This is a reissue of a Swedish EMI LP and offers highlights from
Peterson-Berger’s
Arnljot. It
presents a tempting fifty+ minutes from the epic in good sound, and with fine
notes.
With one exception, which I find odd but which doesn’t materially affect
things, the excerpts run sequentially. This is the Act II Scene 9
Encounter
in the Wilderness, which arrives immediately before the same act’s
Scene 7,
Waino’s Second Song. It’s a bit reminiscent of the
shuffling about that sometimes went on in the days of 78s but thinking about
it I assume it was originally done to balance the LP sides as Scene 9 is about
ten minutes in length; no such problems exist on CD so why not just reverse things?
Let’s skip the plot, a saga that would probably take as long to relate
as the opera takes to run. It’s got the full of complement of love and
death, the coming of Christianity, and what have you. The Act I introduction
sets the scene: nature horns and the allure of a rich string cantilever and then
an open hearted greeting sound - sung by Erland Hagegår, who is the hero
Arnljot. The
Thing March is solemnly stalking and gathers in ceremonial
splendour. Karin Langebo takes the part of Waino and her first song is attractive
but brief. Wagner looms over much of this, explicitly in that Encounter in the
Wilderness - both orchestrally and in the speech patterns; these at least are
contrasted with more lightly sprung lyric Nordic moments. These verge, it must
be said, on the Light Music fringe. I happen to like Light Music, though whether
it sits well here is another question.
Langebo has another opportunity to shine in her second song where there’s
a youthful gleam to the vocal line. Better still is Act II’s dream vision
with its burnished orchestral writing and the nobility of the writing for voice.
Tormod’s
Song opens up with proto-MGM brio though baritone Björn Asker struggles
slightly in the higher reaches of the tessitura. The longest track is the last
- interesting stylistically for the way Peterson-Berger lays a carpet of ceremonial
into which he dares to infiltrate some good old fashioned Italian bel canto.
There’s a dual language (Swedish/English) libretto. It’s certainly
a good enough work to have had a full recording by now.
Jonathan Woolf
see also review by Rob Barnett
Erland Hagegård
(baritone) - Arnljot; Karin Langebo (soprano) - Waino; Edith Thallaug
(mezzo) - Gunhild; Björn Asker (baritone) - Tormod; Kåge
Jehrlander (tenor) - Sigurd; Male Chorus of Stockholm Philharmonic Choir; Stockholm
Philharmonic Orchestra/Okko Kamu 
