# Jungfrun i tornet (Sibelius)



## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I had nothing better to do this afternoon so I went out to music shop and asked if it's possible to get recording of Jungfrun i tornet. 

Tomorrow I shall get the answer.

Is it worth buying anyway? 

I'm not big fan of Kullervo and I would like to hear that Sibelius could write some better vocal music, good opera would be nice thing to hear from him. I hope it's short and sweet one act stuff. 

Has anyone heard it?

PS. Sibeliuksen tutustuttua Richard Wagnerin oopperoihin hänen mieltään painoi ajatus Kalevalan säveltämiseksi oopperatetralogiaksi Nibelungin sormuksen mallin mukaan. Hän matkusti Bayreuthin musiikkijuhlille kuuntelemaan Parsifalia ja Lohengrinia. Myöhemmin "Veneen luomisen" sävellysprosessi ajautui umpikujaan. Näistä musiikkiaiheista kuitenkin syntyi orkesteriteos Lemminkäinen, jossa on neljä legendaa orkesterille.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Aramis said:


> I had nothing better to do this afternoon so I went out to music shop and asked if it's possible to get recording of Jungfrun i tornet.
> 
> Tomorrow I shall get the answer.
> 
> ...


What don't you like about Kullervo?

Kullervo is clearly a much more inspired work than The Maiden in the Tower. This quaint little opera is probably the work by Sibelius that I lik the least. Quite honestly, I don't think it's very good, and one gets the feeling that Sibelius knew it too. I'm sure its paper-thin libretto did little to spark any inner fire in the composer, much to the opposite of the Kalevala.

I'd say The Maiden in the Tower is best for Sibelius completists or the idle curious. Don't expect a masterpiece.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

In Kullervo the way that voices are used seems very dull to me and parts of the work in which singers are included sound more like short recitatives preceding actual arias which never come afterwards, it's far from exploring possibilities of solists even to common extent. Only choir gets some decent parts. Considering Wagner's influence on young Sibelius I'm curious to hear this opera and though I don't expect, like you said, masterpiece I count on hearing one or two fine arias drawing influence from Wagner but at the same time representing finnish style and which are capebale of making listener think "too bad he changed his mind and abandoned this genre".


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

In Kullervo, Sibelius quotes the text of the Kalevala verbatim. So, I suppose, he was limited with the material. A full-blown solo aria, I guess, could not be wrung from the text he was using. The choir acts as a grand narrator and they get more to sing because there is more 3rd persion narration than anything in the Kullervo story, and indeed, thoughout the whole epic poem.

But I think expecting an aria from Kullervo is a little unfair as it is a tone poem (or symphony, depending on your preference) that happens to use vocals. It is not an opera. I guess you could compare it to Beethoven's use of voice in the 9th. There are no real "arias" in that work either, nor do we expect them. Voice is used as another instrument of the orchestra, and such is the case in Kullervo.

I'll look forward to your comments on The Maiden in the Tower.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Tapkaara said:


> But I think expecting an aria from Kullervo is a little unfair as it is a tone poem (or symphony, depending on your preference) that happens to use vocals. It is not an opera. I guess you could compare it to Beethoven's use of voice in the 9th. There are no real "arias" in that work either, nor do we expect them. Voice is used as another instrument of the orchestra, and such is the case in Kullervo.


An aria was rather shorthand meaning some kind of fluency, longer and progressing musical idea for the singer - the matter of genre can be explaination for what we are talking about, but since my idea of vocal half-tone poem/half-symphony was build on Szymanowski's Song of The Night (



) I may have some higher expectations for the role of singer in such work.

Well, I suppose I have to get the Jungfrun and if it doesn't satisfy me - turn to his songs.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Another thing to consider is Kullervo is, practically, Sibelius's first "major" work. (He had previously composed myriad chamber works and two orchestral "movements" to an aborted symphony). It must have been quite a task for a young, and for all intents and purposes, inexperienced composer to write a massive, 70-minute long work for full orchestra that included a choir and two solo vocalists. If his vocal writing leaves something to be desired in the way of fluency and progression, I think we have to excuse the composer from not yet having the "fluency" he would achieve, vocal or otherwise, in later works!

The vocal tone poem Luonnotar would probably be of interested to you, if you've not heard it already. Perhaps it could be considered an "aria" of sorts, also taking its text verbatim from the Kalevala. And his songs often show great melodic fluency. Granted, neither Luonnotar or his songs are opera, nor Kullervo for that matter, but these are better examples, in my opinion, of Sibelius's writing for the voice than what is found in The Maiden. I should revisit this work myself as I have not listened to it for at least 2 and half years! (Who knows, maybe I'll see that my opinion has changed!)

