572260 bk Carmen 31/12/10 14:19 Page 16 Raquel Meller as Carmen © Cinémathèque française 8.572260 16 572260 bk Carmen 31/12/10 14:19 Page 2 Ernesto Halffter (1905-1989) Mark Fitz-Gerald Music for the silent film Mark Fitz-Gerald studied in London at the Royal College of Music, where his professors included Norman Del Mar, winning all the major prizes for both orchestral and operatic Carmen (1926) conducting. It was during this time that Henze invited him to This track list utilizes the composer’s own movement Andalusia take part in the first Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte in titles in the few places where he indicated them on the Montepulciano, as a result of which he was invited regularly autograph score. The bold geographical headings and 4 “En Andalousie”. Triste et mystérieuse 6:28 to Switzerland as Guest Conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta. the descriptions in italics, derived partly from the main The smugglers’ camp in the mountains – Carmen is From 1983 to 1987 he was Artistic Director of the RIAS intertitles of the film and partly from the narrative of bullied by García, her ‘rom’ (‘gypsy husband’) into Jugendorchester (West Berlin) where his innovative Prosper Mérimée’s novella Carmen, are intended to help infiltrating the tobacco factory in Seville as a worker Filmharmonic Concerts received much acclaim and were later the listener to relate the music on this recording to the made available on CD. He returned there to continue the film action. Since the film lasts nearly three hours, Seville series with the Berlin Rundfunkorchester in 1992. Since then whereas Halffter’s music has a duration of he has performed the very specialised task of accompanying approximately sixty minutes, and not all the sections 5 “Real Fabrica de Tabacos” (Seville) 11:24 silent films live with orchestra, with much success in many have a specific designation in the context of the film, a Changing of the guard – Midday break for the factory countries and festivals throughout the world. Described as certain element of conjecture has been necessary in girls – The girls at prayer in the chapel – The factory “one of the indispensable Shostakovich interpreters of our relating the music to the film action. fight – Carmen is led away through the streets under time”, he has performed the Trauberg/Shostakovich classic guard of Don José – Carmen’s escape – Don José New Babylon (1929) to great critical acclaim, in particular at condemned to prison the Japanese première of the work (opening concert of the The village of Elizondo (Northern Navarre) 6 Mystérieux, calme 0:49 Tokyo Summer Festival in 2000) and the Rotterdam Gergiev Don José in his prison cell Festival 2001. With the help of Mrs Irina Shostakovich and 1 Animé 1:26 7 Mystérieux 0:48 Krzystof Meyer he has restored the complete score to another Don José Lizzarrabengoa runs to his mother’s house, The smugglers’ camp in the mountains – Attack by the Trauberg/Shostakovich film, Odna (1929), and conducted pursued by the authorities. customs’ guards from Malaga – Arrest and the world première (the first Shostakovich première for over 2 Modéré (Sombre) 4:27 imprisonment of García – Demotion and release of twenty years) in Holland and later in Paris, with enormous Confession: ‘J’ai tué un homme.’ (I have killed a Don José – Outside the Colonel’s house in Seville – success. He conducted the United Kingdom première at the Barbican centre in 2006 and his restoration is now man) – Flashback Arrival of Carmen to entertain the officers published in the new complete edition of the composer’s works. His critically acclaimed recording of Odna 8 Très retenu 1:29 (8.570316) was followed by a no less successful recording of Shostakovich’s The Girlfriends and other previously Don José journeys south through Castille to Carmen flirts with Don José – An officer beckons her unrecorded works (8.572138). His accompaniment of the 1927 silent film ‘Wings’ with Carl Davis’ score at the Andalusia back into the house 2010 Pordenone Festival was so successful that it led to an immediate re-invitation by the Festival’s director, 9 “Danse de Carmen”. Moderato non troppo. David Robinson. In 1986 he was appointed Music Director of Kentish Opera, with whom he has conducted many 3 “La Vieille Castille”. Animé. 1:26 Pesante 2:31 successful productions. He has assisted regularly at the Vienna Staatsoper, as well as the Vienna Kammeroper. In At a tavern Don José meets an officer who recruits Carmen dances for the officers’ pleasure 1992 he made his début at the Vienna Volksoper with The Cunning Little Vixen, and in 1994 conducted the world him into the army 0 Pesante (mais en mesure) 3:48 première of an opera by the Mexican composer Victor Razgado at Spoleto in conjunction with the Italian producer Evening: Don José and Carmen alone on the city wall Luca Ronconi. In 1994 he conducted The Nutcracker for the Vienna Festival Ballet. His career has brought guest ! “Soledad”. Allegretto. 