Elgar - Caractacus / Severn Suite Orchestral & Concertos Choir 2 for 1

SIR EDWARD ELGAR (1857 – 1934)

Caractacus, Op.35 (1898)

101:35

Cantata in Six Scenes for Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Chorus and Orchestra

Libretto by Harry Arbuthnot Acworth (1849-1933)

COMPACT DISC ONE

Scene 1. British camp on the Malvern Hills. Night: 22:58

Chorus: 'Watchmen, alert!' -

5:49

Caractacus: 'Watchmen, alert! the King is here' -

6:13

with Sentries

Eigen: 'Father!... Sire and King' -

2:22

with Caractacus, Orbin, Sentries

Eigen: 'At eve to the greenwood, we wander'd away' -

2:45

Orbin: 'On the ocean and the river' -

2:41

with Caractacus, Eigen

Spirits of the Hill: 'Rest, weary monarch'

3:07

with Sentries

Scene 2. The sacred oak grove by the tomb of the Kings: 23:54

Arch-Druid: 'Tread the mystic circle round' -

4:53

with Druids, Druid Maidens

Arch-Druid, Druids, Druid Maidens: 'Lord of dread and lord of pow'r' -

2:36

Arch--Druid: 'Bard, what read ye in the field...?'-

8:00

with Orbin, Chorus, Druids, Druid Maidens, Caractacus

10.

Caractacus: 'Leap to light, my brand of fight' -

5:19

with Soldiers, Orbin, Druids, Arch-Druid

11.

Druids, Druid Maidens: 'Hence, ere the Druid's wrath is woke'

3:05

with Orbin, Soldiers

Scene 3. The forest near the Severn. Morning: 14:24

12.

Introduction 'Woodland Interlude' (Orchestra) -

1:59

13.

Chorus: 'Come! beneath our woodland bow'rs' -

1:14

14.

Eigen: 'O'er-arch'd by leaves the streamlet weaves' -

3:43

with Orbin

15.

Orbin: 'last night beneath the sacred Oak' -

1:43

16.

Chorus: 'Come! beneath our woodland bow'rs'

5:43

with Orbin, Eigen

Total time: 61:12

COMPACT DISC TWO

Scene 4. The Malvern Hills: 11:48

Maidens: 'Wild rumours shake our calm retreat' -

2:30

Eigen: 'When the glow of the evening had died from the hill' -

2:34

with Maidens

Soldiers: 'We were gather'd by the river' -

2:22

Caractacus, Chorus: 'O my warriors, tell me truly'

4:21

Scene 5. The Severn

Druid Maidens: 'Captive Britons, see them! Hark' -

4:22

with A Bard

Scene 6. Rome. The Triumphal Procession: 23:54

Processional Music (Orchestra) -

7:17

Chorus: 'The march triumphal thunders' -

Claudius: 'Unbind his hands, silence the trumpets' -

1:11

Caractacus: 'Heap torment upon torment, woe on woe' -

4:41

with Eigen, Orbin

Chorus: 'Slay the Briton' -

0:35

with Claudius

10.

Caractacus: 'I plead not for myself' -

2:41

with Orbin, Eigen, Chorus, Claudius

11.

Eigen, Orbin, Caractacus: 'Grace from the Roman!' -

2:33

12.

Chorus: 'The clang of arms is over'

4:53

Severn Suite, Op.87 (1930)

18:02

for Brass Band

Orchestrated 1931-32 by the Composer

13.

Introduction. Worcester Castle. Pomposo -

2:35

14.

Toccata. Tournament. Allegro molto -

3:57

15.

III

Fugue. The Cathedral. Andante -

4:03

16.

Minuet. Commandery. Moderato -

5:12

17.

Coda. Lento

2:14

Total time: 58:01

Solo: Judith Howarth soprano

Solo: Stephen Roberts bass

Solo: Alistair Miles bass

Choral: London Symphony Chorus

Stephen Westrop - chorus master

Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Richard Hickox

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