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Ullmann: Der Kaiser von Atlantis / Agudin, Orchestre Musique des Lumieres
IBS Classical

Ullmann: Der Kaiser von Atlantis / Agudin, Orchestre Musique des Lumieres

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Details

Composer
ULLMANN, VIKTOR
Artist
Musique Des Lumieres, Agudin
Format
CD
Label
IBS Classical
Released
Sep 14, 2018
Catalog #
IBS32018
UPC
8436556423024

About

Viktor Ullmann arrived in Theresienstadt on 8 September 1942. He was 44 years old, a Jew and a former officer of the Austrian army. Being an accomplished composer, well known for his organizational skills, he was immediately solicited by the Freizeitgestaltung to organize concerts and conferences, to write musical reviews (he authored 26 such texts), and to compose. In fact, during the two years before his transport to Auschwitz, he wrote several instrumental and vocal works, including song cycles for baritone and piano, one sonata for violin and piano, his third string quartet, three piano sonatas (numbers 5, 6 and 7) as well as an opera in one act on a libretto by the young poet Peter Kien Der Kaiser von Atlantis oder die Tod-Verweigerung (The Emperor of Atlantis, or the Disobedience of Death). Ever since his arrival in the ghetto, Ullmann seems aware of the precariousness of his future, as is shown in the quite openly ironic remark on the manuscript of his piano sonata nº 7, dated 22 August 1944: “The performance rights are reserved by the composer until his death”, so, not for long.

REVIEW:

In the three or four generations since composer Viktor Ullmann wrote his opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis with librettist Peter Kien, in the Nazi ghetto-prison Terezín (Theresienstadt) in 1943/44, humanity hasn’t progressed very far. To anyone in today’s world who even pays the slightest attention, this work’s themes and characters–for instance, its “Kaiser” is a demented, tyrannical dictator who launches a massive, unprovoked war–will be all too familiar, and real.

Death and Harlequin are sitting together reminiscing, Harlequin lamenting how life is no fun anymore; Death decrying the loss of the glorious nature of dying as in the old days. Neither finds satisfaction or meaning in a world that has lost its ability to laugh or to properly die. But then Emperor Overall announces that “we have decided in our infallible, all-penetrating wisdom, to declare…the great, beneficent War of all against all.” Every person, whether child, woman, or man (“whether crooked or straight”) will take up arms, everyone against everyone. And, Overall declares, it will all be led by “our old associate, Death.” However, upon hearing this, Death takes offense at the presumption, breaks his sword, and refuses to cooperate. Death goes “on strike”. (The subtitle of the opera is “oder Die Tod-Verweigerung”, or the Disobedience of Death.)

What follows–including the confrontation between two seeming enemies who choose love rather than fighting–concerns the (ultimately chaotic) consequences of a world without death, and, importantly, of removing the instrument of death from a ruler’s arsenal. If death is no longer at his service, then the Emperor no longer has his power. Ultimately Death returns to his work, restores his necessary function, taking Overall with him.

Ullmann’s music is a fascinating assortment of styles, owing to influences of Schoenberg (with whom he studied) and to several of the more popular forms of the period (Weill’s “cabaret” music is often mentioned), whose juxtapositions–and the fact that it’s all very “singable”–sustain musical interest while ensuring no loss of dramatic momentum. Here are elements of the colorful, somewhat experimental, developing world of music theatre in “between-the-wars” Central Europe, mixing the tonal and atonal, the humorous and the grotesque, irony and the plainly serious, while, in Ullmann’s hands, always mindful of a necessity for structural formality.

Instrumentation–undoubtedly determined by what was available in the camp–is a colorful mix, a 13-piece chamber orchestra that includes strings and winds, but also harmonium, saxophone, banjo, and harpsichord. Throughout there are quotations, both in the libretto and music, from other works that would have carried particular meaning for the audience. Among them: the very first notes of the opera are the Angel of Death motif from Czech composer Josef Suk’s “Asrael” Symphony; there is an effectively distorted rendition of Haydn’s “Kaiser Lied” (which had become the German national anthem); and at the end of the opera comes the famous chorale tune “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott”.

