Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli - Elgar - Symphonies No1 & No2 / Pomp and Circumstance / In the South (1996)

These recordings were my first exposure to the Elgar symphonies. Since then I have collected Boult (several versions), Barbirolli, Davis, Hickox, Haitink and a few others. The Elgar-conducted set deserves comment for its "benchmark" quality (in rather good sound for the 1920s-1930s); they are in a category all their own. Apart from the Hickox, Sinopoli's are the best-sounding recorded versions; my personal favorites are the 1968 Boult Lyrita set, the Hickox, and this one. All three offer something different. DG jumped on the Elgar bandwagon with these, and Sinopoli does a fantastic job. Not only that, he distinguishes himself in a tough field. Tempos are broad, there is liberal rubato, but it all holds together, a broad, sonorous, gorgeous sound. And because the broad tempos never "fall apart," we are treated to quite a bit more Elgar (in terms of CD playtime)! RIP Sinopoli. If you like his Mahler, try his Elgar!