Langgaard – Symphonies Nos. 1-16
Performing with: Inger Dam-Jensen (mezzo-soprano), Johan Reuter (baritone), Lars Petersen (tenor) & Per Salo (piano); Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Choir
Chaotic, vigorous and vital in equal measure, Dausgaard, Danish Radio and Dacapo do the cycle proud.
It’s great to see a national label working so hard and so successfully to preserve its cultural heritage.
All 16 bulging, well-orchestrated orchestral statements are hereby recorded. Langgaard fans, get out of the closets and go for it!
Music of near genius, quirk and quiddity; this bumper set has it all, Dacapo’s Super Audio recording is very impressive indeed.
About
With his symphonies the Danish composer Rued Langgaard offered 16 vastly different versions of what a symphony can be. His captivating, complex genius made room for all conceivable idioms and a wealth of styles ranging from the grandiosely Late Romantic to the purest Absurdism. This box is the first collected recording of Langgaard’s 16 symphonies based on the critical edition of the scores; recordings which demonstrate, with spectacular sound quality, Langgaards masterly grasp of the orchestra and his ecstatic view of art: Mr. Dausgaard’s keen advocacy elicits polished, persuasive accounts that live up to Langgaard’s motto: ‘Long Live Beauty’ “, wrote The New York Times.”
TRACKLISTING
Rued Langgaard
CD 1
Symphony no. 1 “Klippepastoraler” (“Mountain Pastorals”) BVN 32
1. I. Brændinger og Solglimt (Surf and Glimpses of Sun). Maestoso 21:26
2. II. Fjeldblomster (Mountain Flowers). Lento 10:38
3. III. Sagn (Legend). Lento misterioso 5:39
4. IV. Opad Fjeldet (Mountain Ascent). Marcato 5:18
5. V. Livsmod (Courage). Maestoso allargando – Entusiactico maestoso 17:28
CD 2
Symphony No. 2 Awakening of Spring, BVN 53 Original version (1912-14)*
1. Allegro con anima – Lento – Con moto – Tempo primo – Maestoso festivo alla marcia 16:54
2. Lento religioso quasi adagio 11:09
3. Molto con moto (with soprano solo) 9:32
Symphony No. 3 The Flush of Youth – La melodia, BVN 96 (1915-16, rev. 1925-33) For piano solo, orchestra and choir
4. Poco animato festivo – Lento (Cadence) – Animato festivo (Tempo primo) 11:43
5. Grave mastoso – Lento misterioso 6:08
6. Allegro ma non troppo – Più lento – Vivace 10:13
CD 3
Symphony No. 4 “Løvfald”, BVN 124 (1916, rev. 1920)
1. I. Fortvivlet skovbrus (Despairing forest murmur): Allegro 2:49
2. II. Solstrejf (Glimpses of sun): Quasi allegretto 2:27
3. III. Allargando espansivo 1:38
4. IV. Torden (Thunder): Allegro 1:17
5. V. Più lento 1:25
6. VI. Allegretto pastorale 0:50
7. VII. Høstligt! (Autumnal!): Allegro con moto 1:30
8. VIII. Træt (Tired): Poco adagio 2:39
9. IX. Fortvivlelse (Despair): Allegro appassionato 2:12
10. X. Tranquillo 2:58
11. XI. Comodo sempre 1:31
12. XII. Søndag-morgen-klokkerne (Sunday morning bells): Sostenuto pesante 0:55
13. XIII. Forbi! (Over!): Più con moto 1:20
Symphony No. 5 (Version I), BVN 191 (1917-18/1926)
14. I. Lento misterioso (Introduzione) – Allegro fiero 5:35
