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Sibelius: Swanwhite - Complete Incidental Music / Segerstam
Naxos

Sibelius: Swanwhite - Complete Incidental Music / Segerstam

$19.99

Details

Composer
SIBELIUS, JEAN
Artist
Eklundh, Segerstam
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Oct 09, 2015
Catalog #
8573341
UPC
747313334179

About

No, it’s not the title of new horror flick. Swanwhite and The Lizard remain two of Sibelius least known incidental scores, here played in their complete original versions. As is often the case with these works, the suite that Sibelius made from his Swanwhite music is far more satisfying then the original score. The augmented orchestration for the suite, especially the important part for harp, adds tremendously to the music’s appeal, especially in a piece where that instrument gets mentioned all over the place but had to be left out of the theatrical version for reasons of economy (the original used only thirteen instruments, but the strings are intelligently padded even here). Still, there are plenty of extended bits as initially conceived and the music itself is really, really lovely.

Sibelius never made a suite out of The Lizard, and for good reason. It would have been nearly impossible. The score consists of two movements: a three-minute Adagio followed by a twenty-two minute Grave, both scored for strings. There’s very little actual music here: it’s all atmosphere and repetition of brief melodic patterns. It is, in short, background music, probably perfect for its intended use, and pretty good at home too if you need something moody that never forces you to pay attention. And as always with Sibelius’ string writing, Segerstam’s performance is gorgeous. It’s not often recalled that Segerstam was himself a violinist of considerable ability in his youth, and he pays a great deal of attention to the orchestral string sections in all of his recordings, to excellent effect.

A Lonely Ski Trail and The Countess’ Portrait are both poetic recitations for narrator and strings. I truly loathe spoken text over music, but Riho Eklundh has a very pleasant, mellow voice, and I find Swedish fun to listen to because it sounds like it ought to be in English but, obviously, it isn’t and you’re left wondering why what you are hearing makes no sense. For example, the opening line of A Lonely Ski Trail, “Ett ensamt skidspar” (with a little circle thing over the “a” in “skidspar”), sounds just like someone saying in English “And in some cheap sport.” It’s fun. So is this beautifully played and recorded ongoing series more generally.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Leif Segerstam directs all this material with unhurried authority, abundant perception and heaps of character. Likewise, his willing Turku colleagues are with him every step of the way. Admirable production values and useful notes, too. A job well done.

- Gramophone Magazine

Tracklist 18 tracks

  1. 1 Act I: Largo: En hornsignal i fjarran 00:18
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act I: Largo: En hornsignal i fjarran
    Duration
    00:18
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  2. 2 Act I: Comodo: Tyst duvan, min prins kommer 02:51
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I: Comodo: Tyst duvan, min prins kommer
    Duration
    02:51
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  3. 3 Act I: Adagio: En svan flyger forbi 00:19
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I: Adagio: En svan flyger forbi
    Duration
    00:19
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  4. 4 Act II: Lento assai: Nar modern har stally harpan pa bordet 03:36
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act II: Lento assai: Nar modern har stally harpan pa bordet
    Duration
    03:36
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  5. 5 Act II: Adagio: Da drager en vit svan forbi 00:20
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act II: Adagio: Da drager en vit svan forbi
    Duration
    00:20
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  6. 6 Act II: Lento - Comodo - Lento - Allegro: Svanevitsmoder: Och vi rakas pa gronskande ang 05:50
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II: Lento - Comodo - Lento - Allegro: Svanevitsmoder: Och vi rakas pa gronskande ang
    Duration
    05:50
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  7. 7 Act II: Andantino: Harpan tystnar ett ogonblick och tar sa upp en ny melodi 02:19
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act II: Andantino: Harpan tystnar ett ogonblick och tar sa upp en ny melodi
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  8. 8 Act II: Andante: Prinsen ensam 02:47
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act II: Andante: Prinsen ensam
    Duration
    02:47
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  9. 9 Act II: Lento: Styvmodern: Har min konst svikit mig, eller hur 02:26
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act II: Lento: Styvmodern: Har min konst svikit mig, eller hur
    Duration
    02:26
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  10. 10 Act II: Moderato: Nar prinsen lagger sig i sangen 02:53
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act II: Moderato: Nar prinsen lagger sig i sangen
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  11. 11 Act III: Allegretto: Nar konungen gar 01:09
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act III: Allegretto: Nar konungen gar
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  12. 12 Act III: Largamente: Prinsen (Konungen): Eld pa borgen 01:34
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act III: Largamente: Prinsen (Konungen): Eld pa borgen
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  13. 13 Act III: Adagio: Svanevit: Ma de komma fort ty de maste komma 01:37
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act III: Adagio: Svanevit: Ma de komma fort ty de maste komma
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  14. 14 Act III: Largamente molto: Svanevit - Prinsessan: Jag tror, jag vill, jag ber 01:30
    Track
    14
    Title
    Act III: Largamente molto: Svanevit - Prinsessan: Jag tror, jag vill, jag ber
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  15. 15 Scene 1: Adagio 03:43
    Track
    15
    Title
    Scene 1: Adagio
    Duration
    03:43
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  16. 16 Scene 2: Grave 22:07
    Track
    16
    Title
    Scene 2: Grave
    Duration
    22:07
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  17. 17 Ett ensamt skidspar (The Lonely Ski Trail), JS 77b 03:45
    Track
    17
    Title
    Ett ensamt skidspar (The Lonely Ski Trail), JS 77b
    Duration
    03:45
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Performer
    Riho Eklundh
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam
  18. 18 Grevinnans konterfej (The Countess's Portrait), JS 88 (version with narration) 04:29
    Track
    18
    Title
    Grevinnans konterfej (The Countess's Portrait), JS 88 (version with narration)
    Duration
    04:29
    Composer
    Jean Sibelius
    Performer
    Riho Eklundh
    Ensemble
    Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
    Conductor
    Leif Segerstam