Paul Lincke Ouvertures Vol 2 Theis - Cpo555448 - Cpo - Classical - Our Labels - by Cpo

Le premier volume de cette série consacrée à "L’Offenbach allemand", le père de l’opérette berlinoise, réunissait quelques-uns des tubes du compositeur dont l’incontournable "Berliner Luft", extrait de l’opérette "Frau Luna". Le second volet de l’intégrale approfondit des pages peut-être plus narratives encore. On est fasciné par la richesse des thèmes, la profusion des idées musicales, l’utilisation des moyens d’un orchestre – originellement composé de pupitres dédiés aux musiques militaires et de kiosque – qui joue admirablement des marches militaires. Elles n’ont jamais paru aussi peu guerrières, les défilés se transformant en immenses bals, mélodies extraites d’opérettes, voire petits poèmes symphoniques. On retrouve Ernst Theis et la formation de Francfort qui varient - et ce n’est pas une mince affaire – les attaques, les digressions et les codas afin de préserver la fraîcheur et l’humour de ces pages sans prétention et qui sonnent si justes. Les interprétes nous offrent ainsi des lectures d’une jolie souplesse, sans arrière-pensée et qui, surtout, évitent toute trivialité. Que demander de plus ? (Jean Dandrésy)

And shortly after Vol. 1, Vol. 2 is already released with further melody-saturated overtures by Paul Lincke, which are thus as good as complete on cpo. "What Strauss once was for Vienna - Lincke is for Berlin!". These verses by comedian Franz Heigl on Paul Lincke's 75th birthday celebrate the composer not only as the epitome of Berlin light music, but also as the founder of the associated operetta. Just as Strauss's Die Fledermaus was to Viennese operetta, his Frau Luna (soon to be released on cpo) is still considered a prime example of the Berlin variety of this genre, even though it did not take its present form until 30 years after its premiere. In addition to the overture to Frau Luna, there are other entertaining pieces worth hearing - also from one-act operas - such as the overture to the operetta Das blaue Bild from his successful series at the Apollo Theater in 1906, a "Fantasy in One Act." Its very Parisian overture is characterized by a furious presto beginning, striking cornet and clarinet solos, and its sometimes lyrically rapturous, sometimes exuberantly lively dance-like gesture. True authentic Paul Lincke discoveries!