Langgaard's Lyre

[bhodges]

Langgaard had some odd fans...

http://www.langgaard.dk/intro/ednanye.htm

  Astonishing...I would never have expected this person to be a fan of Langgaard...

Meanwhile, Steve Smith had an interesting piece on the composer in yesterday's New York Times, via his blog:

http://nightafternight.blogs.com/night_after_night/2007/08/internal-exile.html

--Bruce

[Kullervo]

I notice you avoided saying "man" or "woman."

As for Langgaard, his profile in my mind grows with each recording I hear. I intend on getting his entire discography on DaCapo.

[bhodges]

I notice you avoided saying "man" or "woman."

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

As for Langgaard, his profile in my mind grows with each recording I hear. I intend on getting his entire discography on DaCapo.

That seems to me a worthwhile ambition.

I want to hear more!

[mikkeljs]

You and Opera News convinced me I have to watch Antikrist again. Either I have tried too hard to understand it, or not hard enough. Maybe a Christian belief or involvement in any organised god related club might help! 

I did like the music and I loved the voices, I even admired the set and acting, but it's the complex meaning I didn't get. You watch it, Luv, and then enlighten me! 

I think Langgård wrote the libratto himself. When it comes to surrealistic text, I use to read the words litterally, that always makes perfectly sence. 

[vandermolen]

Apparently he couldn't stand the attention given to Carl Nielsen's music in Denmark (even though there is, I think, a strong Nielsen influence in some works, like Symphony No 4, which is my favourite. I rather like his sarcastic piece "Carl Nielsen; our great composer", a short choral extract designed to be repeated "throughout eternity"

[MDL]

Symphony No.4, The Music of the Spheres and The End of Time are all excellent. Chandos has recorded all of them.

[techniquest]

If you have the odd ten minutes or so to spare (for that's about as long as it takes), have a listen to Symphony No.11 "Ixion". It's a great piece of orchestral flamboyancy but my lack of music theory knowledge prevents from knowing how on earth it qualifies as a symphony!

[bhodges]

Spent some time reviewing much of the orchestral Langgaard that I have: Music of the Spheres and symphonies 4-8 (including both versions of the 5th).

Music of the Spheres is certainly the mindblowing standout, but the 4th and 6th symphonies are both very strong pieces and would probably be better known but for Nielsen's pre-eminence.

It's amazing to think that Langgaard had written these last three works by his mid-twenties--surely amongst the most accomplished music written by a composer in his 20s in this century. By all rights he should have developed into a major figure: what went wrong?

Just now listening to Music of the Spheres--what a piece!  I found this recording completely by accident: John Frandsen with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, on Danacord, from 1989.  (It's a live performance from March 20, 1980.)  "Mindblowing" is absolutely right, and how is it that this piece was written in 1918?    I've heard a few works by Langgaard but nothing like this.

--Bruce

[Ephemerid]

Apparently he couldn't stand the attention given to Carl Nielsen's music in Denmark (even though there is, I think, a strong Nielsen influence in some works, like Symphony No 4, which is my favourite. I rather like his sarcastic piece "Carl Nielsen; our great composer", a short choral extract designed to be repeated "throughout eternity"

LOL 

[vandermolen]

LOL 

You can find "Carl Nielsen, Our Great Composer" here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Langgaard-End-Time-Rued/dp/B00003XB24/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1204454703&sr=1-19

[Catison]

So I am willing to take the plunge on this composer, but I know nothing about him.  I added Music of the Sphere's to my wishlist.  Which recording is best?  Which symphony cycle should I invest in?

[vandermolen]

So I am willing to take the plunge on this composer, but I know nothing about him.  I added Music of the Sphere's to my wishlist.  Which recording is best?  Which symphony cycle should I invest in?

I would start with Neeme Jarvi's Chandos recording of symphonies 4-6 on a single CD. A great disc.

[Kullervo]

!

Great news for Langgaard fans:

http://www.dacapo-records.dk/?page=catalogue&id=7560&setlanguage=en

   
RUED LANGGAARD
The Symphonies
Danish National Choir
Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Danish National Symphony Orchestra

Thomas Dausgaard, conductor

With his symphonies the Danish composer Rued Langgaard offered 16 vastly different versions of what a symphony can be. His captivating, complex genius made room for all conceivable idioms and a wealth of styles ranging from the grandiosely Late Romantic to the purest Absurdism. This box is the first collected recording of Langgaard's 16 symphonies based on the critical edition of the scores; recordings which demonstrate, with spectacular sound quality, Langgaards masterly grasp of the orchestra and his ecstatic view of art: "Mr. Dausgaard's keen advocacy elicits polished, persuasive accounts that live up to Langgaard's motto: 'Long Live Beauty'", wrote The New York Times.

Price is set at 499 Krone (~$88). I may now have an excuse to finally explore this composer.

[karlhenning]

Very nice, Corey!

. . . and in my case, would make just for one disc of redundancy.

[mikkeljs]

Haven´t listened to any Langgård for quite a while. Now when I go to this thread, I get inspired to get some more cd´s. 

[SonicMan46]

Great news for Langgaard fans:  Symphony Box Set
   
RUED LANGGAARD - The Symphonies; Danish National Choir; Danish National Vocal Ensemble; Danish National Symphony Orchestra - Thomas Dausgaard, conductor

Price is set at 499 Krone (~$88). I may now have an excuse to finally explore this composer.

Thanks, Corey - just yesterday, I added the disc below to my wishlist (based on reading some comparisons w/ Prokofiev in the liner notes of a new symphony set of the latters that I was listening to on Sunday) - will be my first Langgaard experience but the reviews & comments on this recording sound great!  Also, will want to at least try his symphonies, so that 'new' box set could be just the choice! Dave 

[donaldopato]

Music of the Spheres is just simply wonderful music. I have long enjoyed this off beat composer and his quirky symphonies.

In my humble opinion, Symphony # 6 "Det himmelrivende" (Heaven Storming) has simply the best ending of any symphonic work in the repertoire. Just so over the top that it works and is endlessly fascinating.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

!

Great news for Langgaard fans:

http://www.dacapo-records.dk/?page=catalogue&id=7560&setlanguage=en

   
RUED LANGGAARD
The Symphonies
Danish National Choir
Danish National Vocal Ensemble
Danish National Symphony Orchestra

Thomas Dausgaard, conductor

With his symphonies the Danish composer Rued Langgaard offered 16 vastly different versions of what a symphony can be. His captivating, complex genius made room for all conceivable idioms and a wealth of styles ranging from the grandiosely Late Romantic to the purest Absurdism. This box is the first collected recording of Langgaard's 16 symphonies based on the critical edition of the scores; recordings which demonstrate, with spectacular sound quality, Langgaards masterly grasp of the orchestra and his ecstatic view of art: "Mr. Dausgaard's keen advocacy elicits polished, persuasive accounts that live up to Langgaard's motto: 'Long Live Beauty'", wrote The New York Times.

Price is set at 499 Krone (~$88). I may now have an excuse to finally explore this composer.

Thanks, Corey (better late than never).

With so much variety it's difficult to say which symphonies I like best (apart from the astonishing Music of the Spheres, of course). I love them all. I think Nos. 4, 6, 10 and 16 are the most cogent. But I always return to 2, 3, 9, 13, 14, too...

Impossible exercise! 

[Dax]

The score of Music of the Spheres is available on IMSLP at

http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Langgaard%2C_Rud_Immanuel