Christoph Ernst Friedrich Weyse, the late 18th century Danish composer of German extraction was himself a virtuoso pianist and wrote emphatically for piano. Although Weyse is deeply rooted in the 18th century music represented by Handel, Bach and Haydn, on this second volume of his piano works the three pieces from Allegri di bravura indicate his development toward the new tradition of Viennese Classical. Morten Mogensen is one of the elite pianists of the younger generation in Denmark. His earlier releases of another Danish composer P.E. Lange-Müller’s complete piano works (Kotrapunkt 32228, 32248 & 32258) received both critical and public acclaim.

Like the Brahms symphony series by Lønskov/Llambias piano duet (KPT 32120, KPT 32128, KTP 32138, KTP 32148) which are enjoying continuing success in many markets in the world, this series of Tchaikovsky’s orchestral works for four hand piano is the original arrangements by the composer. And like the Brahms series, these are premiere recordings.

5 Sonatas For Harpsichord

The principal flautist of the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Toke Lund Christiansen together with the Orchestra’s solo pianist Per Salo launched on the French flute project a few months ago and found quite a few rarely performed repertoire. Many of the titles here are first recordings. Lund Christiansen/Salo duo’s earlier release of flute works by Joachim Andersen (Kontrapunkt 32079) was a critical and commercial success.

Music by Thomas Tallis

Works For Violin And Piano

Complete Works for Cello

Der Brauchbare Virtuoso

The Danish Song Treasury, Vol.

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) not only modernized the Argentinean tango tradition but also incorporated it into the contemporary music. For New Danish Saxophone Quartet whose repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary, Piazzolla’s compositions have always been the showstoppers of their concerts. It was quite natural for them to compile a Piazzolla tango album as their second CD (earlier release KPT 32051 “Contemporary Music For Saxophone Quartet”). New Danish Saxophone Quartet founded in 1986 by four leading Danish saxophonists is one of the most sought after ensembles in Europe. They perform regularly at major festivals and concert halls. “...collectively and individually, this foursome is an extremely competent group of musicians!” (Saxophone Journal)

10 months after the highly successful debut CD (KPT 32185 “Prokofiev:Violin Sonatas and Five Melodies”) Armenia’s prodigious young talent Nikolai Madojan visited Denmark again to record Grieg’s sonatas with veteran Elisabeth Westenholz. The Gramophone wrote on Madojan/Westenholz duo’s “Prokofiev” recording in comparison with the Perlman/Ashkenazy recording, “Nikolai ... has a natural feeling...his is the more thought-provoking...Westenholz refreshingly tender-hearted and imaginative. ..Kontrapunkt’s CD is a good one and will not disappoint those who are attracted by the programme...”

Yossi Arnheim is associate principal flautist of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra since 1983. He has been performing as soloist with major orchestras abroad as well as giving recitals all over the world. For this his first Kontrapunkt release, he got together with four other leading instrumentalists of Israel to record Martinu’s intriguing chamber music.

Franz Syberg was born, like Carl Nielsen, on the Danish island of Fyn (Funen). His parents were talented painters. The portrait on the CD cover is by the hands of his father Fritz. Though Syberg studied in Leipzig in the 20s when the influence of Hindemith, Bartok, Stravinsky and Schoenberg were abundant, he is largely a voice of his own. Earlier release of Syberg’s symphonic works (KPT 32088) prompted astounding praises from the press all over the world including CD Review’s June 1992 issue: “very impressive...splendid! ...a real discovery...”. This first volume of the Syberg chamber music contains String Quartet 1927 which was recently found in a private archive and was performed for the first time by the Carl Nielsen Quartet prior to the recording at the Kerteminde church where Syberg was the organist for the most part of his adult life. World Premier Recording!

The general title of this CD, though not mentioned on the cover, is “Danish Orchestral Music”. Not only it showcases some of the best of Danish music from the romantic school to the contemporary but also it is showing off the extraordinary level of the conservatoire orchestra of Aarhus city.

Complete Works For Four Hands,

Complete Works For Four Hands,

Works For Double Bass And Pian

In the summer of 1910 Carl Nielsen was asked to write incidental music for the inauguration of Denmark’s first open-air theatre in the royal deer park (Dyrehavbakken) just north of Copenhagen. This theatre was in use for about three decades and Nielsen composed for a few dramas for this theatre. As the scores have never been published, the music was little known to the later generation. In collaboration with Odense Symphony Orchestra, Kontrapunkt revived these “unknown” Nielsen works to add to our Nielsen series. Though the scoring is limited to voices, wind instruments and some percussion due to the open-air circumstances, music is very typically Nielsen from his most creative period.

