Falla: El Amor Brujo (1915 Version) / Gil-Ordonez, Perspectives Ensemble

$13.99
Label
Naxos
Release Date
May 10, 2019
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      FALLA, MANUEL DE
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Perspectives Ensemble
    • PERFORMER
      Fernandez, Garza, Zetlan, Garcia, Gil-Ordonez
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      May 10, 2019
    • UPC
      747313389070
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      8573890
    • LABEL
      Naxos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Classical
    Works ⌄

    1. Act I: Introducción y escena (Introduction and First Scene)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    2. Act I: Canción del amor dolido (Song of a Broken Heart)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    3. Act I: Sortilegio (The Spell)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    4. Act I: Danza del fin del día: Danza ritual del fuego (Dance of Day's End: Ritual Fire Dance)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    5. Act I: Escena: El amor vulgar (Scene: Common Love)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    6. Act I: Romance del pescador (The Story of the Fisherman)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    7. Act I: Intermedio (Interval)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    8. Act II: Introducción: El fuego fatuo (Introduction: The Will-o'-the-Wisp)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    9. Act II: Escena: El terror (Scene: The Terror)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    10. Act II: Danza del fuego fatuo: Danza del terror (Dance of the Will-o'-the-Wisp: Dance of Terror)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    11. Act II: Interludio: Alucinaciones (Interlude: Hallucinations)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    12. Act II: Canción del fuego fatuo (Song of the Will-o'-the-Wisp)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    13. Act II: Conjuro para reconquistar el amor perdido (Spell to Reconquer Lost Love)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    14. Act II: Escena: El amor popular (Scene: Ordinary Love)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    15. Act II: Danza y canción de la bruja fingida: Danza y canción del juego de amor (Dance and Song of the False Witch: Dance and Song of the Game of Love)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    16. Act II: Final: Las campanas de amanecer (Finale: The Bells of Morning)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Esperanza Fernández

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    17. El pregón (The Proclamation) (Master Peter)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jorge Garza

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    18. La sinfonía de Maese Pedro (Master Peter's Symphony) (Master Peter, The Boy)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jorge Garza, Jennifer Zetlan

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    19. Scene 1: La Corte de Carlo Magno (The Court of Charlemagne) (The Boy)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jennifer Zetlan

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    20. Scene 1: Entrada de Carlo Magno (Entry of Charlemagne) (The Boy)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jennifer Zetlan

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    21. Scene 2: Melisendra (The Boy, Don Quixote, Master Peter)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jennifer Zetlan, Alfredo García, Jorge Garza

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    22. Scene 3: El suplicio del moro (The Moor's Reward) (The Boy)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jennifer Zetlan

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    23. Scene 4: Los Pirineos (The Pyrenees) (The Boy)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jennifer Zetlan

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    24. Scene 5: La fuga (The Escape) (The Boy, Master Peter, Don Quixote)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jennifer Zetlan, Jorge Garza, Alfredo García

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    25. Scene 6: La persecución (The Pursuit) (The Boy, Don Quixote)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Jennifer Zetlan, Alfredo García

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

    26. Final (Finale) (Don Quixote, Master Peter)

      Composer: Manuel de Falla

      Ensemble: Perspectives Ensemble

      Performer: Alfredo García, Jorge Garza

      Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez


There have been a couple of recordings of El amor brujo in its original, two-act chamber version of 1915, but this one is as fine as any and just might be the best around. Conductor Angel Gil-Ordóñez chooses ideal tempos, the members of the Perspectives Ensemble play beautifully, and everyone seems genuinely involved in projecting Falla’s characterful instrumental parts with just the right combination of precision and warmth. Cantaora (singer) Esperanza Fernández sings with fervor and her voice, while raw and “popular,” at least remains in tune. She lacks the artistry and sensitivity of more professionally trained singers such as the incomparable Nati Mistrál on Decca, but in these surroundings it hardly matters.

The original version really is a different work: longer, with a slightly different plot that need not concern us, and despite using much of the same music often quite different in sound and texture. You can compare the two in the sound clips below. The revised version for full orchestra sounds more mysterious, more “impressionistic” if you will, while the original is leaner in outline but also definitely more rhythmically persistent and sinister. The only disadvantage to the original, in my opinion, is the generous amount of spoken dialog, which must be irritating even to native speakers when the music is so beautiful. You wish Fernández would offer less talk and more music.

Speaking of talk, Master Peter’s Puppet Show has a plot straight from Cervantes’ Don Quixote, and consists of wonderful musical bits connected by long stretches of recitative narration. The scoring is extremely imaginative, with the chamber ensemble featuring a harpsichord (played by Wanda Landowska at the premiere), and colorful parts for brass and percussion. What singing there is comes off quite well, with Jennifer Zetlan doing her best with the ungrateful part of the narrator. The plot, in case you don’t already know the original, is simplicity itself. At a roadside inn Master Peter puts on a puppet show set in the time of Charlemagne about the rescue of a damsel in distress. Don Quixote becomes thoroughly confused and takes the whole thing rather too seriously. Chaos ensues. That’s it.

Once again the performance is excellent from all concerned, and both pieces are very well recorded. Provided you have time to sit down and follow both not-terribly-long works booklet in hand, in this case thoughtfully containing texts and English translations, this release earns an easy and well-deserved recommendation.

– ClassicsToday.com (David Hurwitz)