Notes and Editorial Reviews
A tempting 50+ minutes from an epic opera in good sound, and with fine notes.
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
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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, MusicWeb International
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Works on This Recording
1.
Arnljot: Förspel Akt 1 - Act 1. Scene 8. Arnljots hälsningssång by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Performer:
Erland Hagegård (Baritone)
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 9 Minutes 38 Secs.
2.
Arnljot: Act 1. Scene 11. Tingsmarschen by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 3 Minutes 5 Secs.
3.
Arnljot: Act 2. Scene 1. Wainos första sång by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Performer:
Karin Langebo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 2 Minutes 10 Secs.
4.
Arnljot: Act 2. Scene 9. Gunhild och Arnljot: Mötet i vildmarken by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Performer:
Edith Thallaug (Mezzo Soprano),
Erland Hagegård (Baritone)
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 9 Minutes 52 Secs.
5.
Arnljot: Act 2. Scene 7. Wainos andra sång by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Performer:
Karin Langebo (Soprano)
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 3 Minutes 59 Secs.
6.
Arnljot: Act 2. Scene 11 & 12. Arnljots drömsyn by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 5 Minutes 56 Secs.
7.
Arnljot: Act 3. Scene 4. Tormods kvad by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Performer:
Björn Asker (Baritone)
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 3 Minutes 42 Secs.
8.
Arnljot: Act 3. Scene 17 & 18. Arnljots död by Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Performer:
Edith Thallaug (Mezzo Soprano),
Kåge Jehrlander (Tenor),
Erland Hagegård (Baritone)
Conductor:
Okko Kamu
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 14 Minutes 42 Secs.
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