Complete Songs, vol. 2

Since her 1994 sensational recording debut with Orchestral Leider/Vier Letzte Lieder and Wesendonk Lieder on Kontrapunkt label, the Danish soprano Elisabeth Meyer-Topsøe’s career has soared to the new height in the international opera scenes. This is her first recording of songs which she dedicates to HM Queen Ingrid Queen Mother who is from Sweden and is turning 80 this month. Meyer-Topsøe’s tie to Sweden is quite special through her education there and being a pupil of the Swedish legendary soprano Birgit Nilsson.The songs recorded here are with special relation to Sweden.

It was in 1998 when Denmark’s leading violinist of younger generation Søren Elbæk first performed with Argentinean Alicia Petronilli as a member of The Danish Chamber Players. Since then tango became part of his favourite repertoire. Elbæk’s rich and passionate sound suites the genre perfectly. In this intimate duo setting the two elite instrumentalists give the Latin American popular music a new artistic dimension with their unique and highly intriguing interpretation. The programme encompasses the wide range of tango spectrum including the classic Nostalgias by Cadícamo and the works by contemporary Astor Piazzolla, not to mention the famous “Tango Jealousy” of Danish Origin.

Internationally renowned flutist Ulla Miilmann is the recipient of numerous awards and prizes including the prestigious “Flute-Talk” competition in Chicago and the Gold Medal at the Danish All Music Competition, among others. Flutist Ulla Miilmann was born in 1972 in Denmark. She received her Bachelor of Music at North Carolina School of the Arts in 1992. During her college years, Ms Miilmann was already selected as representative of Denmark in the European Broadcasting Union "Concerts for Young Soloist". Currently she is the principal flutist of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Miilmann was nominated for the GRAMMY award for her performance of Ole Schmidt's Concerto for flute and string orchestra. Together with the elite instrumentalists of Denmark: Søren Johannsen on harpsichord and Kjeld Lybecker Steffensen on Baroque cello, Ms Miilmann interprets the complete flute works by J. S. Bach including the Partita in A minor for solo flute.

To close the 2004 Kontrapunkt releases Denmark’s leading violinist Søren Elbæk joined by Morten Mogensen on piano presents the “ultimate violin recital”. From the Heifetz arrangement of Manuel Ponce’s “Estrellita” to Massenet’s “Thaïs – méditation” the CD is packed with the famous melodies brilliantly performed.

Danish Saxophone Quartet who has been widely known for their superb performance of contemporary music embarked on a new field of classical repertoire a few years ago. Their rendition of Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge received acclaim from critics and audience a like and released on Kontrapunkt 32259. Present CD of Goldberg Variations was recorded live in concert in Rome with the superb arrangement by Italy’s foremost arranger/composer Francesco Frederico Venerucci. repertoire a few years ago. Their rendition of Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge received acclaim from critics and audience a like and released on Kontrapunkt 32259. Present CD of Goldberg Variations was recorded live in concert in Rome with the superb arrangement by Italy’s foremost arranger/composer Francesco Frederico Venerucci.

Hans Graf will become the fifteenth Music Director of the Houston Symphony, beginning with opening night of the 200l-2002 season. He debuted with the Houston Symphony in March 2000 conducting Emanuel Ax in Adams‘ Century Rolls, with Schubert‘s The Great also on the program. A week later, he led the orchestra and Houston Symphony Chorus in an expanded weekend series of Orft‘s Carmina Burana. He made an appearance as a guest conductor with two subscription programs in May 2000. The Austrian-born Graf is in his sixth season as Music Director of Canada‘s Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and his third season with the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine in France. Believing “there is something to learn from musicians and orchestras everyday,“ Graf guest conducts all over the globe. In the United States, he frequently makes appearances in Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Dallas, Indianapolis and Cincinnati. He has conducted Mostly Mozart at the Lincoln Center, the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Tanglewood and the Cleveland Orchestra in Blossom Center. Internationally, Graf often conducts in the major concert halls of Scandinavia, France, Italy, England, Japan and Australia. He has appeared with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, as well as the St. Petersburg and Israel Philharmonics. He has been part of major European festivals including Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Savonlinna (Finland‘s Opera Festival), Bregenz, Vienna and Salzburg (for thirteen successive seasons). An opera proponent for its “wonderful musical power and sense of human expression,“ Graf first conducted the Vienna State Opera in 1981 and has since appeared at major opera houses in Berlin, Munich, Paris and Rome. His extensive opera repertory includes several premieres.