Schumann's secular oratorio premiered to great acclaim in Leipzig in 1843 and proved a success in the rest of Europe as well. But the piece gradually lost its popularity in the 20th century and is rarely performed today. The libretto is based on a tale from Lalla Rookh, by Thomas Moore, about the Peri, a mythical Persian creature expelled from Paradise. The Peri gains re-entry to its former home after producing a tear from the cheek of a remorseful sinner. It is a story of redemption, clearly influenced by other works, among them Faust.
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Still, Rattle created an exciting drama of it. Not in a forced way or with special tricks, but with an incredible sense of balance. The performance was neither exaggerated nor understated, but Rattle maintained the tension until the very end. He knows well how a 40-minute, densely structured process should be attacked, he knows the logic of musical phrases, and he possesses the secret of a continual and yet constantly hovering tempo. He also knows when the piece needs new impetus. He allows the music to breath without letting it slip from the iron fist of form.
