RUED LANGGAARD (1893-1952)

Symphonies No. 2 & 3

 

Inger Dam-Jensen (soprano), Per Salo (piano)

Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Choir / Thomas Dausgaard

 

Rued Langgaard was an odd, lonely figure in Danish music.  His Late Romantic and Symbolist background and his passionate views on art and the role of the artist brought him into conflict with the sober, anti-Romantic view of art that reigned supreme in Denmark in the inter-war years.

 

Langgaard did not shrink from the visionary and experimental, the eccentric and extreme, and his music ventured into areas where the outlooks, musical styles and qualitative norms of the twentieth century broke down.

 

His sixteen symphonies make up a thought-provoking, original contribution to the history of the symphony. The two symphonies on this CD radiate youthful freshness, courage and an infectious joy of music.  The very young Langgaard was not afraid to refer directly to ideals like Beethoven, Wagner and Richard Strauss, but his irrational character does not deny itself either. Symphony No. 2 with soprano solo is represented here in the long original version for the first time.  Symphony No. 3 is a regular classical-romantic piano concerto – with one choir feature.

 

This new recording is issued in hybrid SACD format, with acclaimed conductor Thomas Dausgaard conducting.

 

DaCapo SACD 6220516