The music in this podcast comes from a new CD of his Symphony No. 3, and the world premiere recording of his Symphony NO. 7

Album details…
Catalogue No.: Dacapo 6.220547

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Dacapo by Denise Burt

WE RECOGNIZE them right away – the Americans who drop in on Denmark as tourists for a day, two days or half a day. Wearing sunglasses, camera, short-sleeved shirts and with “Let’s Go Scandinavia” in their hands. And a slightly confused look – where is it that we are today?

IN THE MIDDLE of the nineteenth century the Danish national author Hans Christian Andersen predicted that the future would be just like that. “Young Americans” would come to Europe in steam-powered flying machines. They would inspect the remains of noble old Europe, the last ruins of a legendary culture. The only thing Andersen was mistaken about was the timescale – he called his prophetic tale “In a Thousand Years”.

  

Photo: Jeppe Gudmundsen-Holmgreen

NOT A WORD AGAINST the American Kronos Quartet, who have made a great contribution to global understanding and a better world. But they ARE true-blooded Americans! And they even play with electric amplification! Their old Danish friend, the Danish composer Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen (b. 1932), exploits the Kronos Quartet’s unique qualities in three new works to be released on a CD from Dacapo later in the year. The big work is the “Concerto Grosso”, where the Baroque tradition is played out deep inside the jungle – the orchestra meets Kronos like a Dr. Livingstone. In the quartet work “Last Ground” Gudmundsen-Holmgreen challenges the potent Americans by asking them to play very quietly and in the end to be flooded out by the sea, which washes over the music on an electronic track. And in “Moving – Still” they are allowed to play hectic American guests in Europe, while the baritone Paul Hillier recites Andersen’s tale of the instamatic tourists of the future. Two worlds meet in a provocative and fruitful way.

Jens Cornelius

This podcast looks at a new Da Capo CD that presents three of these pieces: Concerto Grosso, Moving Still and Last Ground.

The podcast includes a full-length interview with the composer.

Album details…
Catalogue No.: CHSA 5066

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* enhanced version of the podcast contains chapter markers and cover art.

Naxos releases two new recordings from the Danish label Dacapo: Rued Langgaard’s Symphony No. 1 “Klippepastoraler” (Mountain Pastorals), BVN 32, featuring conductor Thomas Dausgaard and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Dacapo 6220525); and Volume 2 of the String Quartets of Carl Nielsen, performed by The Young Danish String Quartet (Dacapo 6220522).

Rued Langgaard (1893-1952) completed his first symphony at 17. No Danish composer had written such an ambitious, demanding, lengthy symphony, and his was described as unplayable. But in 1913, the work received its first performance with great success by the Berlin Philharmonic under Max Fiedler. Langgaard’s models were Tchaikovsky, Wagner and Bruckner, but the work exhibits striking originality, illustrating a journey from the foot of a mountain where the surf breaks against the rocks to the magnificent, wide view at the summit.

Carl NIELSEN
String Quartets, Volume 2
The Young Danish String Quartet

In this prizewinning miniseries, Nielsen’s quartets are brought to new life by the gifted Young Danish String Quartet. Gramophone Magazine named Volume 1 of the Complete String Quartets of Carl Nielsen as an “Editor’s Choice,” asking “Has Nielsen been played better? These young Danes set benchmark standards.” Volume 2 features String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 5 and String Quartet in E-Flat major, Op. 14.

Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) brought Danish music into the 20th century; his chamber music holds a prominent position in the international repertoire. The String Quartet in F Minor was first performed during the composer’s visit to Berlin in 1890, and it impressed the most influential musical personalities of the time. The E-flat Major Quartet was published in Copenhagen 10 years later with a dedication to Edvard Grieg.