Composer: Hans Pfitzner
Performer: Marlis Petersen, Martina Rueping, Kevin Connors, Christian Bauer, Michael Volle, Andreas Hoerl, Friedemann Roehlig, Richard Salter, Andrea Sokol, Tollzer Knabenchor
Orchestra: Münchner Rundfunkorchester
Conductor: Claus Peter Flor
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: CPO
Catalogue: 7771552
Release: 2005
Size: 414 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Das Christ-Elflein, Op. 20
CD 01
Act I
01. Ouverture
02. Zwischentext
03. Sie schlafen alle, weit und breit! (Elflein, Tannegreis)
04. Zwischentext
05. Krank? O weh! Was mag das sein?
06. Zwischentext
07. Ich schreite durch den Schnee einher (Knecht Rupprecht)
08. Zwischentext
09. Du holdes Puppengesicht (Knecht Rupprecht, Jochen, Franz, Christkindchen, Elflein, Tannegreis)
10. Zwischentext
11. Nun woll’n wir einmal seh’n (Tannegreis)
12. Zwischentext
13. Tannenjunker! (Elflein, Tannegreis, Engel)
CD 02
Act II
01. Introduction
02. Zwischentext
03. Wo ist der Baum? (Gumpach, Franz, Frieder)
04. Melodram: Du bist der Frieder
05. O komm’ in uns’re Mitte (Kinder)
06. Zwischentext
07. Als Christ, der Herr, verklaret war (Knecht Rupprecht)
08. Zwischentext – Act II: Instrumental
09. Bei wem das Christkindchen heut’ kehrt ein (Christkindchen, Frieder, Elfein, Tannegreis)
10. Zwischentext
11. Christkindchen tut lauten (Christkindchen, Knecht Rupprecht, Elflein, Engel)
12. Zwischentext
13. Alle Englein freuen sich (Engel, Trautchen, Frieder, Tannegreis)
The Christmas fairy-tale involving the elf of the title, the Christ child, a fir tree and a sick girl (a mute part) cured by the intervention of the Christ child, is fairly mawkish but Pfitzner clothed is in music of Humperdinck-like melodiousness and light instrumentation… The musical setting lasts not much more than 75 minutes, consisting of an overture and several beautiful, often moving numbers. Ingenuous as they may be, they are unassumingly right for the simple sincerity of the story. They are played lovingly by the Munich Radio Orchestra under Claus Peter Flor’s sympathetic baton. The most significant part is that of the title-role… The accomplished Marlis Petersen easily encompasses its appreciable difficulties singing with a crystalline tone and expressive feeling that recall the artistry of Lucia Popp.
Marlis Petersen… takes off as the Christmas Elf and Friedemann Röhlig is a deliciously grumpy Old Fir Tree. The Tölz Boy’s Choir sing like the angels they’re supposed to be… Das Christ-Elflein is welcome for as a reminder of the late Romantic tradition of writing Christmas operas for children…
