NSO’s Cello & Symphony
featuring 楊文信 (Wen-Sinn Yang), cello Welcome back, NSO! Our very own National Symphony Orchestra recently returned from their trip abroad, their first concert visit to America, as well as a concert in Vancouver. They got newspaper spots, filled Western concert … Continue reading NSO’s Cello & Symphony
Langgaard Symphony no. 12 ‘Helsingeborg’, BVN 318
performed by the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard A week ago, we discussed Rued Langgaard’s first symphony, an enormous five-movement thing of craggy, youthful, ambitious Romantic music, if not a bit too ambitious for a kid of only … Continue reading Langgaard Symphony no. 12 ‘Helsingeborg’, BVN 318
Vagn Holmboe: Symphony no. 5, op. 35
performed by the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra under Owain Arwel Hughes (sorry- no video for this work. I highly, strongly recommend purchasing at least whatever album the fifth symphony appears on, if not the entire cycle, but I can understand that that may … Continue reading Vagn Holmboe: Symphony no. 5, op. 35
Finn Høffding: Symphony no. 3, op. 12
performed by the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra under Frank Cramer, a world premiere recording, or below by the Danish Composers’ Society Niels Finn Høffding was born on 10 March 1899 in Copenhagen. He studied under a person I wanted to introduce earlier, … Continue reading Finn Høffding: Symphony no. 3, op. 12
Gustav Helsted: String Quartet no. 4 in Fm, op. 33
performed by Steve’s Bedroom Band (I think) (more about that below), or from a very recent recording on Dacapo, linked below (second, third and fourth movements) Gustav Helsted was born 30 January, 1857, and was a composer. That’s literally all … Continue reading Gustav Helsted: String Quartet no. 4 in Fm, op. 33
Podcast: A (Red) Door to Classical
featuring Lisa Casal-Galietta, artistic director of the Red Door Chamber Players, available here or in iTunes In a previous episode, a guest spoke to me convincingly about ‘entry points’ to classical music. We’re fortunate in this day and age to have … Continue reading Podcast: A (Red) Door to Classical
Rued Langgaard: Symphony no. 1, BVN 32, ‘Klippepastoraler’
‘Mountain Pastorals’ performed by the Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic Orchestra under Ilya Stupel, or below by the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard in what is likely a better performance, or this one with Segerstam Rud Immanuel Langgaard (spelled like … Continue reading Rued Langgaard: Symphony no. 1, BVN 32, ‘Klippepastoraler’
Nielsen Symphony no. 3, op. 27 “Sinfonia Espansiva”
performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi, with Soile Isokoski and Jorma Hynninen Nielsen’s third symphony premiered on 28 February 1912, in the same concert as the premiere of his violin concerto, this time with the composer on the … Continue reading Nielsen Symphony no. 3, op. 27 “Sinfonia Espansiva”
Revisit: Nielsen Symphony no. 1 in Gm, op. 7
performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi So… The inevitable Carl Nielsen. This is (likely) the Dane you’re looking for. I’d written multiple articles on works of Nielsen in the past, but they’re kind of like the middle … Continue reading Revisit: Nielsen Symphony no. 1 in Gm, op. 7
Otto Malling: Piano trio in Am, op. 36
performed by Elisabeth Zeuthen Schneider, Amalie Malling & Morten Zeuthen (sorry, no video today… but here’s the album [with audio samples] or from iTunes, the score, and the parts for sale) Otto Valdemar Malling was born on 1 June, 1848 in Copenhagen (we’ll be … Continue reading Otto Malling: Piano trio in Am, op. 36
Victor Bendix: Symphony no. 3 in Am, op. 25
performed by the Omsk Philharmonic under Evgeni Shestakov Victor Emanuel Bendix was born on 17 May 1851 in Copenhagen, a Jewish Danish composer, student of Niels Gade (that again) and friend of one Carl Nielsen, who we’ve (briefly, long ago) seen … Continue reading Victor Bendix: Symphony no. 3 in Am, op. 25
Asger Hamerik: Symphony no. 5 in Gm, op. 36
‘Symphonie sérieuse’ performed by the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard Asger Hamerik (sometimes spelled more German-ish as Hammerich, I am also guessing ‘Asger’ is the Danish equivalent of ‘Oscar’) was born on 8 April, 1843 in Frederiksburg, near Copenhagen. He … Continue reading Asger Hamerik: Symphony no. 5 in Gm, op. 36
Podcast: Otello (and opera) Overseas
featuring Mary Birnbaum, available here or in iTunes Opera is kind of like, I don’t know, let’s say foie gras, or olives, or port wine, or good whiskey… It’s not something you enjoy every day (well, maybe that last one), … Continue reading Podcast: Otello (and opera) Overseas
Gade String Quartet in E minor
performed by the folks listed in the following video So there are a few reasons we’re doubling up on Gade this week. For one, I couldn’t find a recording (because apparently none has ever been made) of August Winding’s op. … Continue reading Gade String Quartet in E minor
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Taipei
We’re quite spoilt here in Taipei. I won’t go on again about having seen the world-famous ensembles from Berlin, Vienna, Chicago, and Munich come visit, along with the likes of the Concertgebouw and Philharmonia, and on and on, but we … Continue reading Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Taipei
Niels Gade: Symphony no. 6 in Gm, op. 32
performed by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra under Christopher Hogwood, or below by the Copenhagen Collegium Musicum under Michael Schønwandt (but I vastly prefer Hogwood) movements 3 and 4 here Niels Wilhelm Gade was born on 22 February, 1817 in Copenhagen, to … Continue reading Niels Gade: Symphony no. 6 in Gm, op. 32
Danish December: a series
Danish music! I’ll try not to make any comparisons, but I was just stunned by the volume and quality of Swedish music over the summer, preparing for September’s Swedish Symphony Series (awesome alliteration!), and this month, we’re doing Danish. There … Continue reading Danish December: a series
New November wrap-up (and soapbox)
Well, that was fun. In most cases, I end up preparing/presenting a month or so of posts as a program, building around an idea or connecting things by some underlying concept. But not this month. Also, drop down below to the … Continue reading New November wrap-up (and soapbox)
Alfred Schnittke: Concerto for piano and strings
(This piece was recently featured on a concert program I planned over at my Substack. That’s where I’m writing these days, so please go check it out.) performed by Roland Pöntinen and the New Stockholm Chamber Orchestra under Lev Markiz, … Continue reading Alfred Schnittke: Concerto for piano and strings
Morton Feldman: Piano and String Quartet
performed by the Kronos Quartet and Aki Takahashi or below from the Midsummer Chamber Music Festival at the Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik, Iceland Morton Feldman was born on January 12, 1926 and is considered “a pioneer of indeterminate music, a development associated with … Continue reading Morton Feldman: Piano and String Quartet
TSO’s Istanbul Symphony
featuring Hakan Güngör, Burcu Karadağ, and Aykut Köselerli under Howard Griffiths Dear TSO, I think you’ve found your calling. Tonight’s program was just remarkable. And I’ll explain what that is, but first I want to say that I’ve come to have … Continue reading TSO’s Istanbul Symphony
Fugue for Thought 