Peter Lange-Müller

[JimL]

Apparently he only composed 4 large-scale works, a suite, 2 symphonies and a violin concerto.  I just encountered the 1st "Autumn" Symphony (1879) and was bowled over.  Is there a non-commercial recording of the violin concerto anywhere? 

[jerfilm]

I have it both on R2R and CD but am a thouisand miles from home.  Again.

Both symphonys are up on YouTube.

Jerry

[FBerwald]

The Violin concerto is pared with Svendsen..
http://www.amazon.com/Johan-Svendsen-Lange-M%C3%BCller-Violin-Concertos/dp/B0014DODFK

[JimL]

I was hoping for a non-commercial dub of the VC.  I already have the Svendsen.

[Greg K]

The Violin concerto is pared with Svendsen..
http://www.amazon.com/Johan-Svendsen-Lange-M%C3%BCller-Violin-Concertos/dp/B0014DODFK

That recording I find rather disappointing.  Kai Laursen (on Danacord) plays it with alot
more verve and charm IMO.

[eschiss1]

I don't know offhand of noncommercial recordings/broadcasts of any of his works (or by the standards of this site, there are some that are commercial but never reached CD, I think... like some LP, or even pre-LP, recordings of some of his songs and selections, like the Serenade from Det vår Engang which was on a 78 on the Applaudando label if I am reading correctly sung by Paul Hartelius. Also "Skin ud, du klare Solskin" on the same recording. (Both recorded in the 1910s I think... wait- would they be 78s or acoustics...? ))

(Actually, SMDB lists a number of Lange-Müller recordings broadcast over Swedish stations, many of which seem to have been either records never reissued on CD or radio studio recordings for Danish or Swedish radio, mostly I think of brief works but some of larger ones. Will look for the violin concerto among those listed and then it's a matter perhaps of either waiting until they rebroadcast such a performance (and their reuse frequency is good but not excessive ) on P2's morning program, or something...

[Steve B]

There is a Turnabout LP(Hye-Knudsen, conductor) "Once upon a Time"(or similar). i have it ;coupled with "Elf Hill"(Kuhlau) ;don't know where lol. Again is worth contacting Todd landor of Musical Concepts(ex Vox) to re-issue or ondemand(via Archiv musik) or download. Steve. P.S parts of it are lovely; also some songs on Danacord (or there were) and some incidental music.

[BerlinExpat]

Strangely enough I discovered the symphonies on YouTube last week and immediately became enthralled with Lange-Müller's music. I scoured the Internet outlets and yesterday Once Upon A Time arrived (dacapo 8.224084 - 66 minutes) and a second CD with stage music to Renaissance op. 59 and I Alhambra op. 3 (dacapo 8.224109 51 minutes) On both discs the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Michael Schoenwandt. All three pieces aptly demonstrate Lange-Müller's wonderful ability to set text to music.

[eschiss1]

The violin concerto is about the only work of his I think I've heard but the first movement especially, the work as a whole, seem inspired to me...

[regriba]

Lange-Müller suffered from an eye condition which was only discovered late in his life. This resulted in very frequent headaches, which prevented him from getting a thorough musical schooling. Consequently he was generally uncomfortable with the orchestra, yet he did write quite a few works featuring the orchestra: the two symphonies, the violin concerto, at least three suites (among them "I Alhambra" mentioned above plus one based on the incidental music for "Once Upon a Time"), four operas and incidental music for quite a few plays. Apart from that, he wrote a piano trio, more than 200 songs and quite a lot of piano music.

He called himself "the singer of twilight" (sorry if my translation sounds a bit kitschy) and his music generally has a nostalgic, wistful quality - which I like a lot, I have to say. Quite a lot of his music has been recorded: all the orchestral works apart from one suite, the piano trio, many songs and piano pieces plus, not least, some of the incidental music. "Once Upon a Time" is by far his best known work in his native Denmark, and the "Midsummer Song" from that work is still sung at most bonfires on Midsummer's Eve.