15. II. Lento 3:39
16. III. Allegro fiero 1:58
17. IV. Lento misterioso 3:10
Symphony No. 5 (Version II) “Steppenatur” (“Sommersagnsdrama”), BVN 216 (1917-18/1920/1931)
18. I. “Sonate”: Lento misterioso – Fiero pesante preciso 4:25
19. II. Florido 4:20
20. III. Pesante 4:09
21. IV. Coda: “Sonate” con variazioni: Fiero pesante 2:44
22. V. Andante 3:35
CD 4
Symphony no. 6 “Det himmelrivende” (The Heaven-Rending) BVN 165 (1919-20, rev. 1928-30)
1. Thema (Versione I) 3:15
2. Thema (Versione II) 1:47
3. Var. I (Introduzione) 1:44
4. Var. II (Fuga) 2:18
5. Var. III (Toccata) 2:29
6. Var. IV (Sonata) 6:22
7. Var. V (Coda) 3:47 Symphony No. 7 (version 1926), BVN 188 (1925-26)
8. I. Maestoso fiero 2:35
9. II. Allegro moderato maestoso 6:45
10. III. Scherzoso grazioso 3:04
11. IV. Fastoso allegro 3:59
Symphony No. 8 “Minder ved Amalienborg”, BVN 193 (1926-28, rev. 1929-34) For chorus with tenor solo and orchestra
12. I. Maestoso pomposo 4:32
13. II. Molto vivace 3:59
14. III. Molto elegiaco – Allegro maestoso serioso 4:14
15. IV. Finale: Moderato sostenuto – Allegro moderato festivo 6:01
CD 5
Symphony No. 9 “From Queen Dagmar’s City”, BVN 282 (1942)
1. I. Queen Dagmar sails to Ribe. Molto allegro 8:35
2. II. The Dance at Riberhus. Grandezza 3:27
3. III. Ribe Cathedral. Lento 3:30
4. IV. Finale. The turbulent life of the past. Molto allegro 5:50
5. Symphony No. 10 “Yon Hall of Thunder”, BVN 298 (1944-45) 25:53
6. Symphony No. 11 “Ixion”, BVN 303 (1944-45) 6:19
CD 6
Symphony No. 12 “Hélsingeborg”, BVN 318 (1946)
1. Furiously! – Distinguished! – Increasingly agitated – Wildly – Like triviel last trumps! – Hectically nervous! – Andante lento – Lento misterioso – Poco allegro marcato – Allegro – Furiously! – Amok! A composer explodes 7:06
Symphony No. 13 “Belief in Wonders”, BVN 319 (1946-47)
2. I. Fairly fast 2:19
3. II. Andante 8:02
4. III. A little faster 3:09
5. IV. Slow – Rather fast 4:10
6. V. Same tempo (wildly) 3:59
7. VI. Elegant! 2:14
8. VII. Faster 3:47
Symphony No. 14 “The Morning”, BVN 336 (1947-48/1951) Suite for chorus and orchestra 9. I Introductory fanfare 2:11
10. II. Unnoticed morning stars7:17.
11. III. The Marble Church rings 5:20
12. IV. The tired get up for life 5:23
13. V. Radio-Caruso and forced energy 5:55
14. VI. ‘Dads’ rush to the office) 1:41
15. VII. Sun and beech forest 1:08
CD 7
1. Drapa (On the Death of Edvard Grieg) , BVN 20 (1907, rev. 1909-13) 5:26
2. Sphinx , BVN 37 (1909-10, rev. 1913) 6:46
3. Hvidbjerg-Drapa , BVN 343 (1948)* 3:05
4. Danmarks Radio (Radio Denmark) , BVN 351 (1948)* 1:18
5. Res absùrda!? , BVN 354 (1948)* 5:35
Symphony no. 15 “Søstormen” (“The Sea Storm”), BVN 375 (1937/1949) For bass baritone solo, male chorus and orchestra
6. I. Bevæget (Moving) 5:42
7. II. Scherzo 1:10
8. III. Adagio funebre 5:14
9. IV. Finale. Allegro molto agitato 5:32
Symphony no. 16 “Syndflod af Sol” (“Sun Deluge”), BVN 417 (1950-51)
10. I. Allegro 4:14
11. II. Scherzo 1:27
12. III. Straffedans (Punishment Dance) 6:45
13. IV. Elegi (Elegy) 6:30
14. V. Finale 2:53