Marianne Beate Kielland (Mezzo-soprano), Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Petr Popelka
Description
Mezzo-soprano Marianne Beate Kielland is famous for her strong stage presence and musical integrity.
Gramophone Magazine writes about her:
"The mezzo-soprano is quite outstanding: strong, firm, sensitive in modulations, imaginative in her treatment of words, with a voice pure in quality, wide in range and unfalteringly true in intonation."
Considered today one of Europe's leading singers, she says of this new recording:
"As my career has progressed, I have had the chance to make numerous recordings featuring a variety of repertoires, and I have always felt the desire to record the songs of Sibelius.
A wonderful opportunity presented itself when the Norwegian Radio Orchestra with Chief Conductor Petr Popelka expressed its willingness to be part of such a recording.
Virtually all Sibelius songs are written for voice and piano, but many of them seem as though made for orchestral sounds and instrumental subtlety. Therefore a number of his finest songs have fortunately been orchestrated, and it is these editions we have used for this recording.
A few of the orchestrations were done by Sibelius himself, one by his contemporary, Simon Parmet (né Pergament), while several were orchestrated by his own son-in-law, conductor Jussi Jalas.
This album presents orchestrated songs of Sibelius from four opus numbers: 17, 36, 37 and 38."
- Marianne Beate Kielland.
Critical Acclaim
"The songs, however, are as clear as a glass of iced water ... and these accounts are exemplary and uplifting. I don't know where Ms Kjelland has been hiding but I wish she'd get out more; she has a gorgeous instrument. As for the [Norwegian] radio orchestra under the Czech conductor Petr Popelka, they match the Oslo Philharmonic for lush textures." - The Critic Magazine
"Kielland's even tone, flexibility and brilliant sensitivity to the text make
this a rewarding collection, the intensity and drama of each song
powerful and impassioned." - The Guardian
"this recital will open up a new world for many a Sibelius enthusiast unfamiliar with these lovely songs." - MusicWeb International
"[Kielland's] rootedness works well in the context of a close recording with a small orchestra exceptionally conducted by Petr Popelka who points up the Nordic Noir in these gloomy poems. […] Best of all are 'I natten' ('In the night'), where the plain upfrontedness of Kielland's delivery works well with the tiptoeing orchestra; […] 'En slanda' ('The Dragonfly') with fine word-painting and good sense of the silences" - Gramophone
Tracklisting
Kristiansand Symfoniorkester, Nils Anders Mortensen, Sanae Yoshida, Rolf Gupta, Helge Iberg
Amalie Stalheim, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo filharmonisk kor, Ensemble 96, Peter Szilvay, In
Audun Sandvik, Sveinung Bjelland, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Anna-Maria Helsing
NyNorsk Messingkvintett, Thorolf Thuestad
Engegard Quartet
Engegard Quartet, NyNorsk Messingkvintett
Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Peter Szilvay, Aage Richard Meyer, Cam Kjoll, Ruth Potter
Ssens Trio
Patrick Demenga; Latvian State Academic Choir; Youth Choir Kamer; Riga Cathedral Boys Choir; Andres
Chor "Astrolabium", Tomasz Drozdek T.ETNO, Kinga Litowska
Monika Plachta, Chor Mieszany Katedry Wawelskiej, Andrzej Korzeniowski, Pawel Wajrak, Katarzyna Luk
Roberta Mameli, Adam Kruzel, Polski Chor Kameralny, Sinfonia Varsovia, Jan Lukaszewski
English National Opera Orchestra / Martyn Brabbins
Capella Warmiensis Restituta, Ingrida Gapova, Kacper Szelazek, Aleksander Rewinski, Piotr Pieron
Soloists; Frieder Bernius; Kammerchor Stuttgart
Cologne Chamber Choir, Collegium Cartusianum, Peter Neumann