Because of the circumstances of the work’s creation and its ultimate fate–it was never performed in Terezín; its premiere wasn’t until 1975–there is no definitive version. Ullmann and most of the other artists involved in the production were deported to Auschwitz in October, 1944, and before he left, the composer gave his manuscripts to Terezín’s librarian for what he hoped would be safekeeping until after the war. Ullmann was killed on arrival at Auschwitz. The scores survived but were only discovered years later in London. [Note: for a detailed account of the musical lives and activities in the Terezín concentration camp, including those of Viktor Ullmann and many other musicians, please see Joza Karas’ seminal work on the subject, Music In Terezín 1941-1945 (Pendragon Press).]

The existing score was much annotated, marked up with changes made during rehearsals. In some instances Ullmann himself provided alternate choices or leaves uncertain notations that are equally likely options. However, careful study has been undertaken and serious efforts made to discern Ullmann’s intent as closely and clearly as possible and to produce a score based on these findings and educated assumptions. This is the version we get here, and it’s excellent, from the singing to the instrumental work. And don’t forget the first rate notes and the inclusion of the complete libretto in four languages.

The music itself is more than worthy of serious attention; this is a sophisticated, consistently engaging dramatic work that impresses, in the words of annotator Bruno Giner, “not because it was composed in Theresienstadt, not as an emblematic parable of totalitarianism…but indeed because it is an accomplished and artistically successful work.” There are no stand-alone arias in the traditional sense, nor grand, show-stopping moments; it doesn’t require singers of extraordinary technical capabilities (not that the ones here aren’t capable of such!). It’s just a hair-raising story, ingeniously characterized, plotted, and scored; one that makes its points very effectively, one you will remember. The singers and instrumental players assembled for this recording are all first-rate–the singers’ voices exactly right for these roles; the chamber orchestra in command of the style and always supportive and assertive where required.

And, speaking of singers–and the “all too familiar”: In the notes you will read that this recording, which was made in March, 2015, is dedicated “to the memory of our comrade Wassyl Slipak, whose voice never left us.” A baritone at the Paris Opera, Slipak, who here sings the role of Death with impressive vocalism and commanding presence, left his position there in 2015 to join the fight against Russian separatists in his native Ukraine. He was killed by a sniper in June, 2016. And so it goes.

-- ClassicsToday.com (David Vernier)

