First please allow
me to vent an old grudge. Many years
ago, when I first began to listen to
classical music, I was appalled that
some record companies printed on their
LP record sleeves, the names of their
conductors (notably Karajan) in huge
letters but the composers’ names in
much smaller type (yes, even Beethoven!)
Outraged, I used to boycott these discs
on principle. I see that deplorable
practice has crept back here. Anne Sofie
von Otter is a lovely lady but I am
not at all sure she would have condoned
having her name writ large and Korngold’s
in much smaller letters. It is as if
TDK marketing has thought, "Korngold
wasn’t really regarded as a top-rank
classical music composer by the musical
establishment; after all he wrote all
that film music didn’t he? And this
stuff is a bit off the mainstream, so
we better push the name of our star."
[There is justification
for the marketing approach as this DVD
is one of a series entitled 'Voices
of our Time' so the performer is of
great importance- LM]
Thankfully, Anne Sofie
is more positive. In the interview featured
on this DVD, she says, "Korngold’s
music has enjoyed something of a renaissance
and his classical music is now acclaimed
throughout the world." She also
says that when she was first introduced
to the music, some twenty years ago,
she felt that it did not really suit
her voice; but over the years she has
sung it frequently and is now a very
ardent Korngold fan. She is also keen
on Korngold’s chamber music saying it
has great intensity, rhythmic buoyancy
and colour: "I think he is a great
composer." Bengt Forsberg, in his
interview, adds that he thinks the music
very beautiful, romantic and with great
flow. It is also wonderfully orchestrated.
Fragments of these
interviews are scattered through the
programme as are isolated movements
of the Suite for Two Violins, Cello
and Piano (Left Hand) (commissioned
from Korngold by Paul Wittgenstein),
and the Piano Quintet in E major (the
two movements on this DVD are placed
in the wrong order) to show parallels
and shared material between them and
the songs. Some might regard this as
a valuable and interesting concept,
others might be disconcerted and think
it patronising. Nevertheless, the chamber
ensemble plays with finesse and romantic
intensity. In both these works there
is a definite foretaste of the great
romantic film scores that Korngold would
create for Warner Bros. in the 1930s
and 1940s.
The chamber music and
songs were, of course, filmed in a live
concert given at the Théâtre
Musical de Paris – Châtelet so
there is all the ambience and spontaneity
of live, unedited performances. Anne
Sofie von Otter’s empathy for Korngold’s
beautiful songs - bitterly-sweet and
unashamedly romantic is quite plain.
Her control, her creamily-smooth beautifully
contoured delivery impress most strongly.
Highlights include Mond, so gehst
du wieder auf (it is to be hoped
that she will go on to record this song
in its orchestral dress as a part of
Vier Lieder des Abschieds), the
songs from Korngold’s early-mid teenage
years: Liebesbriefchen and Sommer,
and the ever-popular aria from Die
Tote Stadt, ’Marietta’s Lied.’ Charming,
too are the four songs to words by William
Shakespeare.
A delightful concert
of mainly lesser-known songs and chamber
works by Korngold. Anne Sofie von Otter,
clearly empathising with these lovely
bitter-sweet songs, shines.
Ian Lace
Anne
Sofie von Otter (mezzo); Bengt Forsberg (piano)
Ulf Forsberg (violin); Nils-Erik Sparf (violin);
Tobias Ringborg (viola); Mats Lidström (cello)
TDK
Voices of our time DVD VIDEO DV-VTASO-EUR [91
mins] 
