Victor Bendix (1851-1926) was a complex figure in Danish music, central but at the same time an outsider. Despite being a highly respected composer, pianist and conductor, he never quite received the recognition he dreamt of. Two of his key works are his Symphonies 1 & 3: they stand as high points in his life, as well as constituting a poignant narrative of his artistic fate. Symphony No. 1, Ascension is his hopeful, ambitious debut, while the melancholic Symphony No. 3 is marked by resignation and fatalism.

The last stop on a long journey, here is the third and final installment of a warmly received Langgaard cycle undertaken by violinist Gunvor Sihm and pianist Berit Johansen Tange. The present volume includes the violin sonatas Nos. 2 and 3 - highly accomplished works with strong individual features - and two single-movement pieces composed by Langgaard the precocious teenager: the charming Aubade written on a summer holiday with his parents, and the dark-colored Night Watchman's Song. Gunvor Sihm trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, from where she graduated in 2014 under Professor Serguei Azizian. Before that Gunvor studied 2 years at San Francisco Conservatory of Music with Ian Swensen. Gunvor Sihm has won several prizes, among others the prestigious Van Hauen's Music Prize 2011, the Eigil Harby Foundation's scholarship in 2015 and Gladsaxe Music Prize 2018. From 2011-15 Gunvor played in the 1st violins of Copenhagen Phil, until she won the position as 2nd Concertmaster for the 2nd violins of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Gunvor was a soloist with among others Odense Symphony Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Tivoli Copenhagen Phil, Danish National Chamber Orchestra and, on several occasions, Copenhagen Phil. With Nightingale String Quartet Gunvor Sihm has recorded the complete string quartets by Rued Langgaard for Dacapo.

Stemming from an urge to explore the unexplained phenomena of the world and the possibilities of music, Per Norgard’s symphonies are milestones in their own right. “Per Norgard’s work is characterized by an unremitting curiosity. His urge to try new ideas and to rethink those that already exist continually alters his way of writing, all without ever losing or betraying his inner voice.” (Siemen’s Music Prize organizers) The Oslo Philharmonic, conducted by John Storgards, presents Norgard’s symphonies 2 and 6 on this new release.

All three composers featured on this recording were central to the Danish Golden Age, a period of blossoming in the arts and music that delivered countless gems. Here, principal players from the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra perform fine concertante works from two composers who are experiencing a renaissance and one who still languishes in obscurity. From the splendour of Kuhlau's William Shakespeare and his melodious Concertino, the fresh melodic qualities of Gade's Capriccio, and the as yet unpublished Oboe Concerto by Barth these new recordings from Aarhus make the case for four winning Danish scores.

Classical Music

Den Danske Revy, Vol. 4: 1920-1930

Emil Hartmann (1836-1898) had a heavy family heritage to lift, being the son of one of the true greats in Danish music life, the composer and organist J.P.E. Hartmann. In Denmark, Emil Hartmann had difficulty freeing himself from his father's shadow, but in Germany, things were easier. On this release, Elisabeth Zeuthen Schneider and friends delve into his chamber musical key works, providing the perfect showcase for the romantic flair of Emil Hartmann, making his lines sing beautifully and virtuosic passages dance, and finding intimacy and eloquence at telling moments.

Treason, desire and murder - served on a silver platter of glorious Romantic music from 1894 in this world premiere recording of a stirring opera about the murderous plot against Kleopatra, fabled Queen of the Nile. Beautiful melodies, alluring harmonies and tense leitmotifs, all expertly put to use by probably the most celebrated Danish opera composer of his time, August Enna. Born in Nakskov, Enna made his compositional debut in 1892 with The Witch, which was followed by several popular operas, songs, two symphonies, and a violin concerto. His work is strongly influenced by the music of Wagner, which can be heard in the present recording. He himself was a major influence on Danish composers, such as Carl Nielsen.

The Danish String Quartet’s love of traditional Scandinavian folk music is becoming as well known as the quartet’s masterly approach to the classical repertoire. Now the renowned ensemble, at present house quartet at both New York's Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society and BBC Radio 3, is releasing the vinyl version of “Wood Works”, presenting their favorite melodies from Nordic folk music – including the 400 year old bridal music from the island of Fanø that has spread far and wide as a video with over 50,000 plays across the internet. The high technical and musical quality, the joy of playing, the powerful impact the quartet makes on stage and the fresh approach to familiar repertoire has become a Danish String Quartet trademark. These qualities have led the quartet to great success. The four young musicians have performed all over Europe, returning repeatedly to Germany and the UK particularly.

Christina Åstrand's album Romance brings together a personal selection of rarely heard items from the classical Danish repertoire for violin. In the decades around the turn of the 20th century, the violin enjoyed a star moment of its own as the 'singing' instrument par excellence. Under the direction of Jukka Iisakkila, Christina Åstrand and the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra prove to be ideal interpreters of this kind of music, poised between charm and soulfulness. Christina Åstrand (b. 1969) is one of the most remarkable violinists in Scandinavia. At the early age of 13, she was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and at just 22 she was engaged as leader of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. She was born in Skanderborg into a musical family and began playing the violin according to the Suzuki method at the age of four. Christina Åstrand – both as a soloist and chamber musician – makes a great effort to spread the knowledge of Danish music, both through concerts and her many recordings.

