Elegy

"Some of the more successful performances are of rather uninspiring music. Andre Previn's Vocalise ... seems to have little to offer, while Bo Holten's own Nordisk Suite and Römische Elegie 1, are more musically rewarding and well suited to the choir. But the only work which really comes across effectively for me is the Jardin des Olives by Vic Nees. It is well sung with relatively discernible French words and a pleasing baritone soloist in the person of Philippe Souvagie. It is the only (so far as I can see) commercial recording of the work, but even so, I do not think it worth sitting through all the rest of this musical gloom and despondency just for this one piece".

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"The word 'Elegy' means 'a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead'. In classical literature it was simply a poem written in 'elegiac couplets' often covering a wide range of topics, including love, death, war and commemorative verses. I found it difficult to divine which definition of the word applied to this CD. I think a combination of both is the answer. Finally, the inclusion of meaningless interludes for cello solo, here and there, during the programme seems totally pointless and a gimmick. Remove them, and this becomes a varied, imaginative, and interesting programme".

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