Sir Edward Elgar Enigma Variations: Nimrod

[elleng]

https://weta.org/player

now

[LastDemocratInSC]

1. Here's another performance of Nimrod by the St Olaf College orchestra

during their 2021 Christmas Festival concert. It's the first selection in the concert. The orchestra is all students but they have the sound and polish of professional musicians - probably due to the director and conductor, Steven Amundsen, who led the group for several decades. This is his final performance before retiring.

Also, please watch and listen to the second selection: "In a Deep, Unbounded Darkness", a 13th century plainsong, performed by the combined festival choirs. The harmonies and rhythms are wonderful, and in the final minute they are presented in a staggered arrangement that weaves around and converges beautifully at the end.

Both of these selections always give me goosebumps and occasionally evoke tears of joy.

[elleng]

2. Lovely!

Thank you

[tanyev]

3. Thanks for that!

My PBS station used to show the St. Olaf Christmas concert every year and I always loved it. Such beautiful music and marvelous musicianship. But it hasn’t been on the last few years and I don’t know why. They still show Christmas at Belmont every year. The Belmont students have talent, but the song selection is not nearly as good and the presentation always feels forced, too over the top.