Interstingly, the music from the Four Lemminkäinen Legends is culled from a proposed opera, Veneen luominen (The Building of the Boat). The famous Swan of Tuonela was to be the overture. It's hard for me to "hear" any good vocal lines in any of the Lemminkäinen music, so I'd have to think the music was reworked pretty well for a purely orchestral version.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Finally, after ages of waiting, my CD station finally decided to be so generous and noticed that Jungfrun sits there since month. Briefly going through the work - no catchy tunes but a lot of fine instrumentation. And the singers sound good. The soprano (Mari-Anne Haggander) has strong, radiant voice - it alone makes listening pleasure.

btw.



> It's hard for me to "hear" any good vocal lines in any of the Lemminkäinen music, so I'd have to think the music was reworked pretty well for a purely orchestral version.


I think all great music "sings" and even in instrumental music vocal-like lines are highly desired.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I haven't heard Sibelius' only opera but am very curious to hear it as I have long been a 
great admirer of this composer. Kullervo is a wonderful work,though, and fortunately,
it was rescued from oblivion within the past 40 years or so,as the composer somehow 
wanted to suppress it during his lifetime.
Luonnotar is also an amazing work, strange and haunting. 
If you want to hear a couple of genuine Scandinavian operatic masterpieces, you must 
hear the two by Carl Nielsen, Denmark's greatest composer, who was born in the same year 1865 . They are the joyous and witty comic opera Maskarade, and the powerful Biblical opera Saul & David, based on the Old Testament. Nielsen and Sibelius were friends,and greatly admired each other's music. 
The Decca recording of Maskarade ,with Ulf Schirmer and the Danish Radio symphony may be hard to find, as well as the Chandoes recording of Saul and David conducted by Neeme Jarvi with the same orchestra. Both feature some outstanding Scandinavian singers such as the late Aage Haugland Bo Skovhus, , Susanne Resmark Anne Gjevang, and others,
And you simply must get the DVD of a live performance of Maskarade from the Royal Danish opera conducted by Michael Schonwandt. I doubt you'll ever have more fun with a comic opera.It's a blast !
Masakarade deals with high jinks at a masked ball in Copenhagen and is one of the best comic operas ever.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Aramis said:


> Finally, after ages of waiting, my CD station finally decided to be so generous and noticed that Jungfrun sits there since month. Briefly going through the work - no catchy tunes but a lot of fine instrumentation. And the singers sound good. The soprano (Mari-Anne Haggander) has strong, radiant voice - it alone makes listening pleasure.
> 
> btw.
> 
> I think all great music "sings" and even in instrumental music vocal-like lines are highly desired.


I agree, all truly great music sings in one way or another.

I am glad you could enjoy The Maiden in the Tower. I have not listened to it in a few years, I must admit, so maybe my general opinion could turn. Yes, I agree, the instrumentation is great, as it is in all of Sibelius. Someone once referred to Sibelius's instrumentation as "clumsy." I sure do not agree with that!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Aramis said:


> Sibeliuksen tutustuttua Richard Wagnerin oopperoihin hänen mieltään painoi ajatus Kalevalan säveltämiseksi oopperatetralogiaksi Nibelungin sormuksen mallin mukaan. Hän matkusti Bayreuthin musiikkijuhlille kuuntelemaan Parsifalia ja Lohengrinia. Myöhemmin "Veneen luomisen" sävellysprosessi ajautui umpikujaan. Näistä musiikkiaiheista kuitenkin syntyi orkesteriteos Lemminkäinen, jossa on neljä legendaa orkesterille.


Sure, sure! I *entirely* agree with what you said above (whatever it is).:lol:


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

superhorn said:


> I haven't heard Sibelius' only opera but am very curious to hear it as I have long been a
> great admirer of this composer. Kullervo is a wonderful work,though, and fortunately,
> it was rescued from oblivion within the past 40 years or so,as the composer somehow
> wanted to suppress it during his lifetime.
> ...


Their is an earlier recording of Saul and David which I believe is still available on CD. The Danish Radio Symphony and Chorus conducted by Jascha Horenstein featuring Boris Christoff, Alexander Young, Elisabeth Soderstrom and Kim Borg and others. An excellent cast singing in English.


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