The third installment of the "Elgar from the Archives" series features two historic recordings conducted by Sir Adrian Boult: the oratorio "The Kingdom", Op. 51 and the popular "Variations on an Original Theme 'Enigma'", Op. 36. These variations provide an interesting comparison to the two acoustic versions from the highly acclaimed Vol. 1 of this series, one of which was conducted by the composer in 1920 and the other by Sir Henry Wood in 1924. These recordings, available commercially for the first time, have been remastered by sound engineer Lani Spahr, whose work on "Elgar from the Archives" Vol. 1 has once again been highly praised by the press. Inspired by the remark of one of his school teachers that the apostles were poor young men, perhaps 'no wiser than some of you here', Elgar had the idea for a work that portrays the apostles as ordinary men reacting to extraordinary events. He had an oratorio trilogy in mind, consisting of "The Apostles", Op. 49, "The Kingdom" and an unrealized work, "The Last Judgement". He made the first sketches for "The Kingdom" as early as 1882, when he was still working as organist at St. George's Catholic Church in Worcester. After an orchestral prelude, which introduces the main musical themes and sets the mood of the work, the oratorio consists of five parts: I. In the Upper Room, II. At the Beautiful Gate, III. Pentecost, IV. The Sign of Healing and V. The Upper Room. "The Kingdom" is written for four soloists, choir and large orchestra - in this recording with Heather Harper, soprano (The Blessed Virgin), Helen Watts, alto (Mary Magdalene), William Herbert, tenor (St. John), and Gordon Clinton, baritone (St. Peter), with the Croydon Philharmonic Society and the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.