Danish violin concerto series

[eschiss1]

I asked about the Lange-Muller violin concerto in C op. 69 (1904?) aways back. Finally got a chance to hear this concerto (over the radio) which has been recorded as part of the Danacord Danish Violin Concerto series, I believe. Wanted to answer my own question and ask for other opinions - it seemed to me that the Lange-Muller concerto (also available in full, but manuscript, score over IMSLP) is rather enjoyable. Has anyone else gotten a chance to hear it? Thoughts? Other works on the album, similar contemporary lesser-known (Scandinavian, say) works not already covered in current threads?

[edurban]

I discovered this piece after Alan recommended the Dacapo recording, and it's terrific.  I love Lange-Muller's Der var engang music (and have since I bought the old Turnabout recording as a teenager), but I'd been feeling a bit down on this composer after those 2 dismal symphonies.  Turns out the symphony just wasn't his thing, but the freedom of the concerto form was.  Hardly a note of the symphonies couldn't have been the work of someone else, but the concerto is pure Lange-Muller; tuneful, cheerful, brightly orchestrated.  Love it.  I immediately ordered the delightful Dacapo disc of the Renaissance/I Alhambra pieces.  L-M and I are reconciled.  All is forgiven...

David

[Mark Thomas]

edurban wrote:

I immediately ordered the delightful Dacapo disc of the Renaissance/I Alhambra pieces

- which you will love. They are generously, indeed sweetly, melodic, colourfully orchetrated and just gorgeous. It's a great shame about the symphonies, which I too found very dry stuff. Same thing with another favourite Dane of mine, Heise. His Symphony, when I finally got to hear it, turned out to be a dutifully pedestrian work, rather than the joyous one which the rest of his work might lead you to expect.

The couplings for the Danacord recording of the Violin Concerto, Eric, are concertos by Helsted and Salomon, and I can't recall a note of either, which may say something about them (or me). Personally, I always play the Da Capo recording, which has Gade's lovely concerto and a short one by Langgaard. The performance and sound are far superior and, although the Langgaard does little for me, the Gade has quietly crept up on me and persusaded me that it's a far better work than I used to think it was.

[edurban]

Mark, I think the Gade vn concerto is my favorite Gade work after Sym.1.  The old man had obviously been listening to Max Bruch, and the influence is all to the good.

Shame about the Heise symphony.  Wonderful composer, otherwise.

David

[Alan Howe]

i think the influence is mainly Mendelssohn, but it's an exquisite late work.

[JimL]

...the Gade has quietly crept up on me and persusaded me that it's a far better work than I used to think it was.

I seem to recall that from the old Forum, Mark.  Glad you finally came around.  I return to it occasionally, if not regularly.  But if I return to it, it's got me.

[edurban]

"...I think the influence is mainly Mendelssohn..."

Absolutely, Alan, but in addition to the old Gade formula of Mendelssohnacidic Schumannoxide there's something new in the mix...

David

[Alan Howe]

I agree, actually. I can even hear Elgar in certain passages suggesting 'yearning' in the first movement - and, on second thoughts, that might be a shared heritage in Schumann. So, apologies: you are probably right. And, of course, it is a late work, so who knows what may have been influencing Gade in the 1880s?