Tracklist 26 tracks

  1. 1 Hallo, hallo (Loudspeaker) 01:52
    Track
    1
    Title
    Hallo, hallo (Loudspeaker)
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  2. 2 Präludium 01:11
    Track
    2
    Title
    Präludium
    Duration
    01:11
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  3. 3 Der Mond geht auf den Firsten 01:57
    Track
    3
    Title
    Der Mond geht auf den Firsten
    Duration
    01:57
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  4. 4 Laß sein! Was singst du da 00:42
    Track
    4
    Title
    Laß sein! Was singst du da
    Duration
    00:42
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  5. 5 Tage, Tage (Death, Harlequin) 00:59
    Track
    5
    Title
    Tage, Tage (Death, Harlequin)
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Sébastien Obrecht, Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  6. 6 Ich fühle mich wenig wohl in meiner Haut (Death, Harlequin) 00:54
    Track
    6
    Title
    Ich fühle mich wenig wohl in meiner Haut (Death, Harlequin)
    Duration
    00:54
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Sébastien Obrecht, Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  7. 7 Und was ist das? (Harlequin) 00:50
    Track
    7
    Title
    Und was ist das? (Harlequin)
    Duration
    00:50
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  8. 8 Es lächert mich, wenn ich dir zuhöre (Death) 00:37
    Track
    8
    Title
    Es lächert mich, wenn ich dir zuhöre (Death)
    Duration
    00:37
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  9. 9 Das waren Kriege 01:47
    Track
    9
    Title
    Das waren Kriege
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  10. 10 Hallo, hallo! Achtung! Achtung! 04:00
    Track
    10
    Title
    Hallo, hallo! Achtung! Achtung!
    Duration
    04:00
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Anna Wall
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  11. 11 Hörst du wie sie mich höhnen? (Death, Harlequin) 01:15
    Track
    11
    Title
    Hörst du wie sie mich höhnen? (Death, Harlequin)
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Wassyl Slipak, Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  12. 12 Intermezzo: Totentanz 02:00
    Track
    12
    Title
    Intermezzo: Totentanz
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  13. 13 Wie spät ist es (Overall, Loudspeaker) 04:30
    Track
    13
    Title
    Wie spät ist es (Overall, Loudspeaker)
    Duration
    04:30
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Pierre-Yves Pruvot, Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  14. 14 Wir, Overall, der Einzige (Overall) 01:05
    Track
    14
    Title
    Wir, Overall, der Einzige (Overall)
    Duration
    01:05
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Pierre-Yves Pruvot
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  15. 15 Wer da? Halt! Steh! (Bubikopf, Soldier, Drummer) 02:27
    Track
    15
    Title
    Wer da? Halt! Steh! (Bubikopf, Soldier, Drummer)
    Duration
    02:27
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Pierre-Yves Pruvot, Anna Wall, Natalie Pérez, Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  16. 16 Ist's wahr, daß es Landschaften gibt (Bubikopf) 01:05
    Track
    16
    Title
    Ist's wahr, daß es Landschaften gibt (Bubikopf)
    Duration
    01:05
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Natalie Pérez
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  17. 17 Komm, fort von hier (Drummer, Bubikopf, Soldier) 01:48
    Track
    17
    Title
    Komm, fort von hier (Drummer, Bubikopf, Soldier)
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Anna Wall, Natalie Pérez, Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  18. 18 Schau, die Wolken (Bubikopf, Soldier) 01:12
    Track
    18
    Title
    Schau, die Wolken (Bubikopf, Soldier)
    Duration
    01:12
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Natalie Pérez, Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  19. 19 Tanz - Intermezzo: Die lebenden Toten 01:34
    Track
    19
    Title
    Tanz - Intermezzo: Die lebenden Toten
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  20. 20 Hallo, hallo, der oberste General (Overall, Loudspeaker) 00:51
    Track
    20
    Title
    Hallo, hallo, der oberste General (Overall, Loudspeaker)
    Duration
    00:51
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Pierre-Yves Pruvot, Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  21. 21 Wir sind um einen Kreutzer Süßes (Harlequin, Drummer) 03:01
    Track
    21
    Title
    Wir sind um einen Kreutzer Süßes (Harlequin, Drummer)
    Duration
    03:01
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Sébastien Obrecht, Anna Wall
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  22. 22 Außenamt! (Overall, Loudspeaker) 01:04
    Track
    22
    Title
    Außenamt! (Overall, Loudspeaker)
    Duration
    01:04
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Pierre-Yves Pruvot, Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  23. 23 Nicht dran denken, nicht dran denken (Drummer, Harlequin, Overall) 00:59
    Track
    23
    Title
    Nicht dran denken, nicht dran denken (Drummer, Harlequin, Overall)
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Anna Wall, Pierre-Yves Pruvot, Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  24. 24 Ich bin der Tod (Death) 02:54
    Track
    24
    Title
    Ich bin der Tod (Death)
    Duration
    02:54
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Wassyl Slipak
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  25. 25 Der Krieg ist aus (Overall) 06:46
    Track
    25
    Title
    Der Krieg ist aus (Overall)
    Duration
    06:46
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Pierre-Yves Pruvot
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin
  26. 26 Komm, Tod, du unser werter Gast (Bubikopf, Drummer, Soldier, Loudspeaker) 02:34
    Track
    26
    Title
    Komm, Tod, du unser werter Gast (Bubikopf, Drummer, Soldier, Loudspeaker)
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    Viktor Ullmann
    Performer
    Wassyl Slipak, Anna Wall, Natalie Pérez, Sébastien Obrecht
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Musique des Lumières
    Conductor
    Facundo Agudin