Steffen Tast - Humperdinck: Der Blaue Vogel - Import 2 CD

Credits:

Steffen Tast

Description:

Maurice Maeterlinck’s fairy-tale play *The Blue Bird*, written for Christmas, was first published in 1908. The story follows Tyltyl and Mytyl, the children of a woodcutter, who are guided by a fairy who appeared in their dreams to search for the “Blue Bird of Happiness.” After traveling to numerous places and embarking on various adventures, they ultimately find the Blue Bird right in their own home. Since Maeterlinck’s works—such as *Ariane and Bluebeard* and *Pelléas and Mélisande*—had already been successfully adapted into operas, many composers attempted to set this new work to music as well. Although the French composer Albert Wolf was the first to adapt the work into an opera—which premiered at the Met—it was subsequently forgotten; however, the production staged by Max Reinhardt in Berlin in 1912 was a huge success. The music for this production was composed by Engelbert Humperdinck, who had made a name for himself with the opera *Hansel and Gretel*. Although this full score was never published, more than 100 years later, it has now been recorded for the first time under the baton of conductor Steffen Tast. Tast skillfully weaves together music with a rich, Wagnerian resonance, presenting it as a dreamlike tale. (The “Seven Symphonic Pictures” included on CD 2 were independently compiled by Tast as a suite when he created a concert score from the manuscript; this is a separate recording from the incidental music.) The story is narrated in a vivid style by the popular German narrator Yuri Tetzlaff. In addition to serving as a presenter for children’s television programs, he is dedicated to promoting music by writing and directing scripts for family-friendly classical concerts. *The narration is in German; the booklet contains text in both German and English. Naxos Japan

Tracklisting:

1.Der Blaue Vogel~Einleitung / Introduction
2.Der Blaue Vogel~Vorspiel: Der Weihnachtstraum / Prologue: The Christmas Dream
3.Der Blaue Vogel~Die Geschichte beginnt / The Story Begins
4.Der Blaue Vogel~Der Weihnachtsabend / The Christmas Eve
5.Der Blaue Vogel~Die Villa der Nachbarn / The Neighbor's Villa
6.Der Blaue Vogel~Eine alte Frau / An Old Woman
7.Der Blaue Vogel~Wo ist der Blaue Vogel? / Where is the Blue Bird?
8.Der Blaue Vogel~Erinnerungen / Memories
9.Der Blaue Vogel~Der Zauberhut / The Magic Hat
10.Der Blaue Vogel~Die Verwandlung / The Transformation
11.Der Blaue Vogel~Brot, Feuer, Katze und Hund / Bread, Fire, Cat and Dog
12.Der Blaue Vogel~Wasser und Milch / Water and Milk
13.Der Blaue Vogel~Zuckerprinz und Lichtkonigin / Sugar-Prince and the Queen of Light
14.Der Blaue Vogel~Ins Zauberland / To the Fairyland
15.Der Blaue Vogel~Das dunkle Haus / The Dark House
16.Der Blaue Vogel~Der Palast der Fee / The Fairy's Palace
17.Der Blaue Vogel~Das Land der Erinnerung / The Land of Memory
18.Der Blaue Vogel~Die Amsel / The Blackbird
19.Der Blaue Vogel~Abschied von den Grosseltern / Departure from the Grandparents
20.Der Blaue Vogel~Enttauschung / Disappointment
1.Sieben symphonische Bilder aus der Schauspielmusik zu Der blaue Vogel~Vorspiel: Der Weihnachtstraum / Introduction: The Christmas Dream
2.Sieben symphonische Bilder aus der Schauspielmusik zu Der blaue Vogel~Die Verwandlung / The Transformation
3.Sieben symphonische Bilder aus der Schauspielmusik zu Der blaue Vogel~Das Land der Erinnerung / The Land of Memory
4.Sieben symphonische Bilder aus der Schauspielmusik zu Der blaue Vogel~Die blauen Vogel / The Blue Birds
5.Sieben symphonische Bilder aus der Schauspielmusik zu Der blaue Vogel~Friedhof - Zaubergarten - Reich der Zukunft / The Cemetery - Enchanted Garden - The Realm of the Future
6.Sieben symphonische Bilder aus der Schauspielmusik zu Der blaue Vogel~Sternenreigen / Starry Rain
7.Sieben symphonische Bilder aus der Schauspielmusik zu Der blaue Vogel~Die Heimkehr / Homecoming