Talk:Romance for bassoon (Elgar)

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Transcription for Cello?[edit]

I would like to challenge the statement that there was an arrangement of Elgar's Op 62 Romance for cello and orchestra by the composer (and done as early as stated). I'm sorry I do not have the CD mentioned to check up on the liner notes. Who says the arrangement is by the composer? More on this please, it's interesting. The idea of it being done for Beatrice Harrison comes to mind, but this is imagination, I do not want to cast assumptions.

The article could also be improved by some re-ordering of the material and adding references to authorities such as Jerrold Northrop Moore and Michael Kennedy, but I hesitate to attempt this myself until the question of the cello arrangement is sorted. P0mbal (talk) 11:23, 17 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The transcription is Elgar's own: "At the same time [i.e. 1910] he made an arrangement of the work for cello; remarkably this remained unheard until April 1985." (Note to EMI CD CDM 7 64726 2 by JLW.) Tim riley (talk) 17:04, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Further to the above, Michael Kennedy (note to EMI CD CDM 5 65593 2) confirms that the cello version is Elgar's own: "James gave the first performance, with Elgar conducting, in Hereford in February 1911. The work (along with the composer's transcription for cello) then seemed to lapse into obscurity..." Tim riley (talk) 17:17, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Notes about this work[edit]

Matthew Dodd has some programme notes about the work, which include ... "It is dedicated ‘To Mr. Edwin F. James’, who gave its first performance in Hereford in 1911, conducted by Dr. George Sinclair ... Edwin James (1861 - 1921) was the Chairman, Principal Bassoonist and a founder member (in 1904) of the London Symphony Orchestra; he and his younger brother, Wilfred - father of another highly regarded bassoonist, Cecil James - were the two leading players of the Elgarian era. All three of these players played the French ‘Buffet’ instrument, which was played almost universally at that time outside German-speaking countries. Elgar would have had their playing in mind when composing his orchestral bassoon parts, in which, as in this Romance, his fondness for the instrument and understanding of its individual voice is evident." So it was G.R.S. not the composer who conducted. P0mbal (talk) 17:06, 18 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

According to Michael Kennedy, Elgar conducted the Hereford premiere. (Michael Kennedy, notes to EMI CD CDM 5 65593 2) Tim riley (talk) 17:12, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Romance titles[edit]

There is also Elgar's "Romance for Violin, Op 1", so therefore it would make sense to revert the title to "Romance for bassoon and orchestra", when there is the possibility of another article on "Romance for Violin (Elgar)", and bearing in mind the existence of the two Beethoven Romances for Violin and Orchestra. P0mbal (talk) 23:25, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]