1:12 engagements with orchestras throughout Europe and in Japan. From 1989 to 1993 he was Associate Conductor of Don José searches for Carmen in the streets and bars the Orquesta Classica do Porto, Portugal. He was Assistant Conductor in Strasbourg both at the Philharmonic at night Orchestra and at the Opéra du Rhin from 1997 to 2002. His début with the London Philharmonic Orchestra is scheduled for 2012. 8.572260 2 15 8.572260 572260 bk Carmen 31/12/10 14:19 Page 14 Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra Tarifa Ronda @ % Photo: Anna Meuer and Tim Wegner “La route de la côte vers Tarifa” 5:11 “Paso Doble”. Brillante 1:36 Carmen travels by coach to Tarifa to make The bullfight at Ronda arrangements for García’s escape – Don José deserts ^ Mystérieux, calme 1:50 the army and joins the smugglers – García escapes Having been fatally gored, Lucas is carried into the from prison chapel # A l’aube. Très lointain 1:34 & “Mort de Carmen”. Calme 8:01 The soldiers ambush the smugglers Don José and Carmen ride into a deserted forest – He pleads with her to stay with him – She looks away and Gaucin – Ronda throws his ring to the ground – Don José stabs Carmen – Don José returns to the guardhouse in $ Triste et mystérieuse 12:57 Gaucin and turns himself in. Village of Gaucin: Don José in hiding – Carmen sees a poster offering a reward for his capture – She meets Lucas the bullfighter – She reads his palm – He flirts with her – Lucas invites her to the bullfight at Ronda – Carmen returns to the safe house – Don José beats her violently – On Sunday she leaves for the bullring – The bullring – Lucas prays in the chapel Founded more than 80 years ago, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (hr-Sinfonieorchester), Germany’s third oldest radio orchestra, is among the leading and most versatile European orchestras today. With its broad repertoire, an impressive number of CDs and a wide range of concerts each year, the orchestra and its Chief Conductor Paavo Järvi have established an outstanding international reputation on renowned international stages including London (the Proms), Amsterdam (the Concertgebouw), Vienna, Salzburg, Paris, Budapest and Prague, and as far afield as Following enquiries of BILD-KUNST, the collecting society providing copyright protection for artists, photographers and Japan and China. Following a line of succession of great conductors including Hans Rosbaud, Dean Dixon, Eliahu graphic designers in Germany, and of the Cinémathèque française, Paris, copyright holders in the film, Naxos has been unable Inbal and Hugh Wolff, Estonian Paavo Järvi has been Chief Conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra to ascertain ownership of the copyright in Curt Wolfram Kiesslich’s poster for the 1926 Berlin screening of Jacques Feyder’s since 2006, enriching it through his work with new and exciting repertoire in all styles and from all periods. This Carmen. The poster has been made available to Naxos courtesy of the Cinémathèque française. includes the boundary-crossing Music Discovery Project, participation in the Sir Georg Solti International Conductors’ Competition and numerous children and youth projects. 8.572260 14 3 8.572260 572260 bk Carmen 31/12/10 14:19 Page 4 Ernesto Halffter (1905-1989) Conductor’s note Music for the silent film Carmen (1926) The published full score of Halffter’s Carmen seems to Ambiguities and inconsistencies are almost endless as Ernesto Halffter (1905-1989), born in Madrid to a family vocal work. He also made a number of arrangements be the work of several copyists, in the very distinctive each copyist seems to have had to hurriedly interpret of German origin, began composing at the age of for orchestra of compositions by Salazar, Falla, 1920s house style of the composer’s publisher Max the original sources in various ways. Individual lines thirteen with his first notated work for piano, Mompou and Granados. However, his most significant Eschig (Paris). Many works are familiar to us in this often have blank bars and in one section only a skeleton Crepúsculos. His piano teacher, Francisco Ember, gave international reputation was achieved by his painstaking beautiful writing, including those of Halffter’s teacher score of main lines is to be found. There are even some a performance of this work, attracting the interest of and somewhat controversial completion over many and mentor Manuel de Falla. parts copied onto the wrong line. Dynamics as well as Adolfo Salazar (1890-1958), one of Spain’s foremost years of Manuel de Falla’s choral masterpiece Atlántida. The score remained untouched and unplayed since accidentals are frequently missing or muddled. The harp music critics. Salazar sent the score of Halffter’s string Halffter’s score for Carmen, hitherto neglected and its première at the Théâtre Marivaux, Paris in 1926 until line is a special case as the composer follows his trio, Homenajes (1922), to Manuel de Falla, who began forgotten, is an epic achievement.