Elgar: Caractacus – Huddersfield Choral Society, Orchestra of Opera North, Martyn Brabbins (2 CDs) Hyperion

Elizabeth Llewellyn – Eigen
Elgan Llŷr Thomas – Orbin
Roland Wood – Caractacus
Christopher Purves – Arch-Druid, A Bard
Alastair Miles – Claudius

The centuries do indeed ‘roll away’ as the libretto addresses questions of empire—Roman and Victorian—and Britain’s place in the world. But that shouldn’t detract from the music; this is simply glorious and worthy of the mature Elgar.

BRITISH CAMP ON THE MALVERN HILLS—NIGHT
Caractacus Op 35[96’02]
CD1
1
Scene 1 No 1: Watchmen, alert! (Chorus) –[5’50]
2
Scene 1 No 2: Watchmen, alert! the King is here (Caractacus/Sentries) –[5’51]
Roland Wood (baritone)
3
Scene 1 No 3: Father! Sire and King (Eigen/Caractacus/Orbin/Sentries) –[2’32]
Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano), Roland Wood (baritone), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor)
4
Scene 1 No 4: At eve to the greenwood (Eigen) –[2’35]
Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano)
5
Scene 1 No 5: On the ocean and the river (Eigen/Orbin/Caractacus) –[2’45]
Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor), Roland Wood (baritone)
6
Scene 1 No 6: Rest, weary monarch (Spirits of the Hill)[2’56]
THE SACRED OAK GROVE BY THE TOMB OF THE KINGS
7
Scene 2 No 1: Tread the mystic circle round (Arch-Druid/Druids/Druid Maidens) –[4’27]
Christopher Purves (baritone)
8
Scene 2 No 2: Invocation: Lord of dread, and lord of pow’r (Chorus/Arch-Druid) –[2’24]
Christopher Purves (baritone)
9
Scene 2 No 3: Bard, what read ye? (Arch-Druid/Orbin/Caractacus/Druids/Druid Maidens) –[7’08]
Christopher Purves (baritone), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor), Roland Wood (baritone)
10
Scene 2 No 4: Leap, leap to light (Caractacus/Soldiers/Orbin/Arch-Druid) –[4’45]
Roland Wood (baritone), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor), Christopher Purves (baritone)
11
Scene 2 No 5: Hence, ere the Druid’s wrath is woke (Druids/Druid Maidens/Orbin/Soldiers)[3’22]
Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor)
THE FOREST NEAR THE SEVERN—MORNING
12
Scene 3 No 1: Introduction: The woodland interlude[1’50]
13
Scene 3 No 2: Come! beneath our woodland bow’rs (Youths/Maidens) –[1’08]
14
Scene 3 No 3: O’er-arch’d by leaves (Eigen/Orbin) –[3’32]
Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor)
15
Scene 3 No 4: Last night beneath the sacred Oak (Orbin) –[1’32]
Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor)
16
Scene 3 No 5: Come! beneath our woodland bow’rs – They gather the wreaths (Youths/Maidens/Orbin/Eigen)[5’18]
Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor), Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano)
THE MALVERN HILLS
CD2
17
Scene 4 No 1: Wild rumours shake our calm retreat (Maidens) –[2’24]
18
Scene 4 No 2: When the glow of the evening (Eigen/Maidens) –[2’11]
Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano)
19
Scene 4 No 3: We were gather’d by the river (Soldiers) –[2’09]
20
Scene 4 No 4: Lament: O my warriors (Caractacus/Chorus)[4’11]
Roland Wood (baritone)
THE SEVERN
21
Scene 5: Captive Britons, see them! (A Bard/Druid Maidens) –[3’51]
Christopher Purves (baritone)
ROME
22
Scene 6 No 1: Processional music: The march triumphal thunders (Chorus)[7’03]
23
Scene 6 No 2: Unbind his hands (Claudius) –[1’11]
Alastair Miles (bass)
24
Scene 6 No 3: Heap torment upon torment (Caractacus/Eigen/Orbin) –[4’45]
Roland Wood (baritone), Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor)
25
Scene 6 No 4: Slay, slay the Briton! (Roman Citizens/Claudius) –[0’35]
Alastair Miles (bass)
26
Scene 6 No 5: I plead not for myself (Caractacus/Orbin/Eigen/Roman Citizens/Claudius) –[2’32]
Roland Wood (baritone), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor), Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano), Alastair Miles (bass)
27
Scene 6 No 6: Grace from the Roman! (Eigen/Orbin/Caractacus/Claudius) –[2’25]
Elizabeth Llewellyn (soprano), Elgan Llŷr Thomas (tenor), Roland Wood (baritone), Alastair Miles (bass)
28
Scene 6 No 7: The clang of arms is over (Chorus)[4’50]