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A lovely disc indeed! Halvorsen's beautifully crafted stage music is rather
reminiscent of Sibelius but still retains an authentic charm that is
characteristically personal. This composer dominated Norwegian music for
many years and understood the drama scene perfectly due to his conducting
the Royal Norwegian Theatre for over thirty years. The three works recorded
here are full of immense charm and there are some beautiful melodies that
remain in your head long after the first hearing. The epic 'Gurre' had already
been treated by Halvorsen's Danish counterpart, Hornemann (available on Chandos)
but the Norwegian's undramatic score is delicate, rather frescoe-like; at
times Rimsky Korsakov is not too far away. The opening evening scene is played
with deep feeling by the Latvian Orchestra who also command a remarkably
succinct string tone. The same goes for the concluding 'Woe King Volmar',
an epic march rather in the mould of Grieg's 'Homage March'. 'Aladdin' has
also been set by a Danish composer (Carl Nielsen) and Halvorsen's setting
is delicate and imaginative although it lacks the punch of the much more
famous Nielsen version. I was charmed by 'The Merchant of Venice' which includes
some delightful short movements in the shape of 'Portia' and an aptly titled
'Intermezzo'. Terje Mikkelsen conducts with feeling and passion for these
romantic scores and Simax's recording is clear and truthful. On the whole,
the project is commendable to anyone looking to enhance his orchestral CD
collection.
Reviewer
Gerald Fenech
Performance:
Sound:
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Reviewer
Gerald Fenech
Performance:
Sound:
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