Svenska Dagbladet, October 9, 2005: Difference between revisions
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Elvis Costello har alltid varit en skicklig kompositör, från de tidiga popdängorna (genom tidens vårdslösa gång alltför ofta kallade punk) över samarbetet med [[Brodsky Quartet|Brodskykvartetten]], jazzgitarristen [[Bill Frisell]], [[Anne Sofie von Otter]] och [[Burt Bacharach]] till de sånger han skrivit med [[Diana Krall]]. Elvis Costello har även komponerat [[Il Sogno|balettmusik]]. Att han nu tar steget över till opera är inte särskilt förvånande. | Elvis Costello har alltid varit en skicklig kompositör, från de tidiga popdängorna (genom tidens vårdslösa gång alltför ofta kallade punk) över samarbetet med [[Brodsky Quartet|Brodskykvartetten]], jazzgitarristen [[Bill Frisell]], [[Anne Sofie von Otter]] och [[Burt Bacharach]] till de sånger han skrivit med [[Diana Krall]]. Elvis Costello har även komponerat [[Il Sogno|balettmusik]]. Att han nu tar steget över till opera är inte särskilt förvånande. | ||
Naturligtvis har det hela karaktären av ett work-in-progress, även om scenografin förankrar framförandet i berättelsens 1800-tal. Det gör ingenting. Sällan har vi sett kompositionsprocessen så blottlagd, som när Gisela Stille suveränt brottar ner de tekniska svårigheterna i The Misfit, där Liverpools hamn 1850 utgör scenbilden. Eller när Elvis Costello själv, trots sina begränsade vokala resurser, ger en klar bild av hur det kommer att låta när skolade sångare tar sig an Andersens och Barnums roller. Eller när Steve Nieve med sitt breda pianospel ger en föreställning om hur pampiga orkesterpartierna kommer att bli. | Naturligtvis har det hela karaktären av ett work-in-progress, även om scenografin förankrar framförandet i berättelsens 1800-tal. Det gör ingenting. Sällan har vi sett kompositionsprocessen så blottlagd, som när Gisela Stille suveränt brottar ner de tekniska svårigheterna i [[The Misfit]], där Liverpools hamn 1850 utgör scenbilden. Eller när Elvis Costello själv, trots sina begränsade vokala resurser, ger en klar bild av hur det kommer att låta när skolade sångare tar sig an Andersens och Barnums roller. Eller när Steve Nieve med sitt breda pianospel ger en föreställning om hur pampiga orkesterpartierna kommer att bli. | ||
Konsertens karaktär av work-in-progress gör det också lättare att acceptera att Costellos röst ibland spricker. Vi hör inte en konsert med Elvis Costello, vi ser honom demonstrera materialet till en opera. | Konsertens karaktär av work-in-progress gör det också lättare att acceptera att Costellos röst ibland spricker. Vi hör inte en konsert med Elvis Costello, vi ser honom demonstrera materialet till en opera. | ||
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He calls his opera'''[[The Secret Songs]]''' . Until last Saturday the songs were also secret. Not even Tina Turner has sung them, as Elvis Costello said himself, when along with Swedish soprano [[Gisela Stille]], percussionist Bent Clausen, blower and bassist [[Bebe Risenfors]], cellist Amit Sen and old partner, pianist [[Steve Nieve]] he featured songs in a concert version at the Royal Opera. | He calls his opera'''[[The Secret Songs]]''' . Until last Saturday the songs were also secret. Not even Tina Turner has sung them, as Elvis Costello said himself, when along with Swedish soprano [[Gisela Stille]], percussionist Bent Clausen, blower and bassist [[Bebe Risenfors]], cellist Amit Sen and old partner, pianist [[Steve Nieve]] he featured songs in a concert version at the Royal Opera. | ||
Elvis Costello has always been a talented composer, from the early days of pop (through the passage of careless once too often called punk) to partnerships with the [[Brodsky Quartet]], jazz guitarist [[Bill Frisell]], [[Anne Sofie von Otter]] and [[Burt Bacharach]] for the songs he wrote with [[Diana Krall]]. Elvis Costello has also composed ballet music. That he is now taking the step to opera is not particularly surprising. | Elvis Costello has always been a talented composer, from the early days of pop (through the passage of careless once too often called punk) to partnerships with the [[Brodsky Quartet]], jazz guitarist [[Bill Frisell]], [[Anne Sofie von Otter]] and [[Burt Bacharach]] for the songs he wrote with [[Diana Krall]]. Elvis Costello has also composed [[Il Sogno|ballet music]]. That he is now taking the step to opera is not particularly surprising. | ||
Of course, the whole character is of a work-in-progress, even if the set design anchors the performance narrative in the 1800s. It does nothing. Rarely have we seen the composition process so exposed, as when Gisela Stille is supreme in wrestling down the technical difficulties in [[The Misfit]], where Liverpool's port in 1850 constitutes the setting. Or when Elvis Costello himself, despite his limited vocal resources, gives a clear picture of how it will sound when trained singers take on Andersen's and Barnum's roles. Or when Steve Nieve with his wide piano gives an idea of how grand orchestral parts will be. The concerto nature of work-in-progress also makes it easier to accept Costello's voice sometimes cracking. We do not hear a concert by Elvis Costello, we see him demonstrate the material for an opera. | Of course, the whole character is of a work-in-progress, even if the set design anchors the performance narrative in the 1800s. It does nothing. Rarely have we seen the composition process so exposed, as when Gisela Stille is supreme in wrestling down the technical difficulties in [[The Misfit]], where Liverpool's port in 1850 constitutes the setting. Or when Elvis Costello himself, despite his limited vocal resources, gives a clear picture of how it will sound when trained singers take on Andersen's and Barnum's roles. Or when Steve Nieve with his wide piano gives an idea of how grand orchestral parts will be. The concerto nature of work-in-progress also makes it easier to accept Costello's voice sometimes cracking. We do not hear a concert by Elvis Costello, we see him demonstrate the material for an opera. | ||
It can be a brilliant one. Costello has written a series of shimmering melodies. The driven pasticher he is, he pulls himself nor to refine the emotional and expressive modes. When Barnum presents its attractions in American Humbug (Jenny Lind as well as George Washington's hundred sixty annuals slave), the mood is hilarious, an amazing opera vaudeville. When Costello accepts Anderson's coat, he commutes between dreamy and melancholic, sometimes tearful moods. Jenny | It can be a brilliant one. Costello has written a series of shimmering melodies. The driven pasticher he is, he pulls himself nor to refine the emotional and expressive modes. When Barnum presents its attractions in American Humbug (Jenny Lind as well as George Washington's hundred sixty annuals slave), the mood is hilarious, an amazing opera vaudeville. When Costello accepts Anderson's coat, he commutes between dreamy and melancholic, sometimes tearful moods. Jenny Lind's parties in places spectacularly beautiful, and they develop even more by the close collaboration between Costello and Stille. Of course I'm fascinated also by the breaks between Costello's cracked voice and Gisela Stille's exquisite soprano. | ||
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{{Bibliography notes header}} | {{Bibliography notes header}} | ||
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[[Category:Newspaper articles|Svenska Dagbladet 2005-10-09]] | [[Category:Newspaper articles|Svenska Dagbladet 2005-10-09]] | ||
[[Category:Concert reviews|Svenska Dagbladet 2005-10-09]] | [[Category:Concert reviews|Svenska Dagbladet 2005-10-09]] | ||
[[Category:Svenska|Dagbladet, Svenska 2005-10-09 | |||
Revision as of 11:25, 3 January 2014
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External links
[[Category:Svenska|Dagbladet, Svenska 2005-10-09
