Sibelius: Orchestral Songs

 

My main basis for comparison to this recording of orchestrated songs from Finnish composer Jean Sibelius is that from Gerald Finley on Chandos, which I heard recently (BLOG). If you haven't listened to that performance, pardon any comparisons.

The two programs couldn't be more different. Finley mixes the songs to best accommodate variety and a thematic carry-through across the recital. 

Here LAWO groups the songs together in their opus-numbered song sets, so there is no intent of program other than to present the songs as the composer wrote them. They cover op. 36 - 38 and op. 17 from Sibelius, with only one song missing from each set of songs.

Norwegian mezzo-soprano Marianne Beate Kielland has a bright, yet slender voice. She has a particularly lovely middle register, although the application of her vocal technique is inconsistent. Her top range is best with a preparation note, where Kielland tends to try to find the note if it begins up there. I do like her low register, although I think she could do more with it.

These songs are a bit of a dreary set. Kielland generally goes for the poetry of word and music rather than any inherent theatricality of story. This is different from Finley who treated Sibelius' songs in the mold of Schubert, where orchestra and voice bore defined roles to a dramatic end. In this way, I almost heard a French timbre to Sibelius' songs here, especially in some of the orchestrations; this aspect makes the voice and words more flowery in presentation.

I do like the sound of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra under the direction of Petr Popelka, an up-and-coming Czech conductor. As mentioned before, the orchestra sounds more as mood dressing than bearing any vivid characterization. None of these elements are slams against this recording, but more observation in retrospect with another recording.

If you do want to hear the art songs of Sibelius sung by tried and true Finns, Soile Isokoski is fabulous on Ondine, even at a later age, and Jarmo Hynninen is perhaps the burliest approach to Sibelius, also on Ondine. At 44 minutes, this recording from Kielland is short, although Finley was at 50 minutes alongside some orchestral tone poems as filler, so they stand at similar recital lengths. Thankfully, these two singers present different songs with different arrangers, so Finley and Kielland complement more than contrast, with only four Sibelius songs carrying over between the two.

That said, I don't think this recording under review can stand against Isokoski or Finley very well. I simply don't think her vocal quality has a strong enough profile, although Kielland's mezzo is a lovely instrument, and is quite different from those who came before her on record.

 

 

Works
Seven Songs, op. 17 nos. 1-3 & 5-7
Six Songs, op. 36 nos. 1-2 & 4-6
Five Songs, op. 37 nos. 1 & 3-5
Five Songs, op. 38 nos. 1-3

Soloists
Marianne Beate Kielland, mezzo-soprano

Performers
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
Petr Popelka, conductor

Label: LAWO
Year: 2022
Total Timing: 44.20

 

 

 

Not my favorite recital of orchestrated Sibelius songs, but this genre is outstanding from the composer and should not be overlooked.

Quality of voice can be a personal thing, so try out Kielland with Isokoski and see what you like. Certainly this is a very fine performance.