Wagner (arr. Vlieger) – Parsifal an Orchestral Quest

Neeme Jarvi conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in the second of four albums dedicated to the bold arrangements of Henk de Vlieger. Lassic FM commented on his arrangement of “The Ring, “Dutch composer Henk de Vlieger builds a penetrating symphonic poem that reflects the dramatic depths of “The Ring”. Parsifal, an Orchestral Quest was commissioned by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and dedicated to the musicians of the Orchestra. De Vlieger has compiled the musical and emotional highlights of Wagner’s opera and stitched them into a new context whilst keeping the story intact. The disc also features Wagner’s arrangements of the Overture and Venusberg Ballet Scene from Tanhauser and the concert version of Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin. The recording is in SACD format to maximise the sound quality. A must for those who like Wagner without the singing!

In Parsifal, an orchestral quest, commissioned by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and dedicated to the musicians of this orchestra, Henk de Vlieger has compiled the musical and emotional highlights of Wagner’s last opera, and whenever necessary stitched these into a new context. Thus de Vlieger retells the story of Parsifal with Wagner’s music. In order to do so he has kept the symmetry of the opera through seven sections: 1. Vorspiel, 2. Parsifal, 3. Die Gralsritter I, 4. Die Blumenmädchen, 5. Karfreitagszauber, 6. Die Gralsritter II, 7. Nachspiel.

This arrangement is complemented by the Overture and Venusberg Ballet Scene from Tannhäuser and the concert version of the Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin.