The Elgar Birthplace Museum and Visitor Centre

Wand of Youth No. 1:
1. Overture
2. Serenade
3. Minuet
4. Sun Dance
5. Fairy Pipers
6. Slumber Scene
7. Fairies and Giants
Wand of Youth No. 2:
1. March
2. Little Bells
3. Moths and Butterflies
4. Fountain Dance
5. Tame Bear
6. Wild Bears
Nursery Suite:
1. Aubade
2. Serious Doll
3. Busy-ness
4. Sad Doll
5. Wagon Passes
6. Merry Doll
7. Dreaming Envoy
Bryden Thomson (Conductor), Ulster Orchestra
Dream Children
1. Andante
2. Allegro
Norman Del Mar (conductor), Bournemouth Sinfonietta)

These works show the lighter side of Elgar taken one stage further. Inspired by his own childhood, they are in turn moody exuberant, sad and playful.
Bryden Thomson's conducting of Elgar's "children's music" fits the bill perfectly. He gets an intimate, chamber-orchestral effect in the gently nostalgic pieces, yet produces admirable vividness and detail when the music becomes more extrovert. 'The Wagon passes', for instance, is especially memorable and there are many touches of detail elsewhere which show the conductor's thoughtfulness and affection.

Throughout, the Ulster Orchestra plays very beautifully. Elgar's music is here presented in a brilliant recording, extremely wide ranging with remarkable detail.

Chandos 10422X