Rikard NORDRAAK (1842-1866)
Songs and Piano Music
Track listing at close of review.
Helene Wold (soprano)
Eugene Asti (piano)
rec. Sofienberg Church, Oslo, 2015
LAWO CLASSICS LWC1119 [66:30]
Born in Oslo, Rikard Nordraak is best remembered for composing
the Norwegian national anthem, although for some people he will be remembered
as the somewhat sickly and needy figure in the film that tells of Grieg’s
struggle to create a national music for Norway, the Song of Norway.
A quick look at a certain online retailer points to this being the sole
disc dedicated to the music of this neglected composer.
This disc presents 25 tracks of attractive, if hardly original, music.
The influence of central European music can be felt from the very first
track, the lovely Valse-Caprice; this influence, especially
upon his piano music, probably dates from his studies in Berlin. There
are however, pieces that are based upon his nationalism, with tracks
such as Allegro and Scherzo Capriccio, the second
of these has been designated his opus 3 and clearly shows Nordraak’s
influence upon Grieg, whilst showing his passion and drive to produce
a truly Norwegian music, who knows what he would have produced if he
had not died of tuberculosis at the age of 23. His ideas are now seen
as a major influence on Edvard Grieg’s own quest for a distinctive
national music.
The feeling of nationalism is, I think, felt more deeply in his songs,
many of which present texts by his cousin Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, who
was played by ‘Harry Seagoon’ in the Song of the North.
It is in these settings especially ‘Aftenstemning’ and ‘Over
de høie Fjælde’ that the sense of nationalism and originality
is felt most, with the text lending itself to this treatment. His songs
show great tenderness and beauty as well as wonderful agility to bend
the melody to the text. Many of Grieg’s own songs, especially
his earlier pieces, show an influence of Nordraak, and a cross fertilisation
between the two composers is clear.
The music is presented sympathetically with both Helene Wold, who also
wrote the accompanying booklet notes, and Eugene Asti being in excellent
form. They give us a clear performance, one that places the music first,
and one which deserves the highest praise. The music is attractive and
interesting, and this is brought out by the excellent recorded sound.
We should be thankful to both performers and Lawo for bringing us this
wonderful disc.
Stuart Sillitoe
Disc contents
01) Valse-Caprice [2:27]
02) Aftenstemning [2:05]
03) Venskabs-Polka [2:16]
04) Wenn sich zwei Herzen scheiden [2:34]
05) Melodi [1:55]
Opus 2
06) I. Tonen [2:51]
07) II. Træet [1:32]
08) III. Solvejge [2:44]
09) IV. En underlig Vise [2:44]
10) V. Killebukken [1:02]
11) Allegro [2:34]
12) Scherzo Capriccio [8:17]
13) Taarnvægteren [1:09]
Opus 1
14) I. Jeg har søgt [2:27]
15) II. Romance – Ingerid Sletten [2:44]
16) III. Holder du af mig? [2:39]
17) IV. Romance – Liden Gunvor [3:16]
18) V. Over de høie Fjælde [4:15]
19) VI. Synnøves Sang [1:57]
Fire Dandse For Piano
20) I. Jagt-Polka [2:11]
21) II. Klingenberg-Polka-Mazurka [2:52]
22) III. Nora-Varsoviana [4:04]
23) IV. Flora-Polka [2:36]
24) Troubadour-Vals [1:58]
25) Spansk Sang [1:08]
