In the mid ‘70s, a BBC TV series called A Place in the Country (a world away from the current naff television series of that name) focussed each week on a stately home (or historic “hice”, as Nancy Mitford would have called it) where decrepit grandees with titles like Lord Rupert and Lady Henrietta languidly reminisced about growing up: “If we misbehaved, Nanny would give us bread and butter for tea, without jam…” The theme music was among the most stirring I’d ever heard and it took me years to discover that it was Elgar’s Concert Overture In the South (Alassio), a work inspired by a holiday on the Italian Riviera, which just goes to show that great music can be used effectively in disparate contexts!

The Mediterranean seemed to liberate Elgar, as his music was never more opulent, warm and exultant, although the Roman legions certainly cut a menacing swathe. The central canto populare with a viola solo (later published as a song entitled In Moonlight) is beautifully handled.

My own favourite recording is by Constantin Silvestri (of all people) with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, closely followed by...