Sir Malcolm Sargent: Conductor Essential Recordings

Essential Recordings

Elgar: Dream of Gerontius; Cello Concerto
Testament SBT2025 (two discs; mono)
The 1945 set of Dream of Gerontius remastered, with the Huddersfield Choral Society, etc, is coupled with Paul Tortelier's first recording of the Concerto (BBC SO).

Handel: Messiah
EMI 5757762 (two discs)
This is the third of the Sargent versions with the Huddersfield Choral Society and RLPO: the first (1946) sold over 120,000 sets. It's now reissued by Warner in the 18CD set listed here.

Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Decca 433 6122 (44.1kHz/16-bit download)
Often used in HFN reviews as a test disc, this is Sargent with the LSO, Sir Ralph Richardson narrating. The coupling is Lieutenant Kijé.

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos 1 and 5
Guild GHCD2414
A projected mid '50s cycle with the BBC SO was scrapped at barely the half-way mark. Guild has several notable Sargent low-priced reissues remastered from the EMI tapes.

Malcolm Sargent – The Great Recordings
Warner 2564634121 (18 discs; part mono)
Predominantly British music, with key works in his repertory: Enigma Variations, The Planets, The Perfect Fool, Young Person's Guide, Tallis Fantasia, etc. But also the Eroica, Schubert's Unfinished, Rossini overtures… Great value.

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