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Artist: BBC National Orchestra of Wales-Andrew Constantine
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BBC National Orchestra of Wales-Andrew Constantine:

Elgar, Chadwick

Many of you might be coming to Elgar's great masterpiece Falstaff for the very first time – I truly hope so! It has, undeniably, had a harder time working its way into the consciousness of the ‘Elgar-lover' than most of his other great works. Often I've felt that this is a question that the cognoscenti simply don't want to wrestle with; ‘how could it possibly be a challenge to comprehend?' Well, perhaps it's simply down to the fact that there is a dramatic and wordless narrative that is, initially, difficult to grasp. As Elgar himself identified the four main sections of the work in his note on Falstaff, and also the sections of the Shakespearean drama that they represent, it seemed a logical extension to me to contextualize the music by adding passages of dialogue from the great bard's, and Elgar's, inspiration,Henry IV Part 1 and Part 2. With the wonderful contributions of Timothy West and Samuel West, I feel rather vindicated in this view, and I very much hope that its inclusion enhances your enjoyment of this musical masterpiece.