ERLING WOLD: Mordake – John Duykers, tenor/additional vocalists/San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra/Mark Alburger – MinMaxMusic

by | Jul 22, 2010 | Classical CD Reviews | 0 comments

ERLING WOLD: Mordake – John Duykers, tenor/additional vocalists/San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra/Mark Alburger – MinMaxMusic CD 018, 57:45 [info@starkland.com]  ***:


Until this disc I had never heard of Erling Wold, much as I try to keep up with new and younger composers. A few minutes into this piece I felt a stylistic connection to John Adams. After reading up on Mr. Wold and learning that he is from San Francisco, worked at Berkeley and is a member of the same cohort of composers and performers which includes Andrew Imbrie, Kyle Gann, Paul Dreshler and John Duykers, the reasons for the similarities seem clear, if not intentional.

The piece is based on the bizarre but true story of Edward Mordake (sometimes spelled Mordrake), a nineteenth century English noble who had the exceptional birth defect of being born with a split cranium. Essentially he was one of two genetically undeveloped twins, his head having a second partial head including a face on the back. (I suggest that this is worth an internet search!) The libretto, by Douglas Kearney is lean and simple, befitting the score. The music is an outgrowth of pure minimalism and reliant on repeated, almost ethereal, patterns of harmony and melody. The story is conveyed in blends of monologue and dialogue between Mordake, his servant, and the voice coming from the vestigial face that – both in the opera and in documentation of Mordake’s life – Mordake swears he hears, and converses with. The star of this brief but captivating piece is John Duykers, who has made a virtual career out of promoting new music and roles created especially for his fluid tone, clear diction and occasionally tortured theatrical persona. In “Mordake”, his portrayal of a sad lonely man whom nature has treated cruelly and descends into madness is clear and strongly felt. Duykers has collaborated with John Adams, Philip Glass and previously with Erling Wold, in his “Sub Pontio Pilato”, on the last days of Pontius Pilate.

Moments in the piece are emotional and attention-getting, such as the closing monologue, “My sister, my love”.  The recording and packaging are top quality. Every word can be heard and the small orchestral forces are neither lost nor overwhelming. Kudos to sound engineers Jay Cloidt and to Mr. Wold (himself an engineer as it happens).  I am motivated to learn more about Mr. Wold and suggest that anyone who enjoys new opera, is a fan of John Duykers, or likes anything that is in the general northern California “para-minimalism” camp would enjoy this disc a great deal!

—  Daniel Coombs