This DVD will give
enormous pleasure and it is an example
of what the BBC can do when they are
not trying to dumb down or be clever.
The programme is divided into two parts,
the first being a complete performance
of the Enigma Variations given by the
BBC Symphony Orchestra under their past
Music Director Sir Andrew Davis. How
refreshing it is to see this orchestra
trying to, and indeed succeeding in
playing with commitment and fervour.
This contrasts with their past performances
under Leonard Slatkin, happily having
now left these shores after his disastrous
tenure as Music Director.
We are often told in
sleeve-notes about how Elgar’s compositions
are suited to the English Cathedral
environment. Well, here you are: Elgar’s
most famous composition, set in perhaps
one of the most English of all cathedrals,
Worcester. It is a highly appropriate
locale, given that Worcester was Elgar’s
home, and many of his works were actually
premiered there.
Davis leads his orchestra
through Elgar’s masterpiece with a surefootedness
which comes from a long experience of
the composer in general, and of this
work in particular. The orchestra’s
concentration on what they are doing
comes over in the performance, and although
it was probably recorded in bits and
pieces there is a sweep about the whole
performance which is mightily impressive.
Maybe they were overawed by the location,
but whether they were or not, this is
of no matter, since the end-product
is so outstanding.
The sound quality is
superb with the microphone placing being
chosen so as to allow us to hear the
cavernous acoustic of the cathedral
without it becoming too woolly so as
to lose definition. The presence of
the cathedral organ in the finale is
gut-wrenching in the extreme.
The second half of
the programme is a documentary, covering
a good portion of some of the characters
around which Elgar built his Variations.
This is informative without becoming
sentimental, and the producers and director
are to be congratulated for a programme
which so easily could have descended
into sentimental mush. The portrait
of the inhabitants of the Enigma Variations
is a little longer than the work itself,
running as it does to some 49 minutes,
compared to 37 minutes for the Variations.
It is good to have this part of the
documentary hosted by the conductor
and orchestra rather than some plastic
"celeb", which appears to
be the BBC ethic at present. In addition,
there are no computer graphics so that
viewers like myself who abhor the current
fad of our masters in the BBC will obtain
unalloyed pleasure from this DVD. I
detest the thinking that says that we
cannot absorb information without flashing
lights, strange visual effects or indeed
without a constant rock-beat in the
background.
Sound quality is excellent.
This release deserves to do exceptionally
well in the market-place, provided that
enough information is given about the
release to allow music-lovers like myself
to make up our own minds.
The DVD comes with
multi-lingual sub-titles and with short,
but nonetheless detailed summaries of
what is being presented in English,
German and French. It was a very nice
touch also to include period photographs
of the various friends of Elgar, pictured
within the Variations, together with
some magnificent photographs of the
venue during the filming. Recommended
without reservation.
I am sure that this
release will be one of my DVDs of the
Year.
John Phillips
see also
review by Ian Lace
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sir Andrew Davis. 
BBC OPUS ARTE OA 0917 D [85’00"]
