Langgaard: Symphonies Nos. 15 & 16

Rued Langgaard (1893-1952) was a strange and lonely figure in Danish music. His 16 symphonies represent a thoughtful, original contribution to the history of the genre. The last two symphonies are both concise, but musically vastly different. In No. 15 one finds modernist features, while No. 16 can be called a personal will in the spirit of romance. The CD ends with a couple of early orchestral pieces and three first recordings of late works, where Langgaard demonstratively expresses the absurd situation he found himself in as an artist who had run out on a siding and who felt like he was standing alone in the struggle for the high ideals of art.

Rued Langgaard

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

For mixed 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