Treemonisha

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共13首歌曲

艺人: Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra
语种: 英语
厂牌: LL Distribution
发行时间: 2003年08月25日
专辑类别: 录音室专辑

专辑介绍

In 1999 the American newspaper

Mississippi Rag polled Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra as world's best band in its genre, which indicates the status of this Norwegian band, not to mention the quality of the music it delivers. Even more evidence accumulates with the release of this live recording of Scott Joplin's legendary opera 'Treemonisha'.

There are probably many who share the honor for this band's existence at its enormously high level since the early 70's, but I'm 100% certain that no-one will be insulted if I give most of the credit to its pianist, organiser and inspiration Morten Gunnar Larsen. Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra was conceived by Larsen when he wanted to go deeper into this almost forgotten genre, and since then the band has appeared and reappeared at intervals to remind us that neither the orchestra or the music has died.

Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra has a thirty year history behind it, whilst the music to which it is dedicated has its origins from about 100 years ago. Scott Joplin published this opera in 1911, while his two best known compositions, "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer", are even older - published in 1899 and 1902 respectively.

As early as 1903 Joplin had written an opera - "A Guest Of Honor", which alas disappeared totally! In Joplin's time it was completely unacceptable that a black composer should involve himself in European classical music and combine it with an african-american form of expression, but fortunately Joplin took no heed of this, and laid much of the foundation for music born later.

Scott Joplin (1868-1917) was inspired by a German choir conductor and music teacher to study this unfamiliar musical language, and became fascinated by opera. He never had the pleasure of seeing his life's work "Treemonisha" performed, and died poor and insane in 1917 without any signals from the contemporary world that his creative efforts were in any way appreciated. It was 1972 before his opera was set up on Broadway - a production which earned him a posthumous Pulitzer-prize. Joplin was undoubtedly the man who pioneered black opera, and paved the way for George Gershwin and his opera "Porgy And Bess" 24 years after "Treemonisha".

Morten Gunnar Larsen writes that this music and libretto could only have been conceived in the USA in the époque after the civil war. The story tells of emancipated slaves and their dreams of learning to read and write. The girl and principal role, Treemonisha, is 18 years old when the story begins, and has been educated by a white family. In the culmination of the opera she is chosen to lead her own people.

This is the "language" under whose skin the nine man strong Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra, impeccably clad in white tie and tails, no less, have managed to come, to an unbelievable degree. The musicians have their backgrounds in jazz, classical music, theater and opera, and it is obvious that Larsen, over whom even the unique legend Eubie Blake was over the moon, has hand picked his musicians with an eye not only to their musical abilities, but also their skill in understanding this special musical language

This recording was made by ORO in Grieghallen in Bergen in March this year together with Seim Songkor from Bergen - who are as far as I can tell an excellent choir. To my ear these two "bands" are exceptional together - the singers have also understood what Scott Joplin wanted, and where he was going.

In all the extremes - and in the areas between as well - of the breadth of jazz, Norwegian jazz has managed to establish itself amongst the world's elite. Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra is a particularly important bearer of a tradition, and it is to be hoped that Morten Gunnar Larsen & Co have the will to bear the torch further for many years. I believe that they will - the style and the music are deep in the souls of these gentlemen.

Treemonisha

专辑介绍

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