# Best Peer Gynt (+Sigurd Jorsalfar)



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Still touched by the events that took place in Norway I looked in my CD collection for Norwegian classical music. The complete versions of both Peer Gynt & Sigurd Jorsalfar (DGG 1987) I like very much. But perhaps some of you have even better suggestions....


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Ah, wonderful!

When I saw the title of the thread, I wasn't sure if you'd be giving or looking for recommendations, but I immediately had Jarvi in mind - I definitely think it's the best, for both Peer Gynt and Sigurd Jorsalfar. I particularly love the music in Jorsalfar, and when one of the main themes gets its choral treatment in the final movement - the King's Song - I'm always wonderfully moved.


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

Is this the same recording as this one? If so yes, I agree.


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

This is one I acquired recently:









I chose this one because I liked Bjarte Engeset's work on the Sibelius/Sinding Violin concerto couipling he did for Naxos. I like Jarvi as well, so I expect his version to be top notch.

Thoughts?


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I don't really know Sigurd Jorsalfar that well, but I like to think I know Peer Gynt at least somewhat better.

I haven't heard the Naxos recording with Engeset, although I am a big fan of his recordings of Geirr Tveitt's Hundrad Hardingtonar (which should be required listening. Get both CDs now).

The two recordings I have heard of the complete Peer Gynt, the recording on BIS with Ole Kristian Ruud and the Bergen Philharmonic, and the one with Neeme Järvi and Göteborgs Symfoniker, are both superb recordings. There are however some things to consider when comparing them. 

Both of these recordings include actors who perform a abridged version of Peer Gynt, the one with Ruud is more complete. The actors on both recordings are very good, and are very well known for doing Peer Gynt here in Norway. On the Ruud recording, Peer is voiced by Svein Sturla Hugnes, and Mor Aase is voiced by Kari Simonsen. Both actors are very well known for doing these roles in Norway, but the actors on the Järvi recording are perhaps the greatest Peer and Mor Aase ever.
On the Järvi recording, Peer is voiced by Thoralf Maurstad, truly one of the greatest Norwegian actors of the last generation, and his Peer Gynt is considered legendary. Mor Aase is voiced by Wenche Foss (may she rest forever in peace), the greatest diva Norway has ever known, and truly one of the greatest actresses of her generation. Maurstad and Foss' Peer Gynt and Mor Aase are known, even today, as one of the greatest Norwegian acting performances of all time. 
So if you want some jolly good (voice) acting from some of the greatest Norwegian actors of all time, the Järvi recording is totally the way to go.

The music part of both these recordings are very good, however, I prefer the Ruud recording. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that all the singers are Norwegians (except Håkan Hagegård, but he's Swedish, so we'll let that pass (also, his Norwegian is rather good)). This is, I think, important because Norwegian is a very difficult language to pronounce correctly (as I assume most languages are), and as a native speaker I get rather annoyed at Barbara Bonney in the Järvi recording (who sings Solveig (and possibly Anitra, but I'm not sure)), whose singing is lovely, but her Norwegian diction ruins it all for me. The Solveig on the Ruud recording, Marita Solberg is also a very good singer, but she is Norwegian, and thus doesn't have the same language problems as Bonney. The same problems are encountered in the other numbers with songs, and so based purely on the singing, the Ruud recording is definitely the way to go.
I also have some issues with the tempi on the Järvi recording. Some of Järvi's tempi (especially the ones he uses on No. 5, Peer Gynt og Sæterjentene (Peer Gynt and the Heard Girls), which is utterly delightful) don't make much sense to me, whereas Ruud's generally do make sense. 

So, in short, Järvi for dramatic excellence, Ruud for amazing, amazing music.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

And it seems that Järvi Jr. also has recorded Peer Gynt on Virgin with Mattei and the Estonian National Orchestra. I think I'll have to get this as well.


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## robert (Feb 10, 2007)

What about Schnittke's Peer Gynt Ballet...just as good.....


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