Sibelius; Luonnotar, etc Vocal & Song Orchestral & Concertos CHANDOS SACD

Sibelius; Luonnotar, etc

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CHSA 5217

Sibelius; Luonnotar, etc

Running Time: 72:12

CD UPC: 0095115521724

Release Date: July 2021
Originally recorded in 2018

Composer
Jean Sibelius

Soprano Voice soprano *
Lise Davidsen

Orchestra
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor
Edward Gardner

Producer (May 2018)
Brian Pidgeon

Producer LAWO Classics (February 2021)
Vegard Landaas

Engineer (May 2018)
Ralph Couzens

Engineer LAWO Classics (February 2021)
Thomas Wolden

Assistant Engineer Assisant, (NRK)
Gunnar Herleif Nilsen

Venue
Grieg Hall, Bergen, Norway

Genre:
Vocal & Song
Orchestral & Concertos

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JEAN SIBELIUS

Luonnotar, Op.70 (1913) *

8:50

(Kalevala)

in F sharp minor • in fis-Moll • en fa dièse mineur

Tone Poem for Soprano and Orchestra

An Aino Ackté

Tempo moderato - Tranquillo assai - A tempo - Tranquillo assai -

Tapiola, Op.112 (1926)

18:02

in B minor • in h-Moll • en si mineur

Tone Poem for Large Orchestra

An Walter Damrosch

Largamente - Allegro moderato - Allegro - Allegro moderato -

Pelléas och Mélisande, Op.46 (1904-05) *

25:43

(Pelleas and Melisande)

Suite from the Incidental Music to the Play Pelléas et Mélisande (1892)

by Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949)

Translated into Swedish by Bertel Gripenberg (1878-1947)

Vid slottsporten (At the Castle Gate, Prelude to Act I, Scene 1). Grave e largamente

2:20

Mélisande (Prelude to Act I, Scene 2). Andantino con moto

4:09

På stranden vid hafvet (At the Seashore, Melodrama from Act I, Scene 4). Adagio -

2:01

Vid en källa i parken (By a Spring in the Park, Prelude to Act II, Scene 1).

2:13

Comodo - Un poco lento

De trenne blinda systrar (The Three Blind Sisters, Mélisande's Song

2:34

from Act III, Scene 2). Tranquillo

Pastorale (Melodrama from Act III, Scene 4). Andantino pastorale

1:54

Mélisande vid spinnrocken (Mélisande at the Spinning Wheel,

1:49

Prelude to Act III, Scene 1). Con moto

10.

Mellanaktsmusik (Entr'acte, Prelude to Act IV, Scene 1). Allegro

2:51

11.

Mélisandes död (The Death of Mélisande, Prelude to Act V, Scene 2).

5:49

Andante - Largamente

Rakastava, Op.14 (1893; reworked 1911-12)

11:55

(The Lover)

for String Orchestra with Triangle and Timpani

12.

Rakastava (Den älskande/The Lover). Andante con moto

4:06

13.

Rakastetun tie (Den älskades väg/The Path of His Beloved). Allegretto

2:17

14.

III

Hyvää iltaa... Jää hyvästi (God afton... Farväl!/Good Evening!... Farewell!).

5:32

Andantino - Doppio più lento - Vivace - Allargando poco a poco - Lento assai

15.

Vårsång, Op.16 (1894, revised 1895, 1902)

7:45

(Spring Song) Tone Poem

Tempo moderato e sostenuto - Largamente - A tempo (ma poco a poco meno moderato) -

Un poco più lento - A tempo

Total time: 72:12

Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Melina Mandozzi leader

Conductor: Edward Gardner

7-9 May 2018 (Luonnotar, Pelléas och Mélisande, Vårsång)

and 16-19 February 2021 (other works)

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Reviews

“…An absolutely unmissable disc.”

Barry Forshaw – CDChoice.co.uk – 12 December 2021

“…The Bergen Philharmonic and Edward Gardner’s account of these works has a truly magisterial authority; Gardner’s control of the imagery of the works – in fine gradations of mood and colour – is utterly convincing. Lise Davidsen’s luminous soprano is heard on Luonnotar and the album’s longest work Pelléas och Mélisande – incidental music for Maurice Maeterlinck’s play. Orchestra and soprano have rarely sounded so beautiful and profoundly absorbed as in these stellar works. An album to die for.”

Raul da Gama – thewholenote.com – 28 October 2021

“… Edward Gardner’s Bergen Philharmonic Tapiola is excellent: expansive and atmospheric … Gardener does bring out the harmonic boldness and sheer strangeness of the work… Luonnotar is wonderfully sung here by Lise Davidsen, her stratospheric soft high notes immaculate. Follow with the text, and you’ll shiver at her “Oh Ukko, supreme god!/Come hither, hear my call,” over Sibelius’s rocking accompaniment. As in Tapiola, Gardner and his players know exactly when to let rip. If you don’t know either piece well, start here. There’s plenty more. It’s good to hear the full Pelléas och Mélisande suite … Spectacular Chandos sound is another bonus …”

Graham Rickson – theartsdesk.com – 11 September 2021

“Lise Davidsen’s name pings out of the album cover but make no mistake, its real star is the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra’s string section...Bergen’s woody, thoroughbred strings are most identifiable in ‘The Death of Mélisande’…”

Andrew Mellor – Gramophone magazine – September 2021

Recording of the Week

“…All in all, this is a glorious recording which speaks of a real synergy between conductor, orchestra and repertoire, with Davidsen’s contribution the icing on the cake. “

Katherine Cooper – Prestomusic.com – 2 July 2021

Artistic Quality 8 Sound Quality 9

“… the Bergen Philharmonic sounds terrific, as do the sonics... This is great stuff.”

