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

$13.99
Label
Chandos
Release Date
November 18, 2008
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      NIELSEN, CARL AUGUST
    • PERFORMER
      Ejsing, Paevatalu, Rozhdestvensky, Danish National So And Chamber Choi
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      November 18, 2008
    • UPC
      095115149829
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      CHAN 10498 X
    • LABEL
      Chandos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Orchestral & Symphonic
    Works ⌄

    1. Prologue

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    2. Act I: Flute solo

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Franz Lemsser

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    3. Act I: Funeral procession

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    4. Act I: Chorus of the mountain spirits

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Bo Anker Hansen

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    5. Act I: Adagio - Tempo di marcia - Allegro non troppo - Andantino - Andante espressivo

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    6. Act II: A beautiful square in Isfahan

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    7. Act II: Distant festival music

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    8. Act II: Genie of the Lamp

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    9. Act II: Gulnare and Aladdin (Love scene)

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    10. Act III: Genie of the Lamp

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    11. Act III: Oriental festival march

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    12. Act III: Andante

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    13. Act III: March

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    14. Act III: Chinese dance

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    15. Act III: Prisoner's dance

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    16. Act III: Hindu dance

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    17. Act III: Blackamoor's dance

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    18. Act III: Dance and chorus

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    19. Act IV: Gulnare's song

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Mette Ejsing

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    20. Act IV: Poco adagio

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    21. Act IV: Genie of the Lamp

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Guido Paevatalu

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    22. Act IV: Aladdin's dream - Dance of the morning mists

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    23. Act IV: Andantino maestoso

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    24. Act IV: Aladdin visiting his mother's grave,"Aladdin's lullaby"

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Guido Paevatalu

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    25. Act IV: Andante maestoso

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    26. Act V: Andante

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    27. Act V: Andante con moto

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    28. Act V: Fatime's evening song

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    29. Act V: The Messenger and the Ghost

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Guido Paevatalu

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    30. Act V: The struggle between Hindbad and Aladdin

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

    31. Act V: Eulogy (All the good genies)

      Composer: Carl Nielsen

      Ensemble: Danish National Chamber Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra

      Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky




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