Elgar: Symphony No. 1 & Cockaigne Overture

Featuring

Sakari Oramo
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Edward Elgar

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Compositional Technique

The scherzo of Elgar's First Symphony features a remarkable technique where a scurrying string passage gradually slows down to become the theme of the slow third movement.

Performer Biography

Sakari Oramo, the conductor on this album, began his musical career as a violinist and was the leader of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra for several years.

Composition History

The title 'Cockaigne' for Elgar's overture refers to an imaginary country of idleness and luxury, and also to London and its suburbs, the land of Cockneys.

Critical Reception

The London premiere of Elgar's First Symphony was met with "frantic applause" and an electric atmosphere, with people standing on their seats to get a view.

Composer Biography

Elgar started sketching what he hoped would be a symphony during a period of financial worries and after a disastrous premiere of his work The Dream of Gerontius.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Elgar described his overture Cockaigne (In London Town) as "cheerful and Londony - 'stout and steaky'", aiming for a populist portrait of 'old London town'.

Notable Performances

Elgar's First Symphony had its London premiere in 1908, conducted by Hans Richter, a renowned German conductor who also premiered Brahms's Third Symphony and Wagner's Ring cycle.