Postcard from Copenhagen
Copenhagen is where all the cool kids head, and it was no different 150 years ago. The Danish capital was the hub for Nordic creatives in the days of Grieg (who lived there) and later Jean Sibelius and Carl Nielsen (the city's most famous musical son) and was even home to Sergei Rachmaninoff for a year in 1917.
Read more…- Gade•Tango Jalousie 'Tango Tzigane' (1925)•
- Nielsen•Saul og David (Saul and David) FS 25: Prelude (Act II)•
- Buxtehude•Herren var Gud, BuxWV 40•I. Herren var Gud, BuxWV 40
- Gade•Efterklange af Ossian (Echoes of Ossian) op. 1•
- Nielsen•Bidrag til 'En snes danske viser' (Contributions to 'A Score of Danish Songs') FS 78 CNW Coll. 11•3. Tidt er jeg glad, og vil dog gerne græde CNW 216
- Nielsen•Symphony No. 3 in D minor op. 27 FS 60 CNW 27 “Sinfonia espansiva”•I. Allegro espansivo
- Nielsen•Symphony No. 3 in D minor op. 27 FS 60 CNW 27 “Sinfonia espansiva”•II. Andante pastorale
- Nielsen•Symphony No. 3 in D minor op. 27 FS 60 CNW 27 “Sinfonia espansiva”•III. Allegretto un poco
- Nielsen•Symphony No. 3 in D minor op. 27 FS 60 CNW 27 “Sinfonia espansiva”•IV. Finale. Allegro (alla breve)
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Theme and Variation I. Vivace maestoso
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation II. Vivace scherzando
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation III. Parlando alla breve
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation IV. Largo recitativo
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation V. Allegretto capriccioso
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation VI. Martellato feroce
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation VII. Andante lamentoso
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation VIII. Adagio lontanto
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation IX. Intermezzo
- Ruders•Concerto in Pieces: Purcell Variations for Orchestra (1994-1995)•Variation X. Finale fugato vivace
- Sørensen•Benedictus (2006)•
- Langgaard•Rosengaardsviser (Rose Garden Songs) BNV 164 (1919)•1. Vel maa jeg kysse dig, hjertenskær
- Langgaard•Rosengaardsviser (Rose Garden Songs) BNV 164 (1919)•2. Bag Muren sidde de Roser smaa
- Langgaard•Rosengaardsviser (Rose Garden Songs) BNV 164 (1919)•3. Træt
- Langgaard•Symphony No. 2 'Vaarbrud' ('Awakening of Spring') BVN 53 (1912-1914, rev. 1926-1933)•I. Allegro con anima - Lento - Con moto - Tempo primo - Maestoso festivo alla marcia
- Langgaard•Symphony No. 2 'Vaarbrud' ('Awakening of Spring') BVN 53 (1912-1914, rev. 1926-1933)•II. Lento religioso quasi adagio
- Langgaard•Symphony No. 2 'Vaarbrud' ('Awakening of Spring') BVN 53 (1912-1914, rev. 1926-1933)•III. Molto con moto
- Nielsen•Wind Quintet op. 43 FS 100 CNW 70•III. Praeludium. Adagio – Tema con variazioni. Andantino festivo
- Nielsen•String Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 13 FS 4•I. Allegro energico
- Nielsen•String Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 13 FS 4•II. Andante amoroso
- Nielsen•String Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 13 FS 4•III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
- Nielsen•String Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 13 FS 4•IV. Finale. Allegro (inquieto)
- Nielsen•Maskarade (Masquerade) FS 39 CNW 2: Overture•Allegro, ma non tanto
- Lange-Müller•Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in C major op. 69•I. Moderato
- Riisager•Primavera Overture op. 31 (1934)•
- Lumbye•Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop•Larghetto - Andante - Galop - Finale
- Langgaard•Concerto for Violin BVN 289 (1943-1944)•
- Rachmaninoff•Études-tableaux op. 39•Étude-tableau No. 2 in A minor (Lento assai)
- Buxtehude•Passacaglia in D minor BuxWV 161•Passacaglia in d-Moll BuxWV 161
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Episk tekst (Epic Text) • 1. —
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Episk tekst (Epic Text) • 2. —
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Episk tekst (Epic Text) • 3. —
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Episk tekst (Epic Text) • 4. —
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Episk tekst (Epic Text) • 5. —
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Episk tekst (Epic Text) • 6. —
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Konstateringer (Statements) • 1. —
- Gudmundsen-Holmgreen•Konstateringer (Statements) (1969)•Konstateringer (Statements) • 2. —
- Nørgård•Rejse ind i den gyldne skærm (Voyage into the Golden Screen) (1968)•I. —
- Holmboe•Chamber Symphony No. 3 'Frise' op. 103a M. 246 (1970)•VI. Allegro con forza
- Gade•Symphony No. 1 in C minor op. 5•I. Moderato con moto ‒ Allegro energico ‒ Con più moto
- Gade•Symphony No. 1 in C minor op. 5•II. Scherzo. Allegro risoluto quasi presto
- Gade•Symphony No. 1 in C minor op. 5•III. Andantino grazioso
- Gade•Symphony No. 1 in C minor op. 5•IV. Finale. Molto allegro ma con fuoco ‒ Molto marcato
- Sørensen•Sigrid's Lullaby (2010)•
- Anonymous (Traditional)•Now found is the fairest of roses (Arr. for String Quartet)•
Perhaps they were drawn by the promise of a good time. Copenhageners have always known how to party and a huge patch of the city centre is given over to the amusement park Tivoli Gardens, which also boasts its own symphony orchestra and international concert season. It was here that Hans Christian Lumbye wrote the gallops and polkas that are still enjoyed around the world (even by the Viennese).
These days, Copenhagen is known for its cutting edge architecture and design, in which classical music plays a central part. The city's main opera house and orchestral concert hall are barely a decade old (there are two more equally beautiful older ones) and a skyline dominated by fly-towers tells you the city means business when it comes to the performing arts. The Danish capital boasts more than its fair share of renowned contemporary composers and more people per capita listen to classical music radio here than anywhere else in the world.
Still, Copenhagen is steeped in tradition, as witness its musical crown jewel: the world's oldest orchestra, established in 1448. The Royal Danish Orchestra once counted Carl Nielsen among its members, and the composer is still a much celebrated figure in Denmark, his songs sung daily in many schools and libraries. Our playlist contains some of Nielsen's most bracing works as well as scores by his teacher Niels Gade and his nemesis Rued Langgaard. We chart some of the best living composers to have lived in the city as well as some from the generations after Nielsen you may not have heard of.