Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neemi Järvi This 67-minute, orchestra-only version of Wagner’s famous opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen is arranged by
Henk de Vlieger, arranger, composer and percussionist in the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. The work was
commissioned by the orchestra and the result is a 14-section fiery musical spectacle entitled The Ring, an
orchestral adventure. This symphonic ‘compilation’ compresses Wagner’s four mighty Ring operas, yet includes
all the major themes and ‘leitmotifs’. The result is an overwhelming experience and a must for anyone who loves
blazing orchestral colours. The Minneapolis Tribune wrote; “The way that De Vlieger has created transitions
between scenes and acts is quite ingenious…’ “Bits of Rheingold, Walkure, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung
floated past, melded together as if some Wagnerian superman who understood the whole and articulated it in
particular. Highlights were everywhere. Horns, sounded offstage and on, reminded listeners of the great arias,
without the singers to sing it… Toward the end, it actually seemed like we had experienced the entire Ring cycle –
a tribute to the orchestrator’s talents,’ wrote the Boston Herald following a performance of the work. Coupled to
this mighty work is Siegfried Idyll, which is thematically related to the Ring, and although with quite a different
subject matter, complements the Orchestral Adventure perfectly. “Dutch composer Henk de Vlieger describes his symphonic synthesis of the complete Ring cycle as "An Orchestral Adventure"… A bold concept, which in a performance as fine as this works remarkable well…” Gramophone Magazine, April 2008 |
