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| German Overtures: Christian Thielemann/Vienna Philharmonic (Album cover) |
St. Paul, Minn. — Midwinter can be a long, sometimes dreary time of year; what I look for is some way to escape it. I found it in this new collection of German overtures, each one connected to a fanciful story, and frankly, who doesn't like to curl up with a good book at this time of the year? Enjoying this recording takes very little effort; all you have to do is pop it in your CD player
A good story allows us to use our imaginations to the fullest, and when splashy orchestral color and thoughtful instrumentation are mixed in, the story is enhanced that much more. On this new recording of German overtures, Christian Thielemann and the Vienna Philharmonic cover a lot of ground. These are stories "of spirits, mortals, and wondrous landscapes," as noted on the inside cover of the program booklet. Mendelssohn and his contemporary, Otto Nicolai, tip their hats to Shakespeare in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor."
Other composers on this recording, including Mendelssohn, explore the world of the legendary Celtic bard Ossian, the son of Fingal. Mendelssohn was well aware of Ossian's world. He made a special trip in 1829 to explore Fingal's Cave, located on an island that is part of the Hebrides in Scotland. Mendelssohn was fascinated with the way the light cast luminous colors from the water to the roof of the cave and on to the six-sided basalt columns. Like an ocean wave, the first 20 bars of his new concert overture came to him spontaneously. I love the sense of mystery in those opening notes. Even though this overture is a familiar one to many people, this performance creates a wonderfully suspenseful atmosphere, so that you can't wait to hear how this telling with the Vienna Philharmonic ends! The orchestra plays with precision and power as the sound rolls off of the tips of the bows.
Fingal's Cave is a real-life representation of something truly magical. On this recording, we drift into the supernatural world, too, going to the land of the fairies in "Oberon." In his final opera, written for London's Covent Garden in 1824, Carl Maria von Weber revisits the supernatural world he first explored in "Der Freischutz." His doctor warned him that traveling to England would be too stressful, but Weber, who was dying of tuberculosis, decided to make the trip anyway. "Oberon" was a great success, but Weber didn't live long to enjoy it. That's too bad, because as the overture exemplifies, this work is delightful. The sense of contrast in this overture suits the Vienna Philharmonic well. The beginning is so soft you're forced to inch closer to the speakers to hear what's happening. The hypnotic melody that comes in about half way through the overture accelerates into a powerful statement, so don't stand too close to the speakers!
This opera had many passionate and distinguished admirers, yet it remained on the shelf for many years after its premiere. Weber had planned on revising it, but died before he had the chance. The English libretto was one of the biggest problems. Even though he took extensive lessons in English, Weber still didn't really understand the language. If you allow yourself to get lost in the addictive melody, though, language will be no barrier to enjoying the "Oberon" overture.
Heinrich Marschner was a leading figure in German Romantic opera between Weber and Wagner. His greatest operatic success, Hans Heiling, followed in the footsteps of Weber's "Freischutz." But it takes one unusual departure: the overture is not the first thing you hear. The opera begins with an underground scene of sprites mining gold. One of these sprites, named Heiling, must seek his bride from the mortal world. Before the scene changes, the curtain falls, and then we hear the overture. It turns out this was a practical step for the first productions of the opera. It was the only way to keep the story going while two huge sets were hauled onto the stage. The overture lets us in on the emotional turmoil the hero is facing. He's the son of the Gnome Queen and a mortal father, and he longs to feel human love and mortality. Like Weber's "Oberon" overture, this one opens with a horn call although here the call is transformed into three sustained notes on a solo trumpet. These notes signal a revolution.
If you're looking for something to improve your midwinter doldrums, this collection of German overtures will do the trick. It reminds me of a big golden book of fairytales like the one I used to dig out as a child. You page through until you find the tale you want to hear, and suddenly you're off in a land of make-believe.
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