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Chandos

Nielsen: Aladdin Op. 34 / Rozhdestvensky, Ejsing, Päevatalu

$13.99

Details

Composer
NIELSEN, CARL AUGUST
Artist
Ejsing, Paevatalu, Rozhdestvensky, Danish National So And Chamber Choi
Format
CD
Label
Chandos
Released
Nov 18, 2008
Catalog #
CHAN 10498 X
UPC
095115149829

About



NIELSEN Aladdin • Gennady Rozhdestvensky, cond; Mette Ejsing (alt); Guido Paevatalu (bar); Danish Natl SO & CCh • CHANDOS 10498 (79:34)


“It took some time for Nielsen to enter in the spirit of the oriental world in order to be able to compose original, suggestive music and not only imitations of folkloristic motifs,” writes Sussie Grevsen, in the liner notes to this release. There may be something in that to explain why the entirety of Aladdin —all 31 pieces, lasting a generous 79:34—is moderately underwhelming. Nielsen appears to have focused much of his efforts on providing musical backdrops; and while 13 of these cuts understandably have a low profile so as not to detract from text being recited in performance (omitted here), they don’t make for memorable listening. As much can be written, as well, of the Genie’s three separate minute-long utterances; a men’s chorus intoning a written text in unison on one note over a few spare, uninteresting chords adds little to the work. The incidental music is at its best, I think, in much of act III, which functions as exotically colored ballet music. Not coincidentally, it also furnished five out of the seven pieces included in the orchestral suite of excerpts Nielsen created. Elsewhere, however, the work usually fails to sustain interest on its own, and the sense of mystery and fantasy that underlies J. P. E. Hartmann’s score on the same subject is largely lacking.


That noted, if you do want all of Aladdin , this disc is the only way to currently acquire it. Rozhdestvensky and the Danish Natl SO recorded this back in 1993, and it’s been available ever since. There’s excellent pacing, and plenty of color when it’s required—though I still find Friedel/Aarhus SO (MSR Classics 1150; suite only) superior in creating organized chaos during the “Marketplace in Ispahan” sequence. Mette Ejsing is suave and affecting in her few selections, as is Guido Paevatalu, whom I liked so well in the eponymous role of Børresen’s The Royal Guest (dacapo 8.226020).


The new release is labeled “digitally remastered,” but I really can’t find any audio differences between this re-release and my original copy. The sound in any case is good, while Chandos provides full texts and translations. The price is lower, too, so this is the one to get, if you want it all.


FANFARE: Barry Brenesal

Tracklist 31 tracks

  1. 1 Prologue 03:13
    Track
    1
    Title
    Prologue
    Duration
    03:13
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  2. 2 Act I: Flute solo 00:55
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I: Flute solo
    Duration
    00:55
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Performer
    Franz Lemsser
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  3. 3 Act I: Funeral procession 00:47
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I: Funeral procession
    Duration
    00:47
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  4. 4 Act I: Chorus of the mountain spirits 04:34
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act I: Chorus of the mountain spirits
    Duration
    04:34
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Performer
    Bo Anker Hansen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  5. 5 Act I: Adagio - Tempo di marcia - Allegro non troppo - Andantino - Andante espressivo 04:53
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act I: Adagio - Tempo di marcia - Allegro non troppo - Andantino - Andante espressivo
    Duration
    04:53
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  6. 6 Act II: A beautiful square in Isfahan 03:03
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II: A beautiful square in Isfahan
    Duration
    03:03
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  7. 7 Act II: Distant festival music 01:59
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act II: Distant festival music
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  8. 8 Act II: Genie of the Lamp 01:19
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act II: Genie of the Lamp
    Duration
    01:19
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  9. 9 Act II: Gulnare and Aladdin (Love scene) 02:15
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act II: Gulnare and Aladdin (Love scene)
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  10. 10 Act III: Genie of the Lamp 01:16
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act III: Genie of the Lamp
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  11. 11 Act III: Oriental festival march 03:15
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act III: Oriental festival march
    Duration
    03:15
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  12. 12 Act III: Andante 03:28
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act III: Andante
    Duration
    03:28
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  13. 13 Act III: March 01:22
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act III: March
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  14. 14 Act III: Chinese dance 03:39
    Track
    14
    Title
    Act III: Chinese dance
    Duration
    03:39
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  15. 15 Act III: Prisoner's dance 04:14
    Track
    15
    Title
    Act III: Prisoner's dance
    Duration
    04:14
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  16. 16 Act III: Hindu dance 02:46
    Track
    16
    Title
    Act III: Hindu dance
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  17. 17 Act III: Blackamoor's dance 05:07
    Track
    17
    Title
    Act III: Blackamoor's dance
    Duration
    05:07
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  18. 18 Act III: Dance and chorus 04:48
    Track
    18
    Title
    Act III: Dance and chorus
    Duration
    04:48
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  19. 19 Act IV: Gulnare's song 02:45
    Track
    19
    Title
    Act IV: Gulnare's song
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Performer
    Mette Ejsing
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  20. 20 Act IV: Poco adagio 01:08
    Track
    20
    Title
    Act IV: Poco adagio
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  21. 21 Act IV: Genie of the Lamp 00:58
    Track
    21
    Title
    Act IV: Genie of the Lamp
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Performer
    Guido Paevatalu
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  22. 22 Act IV: Aladdin's dream - Dance of the morning mists 02:58
    Track
    22
    Title
    Act IV: Aladdin's dream - Dance of the morning mists
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  23. 23 Act IV: Andantino maestoso 00:54
    Track
    23
    Title
    Act IV: Andantino maestoso
    Duration
    00:54
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  24. 24 Act IV: Aladdin visiting his mother's grave,"Aladdin's lullaby" 02:32
    Track
    24
    Title
    Act IV: Aladdin visiting his mother's grave,"Aladdin's lullaby"
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Performer
    Guido Paevatalu
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  25. 25 Act IV: Andante maestoso 01:18
    Track
    25
    Title
    Act IV: Andante maestoso
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  26. 26 Act V: Andante 02:06
    Track
    26
    Title
    Act V: Andante
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  27. 27 Act V: Andante con moto 01:02
    Track
    27
    Title
    Act V: Andante con moto
    Duration
    01:02
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  28. 28 Act V: Fatime's evening song 02:55
    Track
    28
    Title
    Act V: Fatime's evening song
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  29. 29 Act V: The Messenger and the Ghost 01:47
    Track
    29
    Title
    Act V: The Messenger and the Ghost
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Performer
    Guido Paevatalu
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  30. 30 Act V: The struggle between Hindbad and Aladdin 04:12
    Track
    30
    Title
    Act V: The struggle between Hindbad and Aladdin
    Duration
    04:12
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky
  31. 31 Act V: Eulogy (All the good genies) 01:41
    Track
    31
    Title
    Act V: Eulogy (All the good genies)
    Duration
    01:41
    Composer
    Carl Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Gennady Rozhdestvensky