David Hurwitz – ClassicsToday.com

“…Now we have this superb new release containing many orchestral works as well as the vocal tone poem Luonnotar sung superbly by amazing new soprano Lise Davidsen… the engineering is superb … Recommended!”

Robert Benson – ClassicalCDReview.com – July 2021

“… The Norwegian soprano’s execution of the vocal line here is nothing short of astounding. She sings with breathtaking clarity: every element – diction, tone, vibrato (or lack thereof) – is perfectly calibrated… Simply put, this is the best Luonnotar I’ve heard …”

Jonathan Blumhofer – The Arts Fuse.org – 29 July 2021

Performance **** Recording ****

“… This lasts recording of Luonnotar features rising Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen, whose breath control and even fullness of tone across a two-octave range prove radiantly equal to Sibelius’s uncompromising demands. Accounts of Tapiola can vary widely … Edward Gardner retains tension enough, but with time to brood, in a vivid, convincingly paced account… the Berge Philharmonic deliver the Spring Song with intensifying fervour.”

Bayan Northcott – BBC Music magazine – September 2021

“…. Edward Garner also conducts this music very excitingly, with a fine sense of sound and a feeling for drama. In Lise Davidsen he has an excellent Mélisande to hand. Of Tapiola he delivers a rather realistic interpretation … All the more pleasing is that the rarely performed Rakastava and Varsang are very confidently shaped by Gardner and played with much intensity by the orchestra.” ****

Remy Franck – Pizzicato.com.lu – 30 July 2021

“… Gardner is one of the most perceptive interpreters of Sibelius of his or any generation. Each work receives an interpretation that ranks among the best available… Here [Luonnotar] the soloist is the up-and-coming Norwegian soprano, Lise Davidsen, who is in resplendent voice, achieving both strength of toe and an awesome range of power. Gardner guides his players through some gear changes that seem natural and inevitable. Tapiola grips our attention from the very first bar and Gardner’s attention to the strangeness of both the sound and form … is unrelenting. This is a superb performance… The playing throughout is authentic in sound and style; Gardner chooses tempi that suit the individual personality of each work…” *****

Edward Clark – Musical Opinion Quarterly – July/September 2021

“For Davidsen at full throttle, you’re better off listening to her tackling the challenging vocal line in Luonnotar, the big attraction in a superbly played Sibelius selection from Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic … it’s Luonnotar that makes this an essential purchase.”

Geoff Brown - The Times - 16 July 202

“… Davidsen is effortlessly eloquent and Gardner supports her by keeping the narration moving forwards …” ****

Richard Fairman – The Financial Times – 9 July 2021

“…she [Davidsen] brings a youthful, Nordic freshness to this music … Gardner proves himself another fine British Sibelian in the late symphonic poem Tapiola, the incidental music for Pelleas (Davidsen sings Melisande’s song), Rakastava, and the brief but lovely Spring Song.”

Hugh Canning - The Sunday Times (Culture magazine) – 4 July 2021

“… Gardner’s Tapiola is… fabulously atmospheric, and he’s equally convincing in evoking the mysterious atmosphere of Luonnotar …”

Andrew Clements – The Guardian – 1 July 2021

Performance ***** Sonics (Multi channel) *****

“… the tone poem Luonnotar draws on text from the Finnish national epic poem, the Kalevala. Its virtuosic demands are ably met here by award-wining soprano Lise Davidsen … Arguably, the most compelling reason for acquiring this excellent Chandos all Sibelius SACD from Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is their gripping performance of Luonnotar … . His [Gardner] is both a commanding and thrilling reading of [Tapiola] the score that is magnificently executed, thanks to the committed playing of all sections of the Bergen orchestra and expertly captured on this finely detailed Chandos recording… Gardner’s programme is completed with engaging performances of two of Sibelius’s early tone poems Rakastava (the Lover) and Vårsång (Spring Song)… they are … attractive pieces that deserve a hearing especially when so beautifully played and recorded as here… Altogether this is another fine addition to Edward Gardner’s impressive discography with his front rank Bergen orchestra so if the programme appeals do not hesitate…”

Graham Williams – HRAudio.net – 28 June 2021

“… The performance of Tapiola is in fact one of the most searching and dramatic it has been accorded, finding every nuance of the composer’s remarkable orchestration, and everything else on disc is given a searching reading, with Lise Davidsen both poignant and dramatic in the haunting Luonnotar. An absolutely unmissable disc.”

Barry Forshaw – CDChoice.co.uk – 28 May 2021

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