The music of the 17th century is deeply influenced by fearless innovation and bubbling creativity, characterized by experimentation with form that only with the subsequent generation of composers develops into fixed conventions and a higher degree of conformity. Here, a glimpse of the richness represented by the music from the Baltic region in the latter half of the 17th century is presented by bass-baritone Jakob Bloch Jespersen and Concerto Copenhagen under the direction of Lars Ulrik Mortensen. Jakob Bloch Jespersen, who is a part of Paul Hillier's Theatre of Voices, has released numerous albums with Baroque music, including Heinrich Sch�tz's four passions, Buxtehude's vocal music and psalms by Thomas Kingoand H.A. Brorson. Concerto Copenhagen is Scandinavia's leading Baroque Orchestra, joining the league of the world's most exciting and innovative Baroque orchestras.

These are string quartets of genuine quality, revealing a distinctive compositional voice, here in very fine performances and transparent recording.

Nancy Dalberg (1881-1949) completed three string quartets, and they hold a place of their own among her compositions. No. 1 in D minor was the very first instrumental work that she presented at a public concert (1915). No. 2 in G minor, op. 14 (1922), was the first work that was published and played outside Denmark, while No. 3, op. 20 (1927), which is dedicated to her teacher, Carl Nielsen, was not published during her lifetime. The present release of the three quartets features two world premiere recordings. Nancy Dalberg is considered one of the first female composers in Denmark, and she was the first woman in Denmark to compose a symphony. This release sheds new light on one of the world’s finest female composers, who due to her lifetime never got the acknowledgement she deserved.

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REVIEW:

This is a genuinely exciting release, and not only for the devotee of Scandinavian music. These are string quartets of genuine quality, revealing a distinctive compositional voice, here in very fine performances and transparent recording. The music is serious, often very muscular, both strong and rewarding, tonal and assured.

Nancy Dalberg is not well-represented on record, though there is an interesting compilation from 1999 (Da Capo 8224138) which contains orchestral pieces, including Capriccio for orchestra, Scherzo for String Orchestra ,eight selected songs, Fantasy Piece for Violin and Piano, and a performance of String Quartet No. 2 by the esteemed Carl Nielsen Quartet. Interestingly, the second quartet is something of a staple for Nordic and—especially—Danish quartets, yet the other two, no less worthy, are here receiving world premiere recordings. The earlier performance has many delights, is generally swifter than the new, yet the Nordic Quartet lose nothing in urgency while being served by superior sound. The new recording has the extra merit of being heard in the context of the other two, and my preference is for the new one.

Nancy Dalberg’s output was relatively small, consisting largely of songs and these quartets. Her orchestral works, mentioned above, also included a symphony—the first written by a Danish woman. Contemporaries commented that her symphony had nothing specifically feminine about it (why should it?). It would be good to have a modern recording—a cursory search revealed no sign of one.

The First Quartet was performed privately—among the players was Carl Nielsen, her friend and teacher. It follows the usual four movements with a cheery scherzo in second place. A strong sense of rhythm is evident in all three faster movements. The cello-led Adagio is both dark and intense, despite its brevity. Though written when Dalberg was still Nielsen’s pupil, this is no prentice work but a significant contribution to the medium.

The more familiar Second Quartet is very spirited, more instantly attractive, but the slow movement, Andante con moto e cantabile, again in third place, touches many depths in stern elegance.

The final quartet is in only three movements and is musically the most advanced and tightly constructed. There is no slow movement, but an intensity of feeling and some sense of sadness is evident throughout. Instruments often appear in high pitches (most notably the cello) and there is confident handling of the most complex polyphonic forms.

Recording quality is as fine as we might expect from this source, and my recommendation is unreserved.

– MusicWeb International (Michael Wilkinson)

Where Jutland meets Germany, you will find a border country that has for over a thousand years served as a transition and meeting point, but also as a point of contention. In the border country there has always been a living mix of Danes and Germans who have lived door to door on both sides of the border. The history of the borderland can be told through song, and it will be the one by Musica Ficta and conductor Bo Holten.

Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen (1932–2016) wrote string quartets all his life. Fourteen in all; the first three dating from 1959, the last ones from 2013. Launching its complete cycle of Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s string quartets, the Nordic String Quartet here presents the first six quartets: Honesty meets schoolboy pranks, obstinacy meets doubt, yes meets no – Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s string quartets are full of such clashes. We start at one point and end at a totally different one. Never fusty, often entertaining, always adamant. Nordic String Quartet is a young, highly skilled quartet, formed by professor Tim Frederiksen, and thus following the successes of the Danish String Qartet and Nightingale String Quartet. The album is the first in a series of three with the complete string quartets by Gudmundsen-Holmgreen- all in all 14 string quartets. All works on this first album are world premiere recordings.

Knud�ge Riisager (1897-1974) holds a special place in Danish music, enriching it with an extra dimension of spirituality and pithiness. Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andreas Delfs here present two key works in Riisager's catalogue, one of which clearly represented a turning point in his output, namely his orchestral reworking of a selection of Carl Czerny's piano etudes for his and Harald Lander's ballet Etudes. The other heralded a stylistic change and ranks as a highly personal contribution to the concerto genre - Riisager's Violin Concerto is played here by Danish violinist Ian van Rensburg. Van Rensburg has been first concert master of the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra since 1993. He also enjoys a versatile international career as an active soloist, chamber musician, and teacher.