Per Norgard – Siddharta (1995)

This release is about the mythical tale of Buddha when he still went by his true name Siddharta; a young prince who was kept away from pain and hurt by his father in order to retain purity of soul. Therefore, he was raised in complete innocence, thus causing others to suffer on behalf of his father’s unrealistic intentions. The opera, then, tells about the revelation that comes to Buddha when he realizes his youth has been spent in an illusion. We all know about the conclusions he drew from that enlightenment: Buddha abandoned his riches and chose to live in poverty and suffer hardships.

It took a while for Norgard to complete this opera. The large booklet meticulously explains that his methods of composing could not adequately capture the turning point in Buddha’s life; Norgard somehow had to go through a musical catharsis himself in order to be able to reflect this apocalyptic change.
Besides Siddharta the CD set includes the percussion concerto For a Change which is an orchestral version of one of Nørgårds most famous works, I Ching for solo percussion.

Tracks

CD1

01. Act I: Introduction Folket straler, lyser [0:06:52.03]
02. Musik! [0:06:35.67]
03. Se: Maya star sa ene [0:02:14.53]
04. Se Maya danser [0:04:11.70]
05. Hor, Maya har fodt [0:01:53.70]
06. Gik mod nord [0:02:43.20]
07. Han vil se [0:01:40.12]
08. Al jordens lyst skal binde ham [0:06:09.30]
09. Sorgen har ramt os [0:03:31.58]
10. Act II: introduction [0:02:38.10]
11. Nu straler dagens lys [0:01:44.60]
12. Men under hver blomst [0:05:53.32]
13. Se der! Hvem danser? [0:07:50.08]
14. Elskov er grusom [0:01:53.02]
15. Contest [0:05:54.68]
16. Yasodhara: der er du? [0:01:54.27]
17. Bryllup, bryllup nu! [0:06:23.15]
18. Selv nu er jeg bange [0:03:00.23]

CD2

01. Act III: introduction [0:02:42.60]
02. Mragatrashana, tryllerske tryl for os [0:07:42.73]
03. Forlunderlige Amra [0:05:00.07]
04. Hun er syg, hun er syg, syg [0:09:19.20]
05. Sa er det sket [0:04:22.35]
06. I denne nat [0:03:31.58]
07. Ja, min fader [0:04:34.17]

For a Change - Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra

08. Thunder Repeated: The Image of Shock [0:07:44.23]
09. The Taming Power of the Small [0:01:51.00]
10. The Gentle, the Penetrating [0:06:59.70]
11. Towards completion: Fire Over Water [0:09:39.50]

Performers

Danish National Choir
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Jan Latham-Koenig, conductor

Stig Fogh Andersen, tenor
Christian Christiansen, bass
Poul Elming, tenor
Anne Frellesvig, soprano
Birgitte Frieboe, mezzo soprano
Edith Guillaume, mezzo soprano
Erik Harbo, tenor
Aage Haugland, bass
Kim Janken, barytone
Tina Kiberg, soprano
Gert Mortensen, percussion
Minna Nyhus, mezzo soprano