Notes and Editorial Reviews
'The Andrée Expedition' is a song cycle by composer Dominic Argento. The text is derived from the actual journals of two of the three Swedish explorers on this expedition who perished while trying to reach the North Pole in 1897. One man taking on the role of three explorers sings the work, which is in thirteen movements. It describes the journey from the take-off of their hot air balloon to their death on an ice-covered island. Poignant, articulate and descriptive, both the text and music progress from exuberant anticipation to desolate resolution.
Tenor Bengt Nordfors (singing in English) and the ever-impressive Bengt Forsberg on piano perform Argento's cycle with emotional verve. The extensive notes that accompany the release are
Read more
useful in following along.
In addition to this work, this release contains other compositions from the time period of the Andrée Expedition. Among them are the Andrée Expedition-influenced "Isjungfrun (The Ice-maiden)," and 'Luftsegling (Airjourney),' a set of five pieces telling the tale of trapeze artist Victor Rolla who died attempting a dangerous parachute jump. All in all, this is an interesting CD, especially from an historical perspective.
Reviews:
Fanfare (1-2/00, pp.192-193) - "...Argento's music is 12-tone in construction and tonal in effect....Begnt Forsberg...is beyond praise....This is a major addition to the repertoire for tenor and piano and is urgently recommended." Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
The Andrée Expedition by Dominick Argento
Performer:
Bengt Forsberg (Piano),
Bengt Nordfors (Tenor)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1982; USA
Date of Recording: 1997
Venue: Radio Studio 2, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 41 Minutes 38 Secs.
Language: English
2.
The Ice-maiden by Helena Munktell
Performer:
Bengt Forsberg (Piano),
Bengt Nordfors (Tenor)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896
Date of Recording: 1997
Venue: Live Radio Studio 2, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 5 Minutes 54 Secs.
Language: Swedish
3.
Up in the air by Herman Ahlberg
Performer:
Bengt Forsberg (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Sweden
Date of Recording: 1997
Venue: Live Radio Studio 2, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 59 Secs.
4.
Airjourney by Axel Strindberg
Performer:
Bengt Forsberg (Piano),
Bengt Nordfors (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Sweden
Date of Recording: 1997
Venue: Live Radio Studio 2, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 5 Minutes 17 Secs.
5.
At the North Pole by Adolf Nordholm
Performer:
Nils-Erik Sparf (Violin),
Bengt Forsberg (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Sweden
Date of Recording: 1997
Venue: Live Radio Studio 2, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 4 Minutes 8 Secs.
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
