Elgar: Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf etc. Choir Orchestral & Concertos Chandos

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… first-rate Elgar in first-rate performances …”

Charles H Parsons – American Record Guide – July/August 2015

“… the ardent and energetic Barry Banks (Olaf), the sonorous Alan Opie (Ironbeard) and the characterful Emily Birsan (the would-be brides) bring utter conviction and complete commitment to their roles; the combined Norwegian choirs sing in faultless English, while Davis leads the Bergen Symphony Orchestra with unerring sensitivity and nuanced conducting…” *****

Graeme Kay – Choir & Organ magazine - May/June 2015

***** (Superb album)

Jean-Charles Hoffelé – Diapason magazine (France) – May 2015

"...Both works boast moments of power and beauty underpinned by orchestrations that point to the best of the mature Elgar. Strong solo contributions from Emily Birsan, Barry Banks and Alan Opie, and excellent notes by Andrew Neill, adds to the considerable pleasure." *****

Michael Quinn - Classical Ear (App) - 26 February 2015

“…Here, under the experienced Elgarian hand of Sir Andrew Davis and the appropriate forces of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and three fine Norwegian choirs (with splendid diction and intonation), the sound quality is vibrant, clear and compelling, and does justice to the enthusiasm of Elgar’s score… For devotees of Elgar and of English choral music of the late Victorian era, this pulsating recording has all those emotional attributes that make the heart beat faster.”

Jeremy Dibble – Gramophone magazine – April 2015

Choral & Song Choice

Performance ***** Recording *****

“…Elgar’s music crackles with confident vitality presaging great things … Davis’s expansive conducting and the excellent Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra bring out Elgar’s vivid orchestral textures … a brilliant new recording …”

Michael Scott Rohan – BBC Music magazine – April 2015

“…this [Saga of King Olaf] is a powerful and absorbing work …”

John Warrack – International Record Review – March 2015

“…The Bergen orchestra plays with a keen ear for colour and dramatic flux, and the chorus – amplified here by the choir of the Collegiûm and by the Edvard Grieg Kor –makes narrative live and breathe in suppleness, expressive sensitivity and lusty power. Added to that, three fine soloists in the soprano Emily Birsan, tenor Barry banks and baritone Alan Opie carry the story with great distinction, subtlety and immediacy of impact …”

Geoffrey Norris – The Daily Telegraph – 7 February 2015

Album of the Week

"...King Olaf is a folk-tale narrative about the Norwegian Olaf Tryggvason, in the tradition of Mahler’s Das Klagende Lied or Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder, and it is splendidly performed by Davis’s Bergen forces. The soloists, Emily Birsan (soprano), Barry Banks (tenor) and Alan Opie (baritone), all make positive contributions ..."

Hugh Canning - The Sunday Times (Culture magazine) - 15 February 2015

“…. The Bergen orchestra and choir play and sing Elgar as though it were part of their regular repertoire, while the soloists – soprano Emily Birsan, tenor Barry Banks and baritone Alan Opie – all cope well with what is sometimes strenuous vocal writing …” ****

Andrew Clements – The Guardian – 6 February 2015

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