Elgar from America, Vol. 2

Album review

The featured recordings date from the first half of the 1940s and have been restored and remastered by Lani Spahr, who also provides informative booklet notes.
Menuhin, long associated with Elgar since his 1932 recording of the Violin Concerto, is heard here in a 1945 performance of the work, abbreviated to fit radio constraints of time. It is conducted by Sargent who also leads an account of Cockaigne (In London Town) from the same year. Toscanini’s 1940 performance of the Introduction and Allegro for Strings marks the only time he conducted it with the NBC SO, joined here by Mischa Mischakoff and Edwin Bachmann violins, Carlton Cooley viola, Frank Miller cello.
"Elgar from America, Volume I" was hailed by "Classical Music Daily" as “a fine start to this historic cycle”. Lani Spahr’s previous restorations of historic Elgar recordings for Somm Recordings include "Elgar Rediscovered" and "Elgar Remastered" which featured recordings from the composer’s own collection and was hailed by Audiophilia as “a fascinating achievement which will have you wishing for more”. © SOMM Recordings