James Sedares - Waxman: Joshua

Title: Waxman: Joshua Artist: James Sedares Release Date: 2006 Label: DG Deutsche Grammopho Duration: 76:12 Album Type(s): composition (work) description, lyrics/libretto, Plot synopsis/story UPC: 028947757245 Genre: Choral Music Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Prelude - Narration. The sun was fading in the west
2. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Chorus. Thus stood time
3. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Interlude (Moses gazing at the Promised Land) - Narration. But with your new morning
4. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Aria. But with your new morning
5. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Aria. Be strong and of good courage!
6. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Chorus. Joshua, son of Nun, be strong
7. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Duet. In all the land of promise there is fear
8. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Aria (Rahab's Plea). I know your God is Lord on high
9. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
   - Part 1. Duet. And, for she feared God
10. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 1. Aria. Sanctify yourselves!
11. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 1. Aria of Perplexity. The walls are great!
12. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 1. Narration. Then Joshua lifted up his eyes
13. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 1. Aria (Rahab's Prayer). Thy terror is about us
14. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 1. Sinfonia (The Siege of Jericho)
15. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 1. Narration & Chorus. Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!
16. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Fanfare - Narration. And Jericho, amid her ruined walls
17. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Chorus. We come from a far country - Free servants of our God then be
18. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Narration. And it came to pass - Chorus. Come!
19. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Chorus (The Watch of Gibeon). Jerusalem! Awake!
20. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Sinfonia (The Battle of Gibeon) - Narration. And till the sinking of the sun
21. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Aria. Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon!
22. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Chorus. All the cities to the Great Sea
23. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Aria (with chorus). The Lord has given you all the land
24. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Narration. So he came to the tree - Aria. This day I am going the way
25. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Aria. Oh, your sisters!
26. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Aria (with chorus). Israel - The Lord has given you a land
27. Joshua, oratorio for voice, narrator, choir & orchestra
    - Part 2. Aria (with chorus). I am old

Film composer Franz Waxman, in addition to creating such timeless movie scores as Rebecca and The Bride of Frankenstein, was also a superb composer of original concert music, particularly in the final two decades of his career. Waxman's 1959 oratorio Joshua, here recorded for the first time on Deutsche Grammophon, is based on a libretto written by British playwright James Forsyth, whose mixture of verse of narration has its own special, euphonious qualities. Actor Maximilian Schell has the narration and does a splendid job of delivering his spoken part. Fans of Los Angeles-based baritone Rodney Gilfry are in for a treat, as he sings the roles of both the title character and his father, Moses. Gilfry does squander this opportunity and treats this project as though it might prove definitive in the course of his already highly distinguished career; mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg is also likewise effective in the emotional and touching role of Nahab. The Prague Philharmonia and Prague Philharmonic Choir go beyond the call of duty for this assignment under James Sedares. The recording, as can be expected from Deutsche Grammophon, is top of the line. Early on in playing back the disc, one may want to experiment a bit with balancing the narration with the rest of it, as Schell's voice is somewhat quieter than a full orchestra with chorus, although there are relatively few loud climaxes in Joshua and overall the work is fairly low key. The story, as elucidated from the -Bible by Forsyth, moves forward very well and is over before you know it.

Joshua isn't what you would think it to be, based on what you might be familiar with in terms of twentieth century treatments of -Old Testament subjects by Jewish composers. In such milieu, one immediately thinks of Arnold Schoenberg and the antiseptic tonal language of his opera Moses and Aron. While there is a tiny bit of that influence here, there isn't much of it. One might also think of Kurt Weill with his pithy, insouciant cabaret style all blown out of proportion and straining at the seams, as it is in Weill's opera The Eternal Road. Again, there's a tiny bit of that stringency found in Joshua, too, but not much. A standard movie score analogy, too, is out of place here -- Joshua is not a movie score grafted to a libretto and sung live, nor is it an opera . Joshua is an oratorio , and a very effective one. Joshua is less like a movie score and more like a movie for your ears; it probably works as well for that purpose in the concert hall as it does on this recording.

Once you start listening to Joshua, you will want to hear the whole thing, so the main challenge is finding the time to hear it all in one sitting. Perhaps a long road trip would be ideal for taking it in. No matter how you experience it, Franz Waxman's Joshua is a masterful and rare effort in twentieth century oratorio , and this recording proves that the work is well worth reviving. With any luck, this Deutsche Grammophon release bodes well for future, similar high-profile recordings of Waxman's non-cinematic fare. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan Lareau Libretto Translation Amália Costa-Karwatky Assistant Engineer Andrea Hechtenberg Booklet Editor Ann Hallenberg Mezzo-Soprano (Vocal) Brant Seegmiller Photography Christian Steiner Photography Christopher Alder Executive Producer Dennis Collins Liner Note Translation James Forsyth Librettist James Sedares Conductor Jirka Kratochvil Choir Master John W. Waxman Executive Producer, Liner Notes Kathrin Steigerwald Cover Design Marie-Therese Karlberg Photography Matthias Spindler Recording Coordinator Maximilian Schell Narrator Michael Fine Producer, Editing, Mastering, Mixing Patrick Poole Tenor (Vocal) Peter Buchi Tenor (Vocal) Philipp Starke Art Direction Prague Philharmonic Choir Choir, Chorus Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra Reinhard Luthje Liner Note Translation Rodney Gilfry Baritone (Vocal) Sato Tsuguru Cover Photo Tamra Saylor Fine Assistant Producer Wolf-Dieter Karwatky Mixing, Mastering, Balance Engineer