This is an extremely
hard CD to review objectively. It is
not really possible to do justice to
such a mammoth undertaking as Danacord
have presented to the world in a relatively
short time. In fact I am still picking
my way through the vast array of ‘numbers’.
But there are other reasons that make
this objectivity difficult.
It is always a tricky
task to pass comment on ballet music
when one has not had the opportunity
to see the performance on stage. It
is so easy to state that music is good,
bad or indifferent as music.
However if it were heard in the context
of the ballet it could be seen
to be extremely effective. Although
the booklet provided with the box gives
a full synopsis of each of the ballets
it is still difficult to imagine a performance.
Like many ballets and operas, the plot
outline is often rather thin and obviously
depends on the scenery, the lighting
and the personality of the dancers.
Furthermore most of the famous ballets
such as Sleeping Beauty and The
Nutcracker are ‘dished up’ in suites
– in other words all the best bits are
lumped together. I imagine it will be
very few listeners who will listen (not
watch) to a complete recording of Swan
Lake at one sitting.
Coupled to this is
the inescapable fact that virtually
none of this music is known away from
the shores of Denmark. This means that
none of the tunes or airs or purple
passages has become a part of the general
‘music in the air’ that all of us are
susceptible to. It is unlikely that
much of this music will be played on
Classic FM or even Radio Three. This
is not because it is bad (it is invariably
‘good stuff’) but just because the programme
makers will never get round to discovering
it. So the reviewer and the listener
are at a disadvantage. He or she has
this vast amount of music which, although
attractive, is difficult to set in the
world view. However I should add that
Chandos had a successful release of
Severin Løvenskiold’s La Sylphide
on ‘Chandos Collect 6546’. So there
is perhaps a limited market for this
music outside its home-base.
On this present recording
we have nine complete ballets. At least
one of them runs to close on two hours;
and two hours of music that although
not bad, is hardly in the ‘genius’ or
even inspired class. A colleague of
mine suggested that it would be like
listening to all the Gilbert and Sullivan
Overtures played together one after
the other. And there is some truth in
this.
My general view of
the set is that there is much good music
– but some of it seems to me better
buried in the vaults or a least confined
to live performances of these ballets.
Even the composers
are probably little known to most people
outside Scandinavia. OK I accept that
a number of people will be familiar
with a few pot-boilers by H.C Lumbye,
namely his Champagne Galop. This
appears on a number of samplers. And
I am sure that lots of folk have heard
of Niels W. Gade, even if they are not
sure if they have heard his music. Do
not get me wrong: I spend much of my
time listening to, and arguing for little
known composers or for those who do
not have a reputation outside their
homelands. But the bottom line is this.
I cannot see how this CD will be popular
anywhere expect Denmark. All of these
composers are better known there and
it will be a long slow job before they
become household names in the UK and
United States. Such is the sad state
of music.
So what is the point
of this present mammoth release? And
how are we to approach it?
First of all a look
at the background to the recording is
in order. August Bournonville was born
200 hundred years in Copenhagen and
came to dominate the ballet world in
Denmark. It is largely due to Bournonville
that Denmark came to have an indigenous
ballet repertoire after many years of
relying on largely Italian productions.
The Aalborg Symphonic
Orchestra and their guest conductor
Peter Ernst Lassen were fortunate to
receive a large grant of some £68,000
from the Bikuben Foundation. This allowed
the 200th anniversary of Bournonville’s
birth to be celebrated with this massive
recording project.
It was always going
to be a long term job. The first notes
were recorded in May 2002 and the last
was ‘in the can’ by October 2004. An
accompanying book was produced entitled
‘Dance is an Art.’ I have not seen a
copy of this volume. But I understand
that it is an in-depth study of the
Bournonville Ballet, their interpretation
and the possibilities for the future.
It runs to some 380 pages and is written
in Danish and in English. However there
is an excellent booklet provided with
the CDs. This contains a detailed plot
analysis of each ballet or excerpt,
along with historical notes on the composers
and the choreography.
So, in summing up I
would say two things. Firstly this is
not a ‘popular’ disc. Few people will
buy these nine CDs for their personal
pleasure sat in front of the fire with
a glass of Taylor’s Vintage Port (or
equivalent), listening to the music.
This is a disc for the specialist: both
in the historical development of ballet
in Denmark and the list of composers
that serviced the need for an indigenous
music.
Secondly, and vitally,
this is a major archive project; an
essential production that goes a long
way to preserving part of Danish history
and culture. There needs to be a formal
record of this music produced in a professional
and exceptionally musical manner. And
this is what Danacord have done quite
superbly.
To a certain extent
I look with envy at this massive release.
I cannot help feeling that so much music
is hidden away in libraries of the world
that deserves to have at least one recording
made of it so that it is available to
scholars and enthusiast for posterity.
I do not suppose many
more recordings of these ballet scores
will be forthcoming, but it is nice
to know that we can listen to them as
and when the mood takes us.
Well done Danacord and the Aalborg Symphonic
Orchestra.
John France
DANACORD DACOCD 631-639 [9 CDs: 69:10 +
66:58 + 57:40 + 75:04 + 60:23 + 57:05 + 66:53
+ 51:23] [total: 9:17:32]
