Three composers in particular have been successful with the conductor Daniel Barenboim: Bruckner, Wagner and Sir Edward Elgar; a matter of orchestral colour and texture no doubt. Since his collaboration with Universal's labels has resumed (Decca for orchestral projects, Deutsche Grammophon for piano), he is once again exploring the English composer's orchestra with his beloved Staatskapelle Berlin, an ensemble characterised by dark textures. After beautiful versions of the two symphonies, and even The Dream of Gerontius, it’s a joy to now immerse ourselves in Sea Pictures, one of the most poetic melody cycles of the late 19th century: the broad spectrum of the Latvian mezzo-soprano's voice Elīna Garanča, like her silky timbre, wonderfully carries the lyrical yet tragic lines of Where Corals Lie (the most beautiful “song” of the cycle), like the more theatrical character of The Swimmer, which takes on its true dramatic tone here. Unlike many other recordings since the legendary 1965 recording by Dame Janet Baker and Sir John Barbirolli with the London Symphony Orchestra (His Master's Voice), Elīna Garanča and Daniel Barenboim willingly shed the melancholy and contemplative tone of Sea Pictures and create a more dramatically energetic atmosphere, more in the spirit of the romantic "scenes" of the early 19th century (Berlioz), with an "Introduction" (Sea Slumber Song), "Aria I" (In Haven), an alternating form of recitatives and ariosos (Sabbath Morning at Sea), "Aria II" (Where Corals Lie) and "Conclusion" (The Swimmer), despite very measured tempo contrasts. The drawn-out phrasings by Barenboim at the opening of the last "song" can testify to this new approach, differing in this respect from the old engraving with Yvonne Minton (CBS). Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin continue with the symphonic study Falstaff, composed in 1912, where Elgar underlined its links with the world of Richard Strauss (Don Quixote, Ein Heldenleben). The Staatskapelle Berlin is often tinged with mischief, with a completely different predominance of strings here. And Daniel Barenboim's momentum is still fully intact (Falstaff's March). A truly wonderful version. © Pierre-Yves Lascar/Qobuz