Das Christelflein
is rather a strange work and has a commensurately complicated
history. It began life as incidental music and this was subsequently
the basis for an opera in 1917 with added dialogue. In this
live performance given at the Philharmonie am Gasteig, Munich,
in December 2004, Andrea Sokol undertakes the whole narrative
role
The date of the
performance is appropriate. This is a Christmas Fairy Tale
with roles for the Christ Child, Father Christmas, an Old
Fir tree, Christmas Elf, lots of Children and a Chorus of
Angels. It’s certainly a very long way from Palestrina.
The overture is
an extended one – nearly eleven minutes – for a work lasting
not much more than ninety-six minutes of which only just over
seventy consists of actual music. Still, it’s a piquant and
enticing overture – lots of pipy and active wind writing,
a more serious central section and an affectionate simplicity.
Pfitzner once recorded it and Mahler conducted it. The influences
are there though – Tristan but also the lighter Wagner,
and certainly some Smetana touches; Ma Vlast and the
overture and orchestral music of The Bartered Bride.
In the purely orchestral sections of No.6 we can hear
a debt to Schubert’s orchestration and to Dvořák. There
are one or two Straussisms as well and the prevailing ethos
throughout owes a huge debt to Humperdinck’s Hansel and
Gretel. The ensuing music has its fair share of
folksy touches, though there’s plenty of Bohemian and German
forestry and sap in the wind writing throughout. There are
a few disconcerting associations such as No.4 Du holdes
Puppengesicht, which reminds me of Mendelssohn’s I’m
A Roamer. There’s a deliberate quotation in No.5 Nun
woll’n wir einmal seh’n of Tenenbaum.
Elsewhere we hear
some real angelic piety and some bluffly avuncular lines for
Father Christmas. The violin writing in Act II for the children
is really luminous in its clarity and sensitivity. Pfitzner
varies the textures in the Melodram of Act II by having the
narrator speak over music, an effective touch. The longest
and most complex section is No.12 Bei wem das Christkindchen
where there are some coloratura demands such as are not
present elsewhere.
The singers are
all excellent. Marlis Petersen bears the greatest weight and
she proves effortlessly in command of Pfitzner’s requirements,
from the more Elysian moments to the greater strenuous demands
of the second Act. She’s a soprano to watch without question.
The contrast between her soprano and that of the Christ Child
Martina Rüping is dramatically convincing whilst Kevin Connors
and Christian Bauer are highly effective tenors. Michael Volle
is avuncular and well focused. The boys’ choir and orchestra
are smartly and sensitively handled by Flor who directs the
whole performance with commendable sensitivity - and no indication
that he finds any of it sentimental slush.
The drawback is
that no English translations are provided so your German had
better be up to snuff or you’re in trouble. The recorded sound,
live as I indicated, is first class and the booklet notes
go into great detail about the work’s possible Nationalistic-racial
implications. I think we can safely ignore those murky waters
and listen to it for what it is. It’s certainly unlike any
Pfitzner I’ve ever heard and nor have I heard the competition
from 1979 on Orfeo directed by Eichhorn.
Jonathan Woolf
Marlis Petersen
(soprano) – Christelflein
