience the mingling of solos, two or three, or a dozen or so voices, with the Mystic Chorus formed by the massive and resonant Hallé Choir and the fresh-voiced Hallé Youth Choir. The culmination of the work and, indeed, every stage of it, was superbly paced and managed by Elder and his orchestra." --The Times
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
It has been wonderful to observe the accumulating excellence of Mark Elder's recordings with the Halle. The more so for me, as, some years ago, I used to play with that fine band. In fact, I remember performing this very work, though with the late-lamented Maurice Handford carving.
But the orchestra that Elder conducts is something of a different animal. It doesn't appear to have lost the warmth of earlier times, but now has a sureness of attack, an integration of tone that was sometimes lacking.
The same can be said of the Halle Choir; in the past, there was sometimes weak or unattractive tone in the men's voices; not now. There is power a-plenty, but with consistent beauty of tone and security of pitch.
So this recording, taken from a live performance in May of this year (plus a rehearsal no doubt for 'patching'), is a joy and a revelation. When it comes to the big moments, Elder and his forces take no prisoners- the orchestral tutti following the call of the Shofar (a traditional Hebrew trumpet), is overwhelming, and full of foreboding. (Incidentally, there's a small error in the booklet here; the shofar plays Eflat to C, not Cflat as stated). Similarly, there is no holding back for the massive affirmative conclusion of this great work.
If you don't know The Apostles, you are in for a treat; but don't expect another 'Gerontius'. This work is more expansive, more leisurely, without the same number of specific 'numbers', such as the Demons' chorus, or 'Praise to the Holiest' in Gerontius, or indeed 'The Sun Goeth Down' in The Kingdom. But it creates, at its own pace, a convincing and moving whole.
Elder's solo team are excellent; Rebecca Evans sings with the right balance of expressivesness and purity, and Alice Coote produces the most wonderful sounds as Mary Magdalene. I found Paul Groves' tenor as Narrator a little underpowered, though this may be a quirk of the recording balance - he is certainly very stylish. Jacques Imbroglio, in the baritone part of Jesus, has a slight tremor to his voice, which, however, once I was used to it, was no barrier to the appreciation of his deeply felt singing. And perhaps the most impressive of the lot is Brindley Sherratt, whose dark bass is perfect for the agonised solo of Judas - brilliant writing by Elgar, and one of the highlights of the work.
Hugely enjoyable listening - a worthy addition to Elder's (and the Halle's) already distinguished Elgarian recorded legacy.
But the orchestra that Elder conducts is something of a different animal. It doesn't appear to have lost the warmth of earlier times, but now has a sureness of attack, an integration of tone that was sometimes lacking.
The same can be said of the Halle Choir; in the past, there was sometimes weak or unattractive tone in the men's voices; not now. There is power a-plenty, but with consistent beauty of tone and security of pitch.
So this recording, taken from a live performance in May of this year (plus a rehearsal no doubt for 'patching'), is a joy and a revelation. When it comes to the big moments, Elder and his forces take no prisoners- the orchestral tutti following the call of the Shofar (a traditional Hebrew trumpet), is overwhelming, and full of foreboding. (Incidentally, there's a small error in the booklet here; the shofar plays Eflat to C, not Cflat as stated). Similarly, there is no holding back for the massive affirmative conclusion of this great work.
If you don't know The Apostles, you are in for a treat; but don't expect another 'Gerontius'. This work is more expansive, more leisurely, without the same number of specific 'numbers', such as the Demons' chorus, or 'Praise to the Holiest' in Gerontius, or indeed 'The Sun Goeth Down' in The Kingdom. But it creates, at its own pace, a convincing and moving whole.
Elder's solo team are excellent; Rebecca Evans sings with the right balance of expressivesness and purity, and Alice Coote produces the most wonderful sounds as Mary Magdalene. I found Paul Groves' tenor as Narrator a little underpowered, though this may be a quirk of the recording balance - he is certainly very stylish. Jacques Imbroglio, in the baritone part of Jesus, has a slight tremor to his voice, which, however, once I was used to it, was no barrier to the appreciation of his deeply felt singing. And perhaps the most impressive of the lot is Brindley Sherratt, whose dark bass is perfect for the agonised solo of Judas - brilliant writing by Elgar, and one of the highlights of the work.
Hugely enjoyable listening - a worthy addition to Elder's (and the Halle's) already distinguished Elgarian recorded legacy.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This new recording of Elgar's oratorio, The Apostles, composed using biblical texts in 1901-3, uses six soloists, choir and orchestra.Edward Elgar The Apostles Op.49 (Recorded Live) Sir Mark Elder and his Halle Orchestra appear to be on a mission to produce benchmark recordings of Elgar's music at present and this is no exception. This is a dramatic work which describes major events in the life of Christ: the calling of the apostles; Jesus' arrest and betrayal by Judas; the Crucufixion; resurrection and the Ascension. You'll need to turn up the volume to feel the full dramatic effect of this wonderful music as it is not closely miked, but gives tremendous aural atmosphere of the live recording venue, Manchester's Bridgewater Hall. All the soloists are perfectly suited to their roles: Rebecca Evans as the Angel Gabriel/Virgin Mary; Alice Coote as Mary Magdalene/Narrator; Paul Groves as John/Narrator; Jacques Imbrailo as Jesus; David Kempster as Peter and Brindley Sharratt as a very fine Judas.
I recently enjoyed the Halle's recording of Elgar's third oratorio, The Kingdom, and their recording of The Music Makers and Dream Children. But this new recording of the little known oratorio, The Apostles, is absolutely superb in every way. I think it even outclasses The Dream of Gerontius as a dramatic and very musical work, particularly in this recording. I therefore give this my highest recommendation. You simply must hear this recording if you love Elgar's music.
I recently enjoyed the Halle's recording of Elgar's third oratorio, The Kingdom, and their recording of The Music Makers and Dream Children. But this new recording of the little known oratorio, The Apostles, is absolutely superb in every way. I think it even outclasses The Dream of Gerontius as a dramatic and very musical work, particularly in this recording. I therefore give this my highest recommendation. You simply must hear this recording if you love Elgar's music.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Wantage
Format:Audio CD
This disc very deservedly has been flying off the shop shelves. Elder and Halle brought this work to The 2012 BBC Proms to great acclaim. This live recording a few weeks earlier in May has a similar line up of soloists. The spell-bound audience are as quiet as mice. There are good notes, full libretto in English. You can certainly purchase without hesitation.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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A live recording of a valuable addition to Elgar's early repertoire
Insofar as Elgar was a late developer we can say that The Apostles was an early work, though he began writing it when he was 42 years old, in 1900. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Arthur Francis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Muscular Christianity
Elgar's The Apostles has never quite enjoyed the same renown as The Dream of Gerontius or The Kingdom. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Entartete Musik
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