HARTMANN: Valkyrien

Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Jurowski, Michail

CPO 999620

Valkyries - according to the Old Norse Edda, these are battle maidens who have the task of escorting warriors who have fallen in battle to Odin. These ladies became extremely popular in the 19th century, as Nordic mythology became very fashionable. Germany was certainly a center of this current, and so it is mainly Richard Wagner with his "Ring" who immediately comes to mind. But also the direct descendants of the Vikings, the Danes, succumbed to the charm of the gun-toting Germanic world of gods. And, "charm" is to be taken quite literally here

In Copenhagen it was namely the Royal Ballet of August Bournonville, which - even before the opera - enjoyed world renown and the affection of all Danes. Bournonville also took up the theme, and so in 1861 the acclaimed premiere of the great four-act ballet "The Valkyrie" - in Danish "Valkyrien" - took place with the music of the most important Danish composer in the 19th century, Johann Peter Emilius Hartmann. What a different world from Wagner's "Valkyrie", which was written almost at the same time! No brass-armored, ominous motifs of fate, but elegant, gossamer orchestrated ballet music, which even does not disdain the novelty from Paris, the can-can. On the other hand, Hartmann's music differs from the usual ballet compositions in that the epic character of the action makes it much more symphonic, masterfully tracing both the changing moods of nature and the different characters.

CD x 2

CPO

11/17/06

761203962020