Unlike World War II, where only Shostakovich among major composers made music that really reflected the impact of events, World War I produced strong creative reactions from composers, especially in Britain. This was true even of veteran composer Edward Elgar, whose name usually isn't mentioned in this collection. The works on the album from the small British label Somm don't include any lost masterpieces, and they do not consistently involve the war. The whole program is a mixed bag, with one work, Sursum Corda, Op. 11, ...
Read More
Unlike World War II, where only Shostakovich among major composers made music that really reflected the impact of events, World War I produced strong creative reactions from composers, especially in Britain. This was true even of veteran composer Edward Elgar, whose name usually isn't mentioned in this collection. The works on the album from the small British label Somm don't include any lost masterpieces, and they do not consistently involve the war. The whole program is a mixed bag, with one work, Sursum Corda, Op. 11, apparently connected with the theme only in its solemn atmosphere (it was composed in 1887). The short, light ballet The Sanguine Fan, Op. 81, and the short orchestral piece Rosemary were composed during the war; the latter refers to a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, remember." The most interesting pieces are those that refer more closely to the war. The three works featuring British actor Simon Callow are in a rather old-fashioned...
Read Less
