OA1030: Emmerich Kálmán Symphonic Poems; Saturnalia, Endre és Johanna, & more

Emmerich Kálmán  (1882 ‒ 1953)

OVERTURE AND SYMPHONIC POEMS

1.  Overture to Ein Herbstmanöver (1909)

2.  Saturnalia (Symphonic Scherzo for Large Orchestra) (1904)

3.  Endre és Johanna (Symphonic Poem for Large Orchestra) (1906)

Charles Kalman  (1929 ‒ 2015)

4.  La Parisienne (waltz)

Emmerich Kálmán

MUSIC FROM THE OPERETTAS

5.  Gräfin Mariza:  “Fein könnt’ auf der Welt es sein” (1924)

            Scott Rumble, tenor

6.  Die Csárdásfürstin:  “Heia, heia, in den Bergen ist mein Heimatland” (1915)

            Elena Razlog, soprano

            UBC Opera Ensemble: Nancy Hermiston, director

Jonathan Girard

University of British Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Hungarian-born Emmerich Kálmán is today the world’s most performed operetta composer.  Yet, as with so many operetta composers, he began his career aspiring toward a future in “serious” music.  This CD features world-premiere recordings of two symphonic poems that he penned before embarking on his nearly half-century operetta journey.  The CD also features the rip-roaring overture to his first operetta, two arias from his most popular operettas, and a delightful waltz from his composer/son Charles.