Langgaard's Complete Symphonies

[Amphissa]

Dacapo have released a box set of the complete symphonies of Rued Langgaard by Dausgaard and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. The collection features recordings in hybrid SACD/CD format. The SACD recording quality is excellent throughout the collection. The CD layer of the discs, which is the layer played by regular CD players, is also very good -- better than the previously released CDs by the same forces.

The down side is, at least here in the U.S., if you had already bought the single discs of symphonies as they came out, you would now have symphonies 1-3 and 12-16. The only way to get the other symphonies (4-11) in this much better SACD/CD format is to buy the box set, as the other symphonies were (to my knowledge) never issued separately in the U.S.

This rather nasty practice by labels occurs far too frequently. It forces us to buy some recordings twice, and even though the second time around might be less expensive than the first purchase, it increases the cost customers pay for the duplicated recordings and creates ill feelings among those who would otherwise be rejoicing just to see the recordings available.

However, for those of you who have not yet taken the plunge with these fine Langgaard recordings, the box set is an easy way to become familiar with this unusual and gifted composer in very good audio.

http://www.amazon.com/Langgaard-Symphonies/dp/B001MUJSF0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1244903990&sr=1-1

[Ilja]

You can download all the symphonies from eMusic for a comparative bargain. Not in SACD, mind you (but I've always considered the SACD thing as a cynical marketing gimmick...).

[TerraEpon]

This rather nasty practice by labels occurs far too frequently. It forces us to buy some recordings twice, and even though the second time around might be less expensive than the first purchase, it increases the cost customers pay for the duplicated recordings and creates ill feelings among those who would otherwise be rejoicing just to see the recordings available

Eh, it's pretty typical business practice, not even close to music exclusive sort, and NORMALLY it tends to happen after a while. It's pretty rare to only release part and then a full set with half-new stuff like this so soon after.
Even so, at the least, one can easily sell the old discs so it's not THAT bad over all.

[Amphissa]

Yes, you can download a low rez version, if you want a low rez version. Low rez is fine for computer speakers, headphones and boom boxes. I prefer higher quality audio media -- in order of quality (i) LP, (2) SACD, and (3) DVD. There are good pressings of CD, but it is hit or miss. And of course, there is not always a choice. But if I have a choice, I will always choose better audio.

Other people have other preferences, and that's fine.

[Kevin Pearson]

This sounds like an interesting set! The first reviewer on Amazon says "This is Mahler on steroids" LOL...That's enough to peak my curiosity!

Kevin

[Alan Howe]

Mahler on steroids is pretty wide of the mark, I think. However, Langgaard was definitely on something...

[mbhaub]

I've been enjoying this set for several weeks now and can say this: I've not once been bored by it. Langgaard sure is interesting, and keeps his music moving. The orchestration is captivating. The sound is superb, but I can't stand the packaging. I don't know how to describe it, but it was designed by someone who must make those children's pop-up books. It's a complex little box and if (when) it breaks, it'll be a mess to get disks out.

[JimL]

Mahler on steroids is pretty wide of the mark, I think. However, Langgaard was definitely on something...

I've only heard a couple of the symphonies, thanks to Yavar.  But if I had to decide what Langaard was on, I think it would have to have been magic mushrooms, or maybe peyote... 

[Amphissa]

I'm pretty happy with the recordings of the symphonies, and the SACD of Langgaard's opera "Antikrist" by the same orchestra/conductor is also very good.

However, I wish for a better stage production of "Antikrist". Although the singing was good for most parts, the modern minimalist staging was just terrible. Dull, uninspired, un-engaging. Which is too bad, because Langgaard put much of his best music in this opera. (You have to just ignore the silly religious ideas and trite philosophical libretto. That is easy to do. Read the synopsis to get the general idea of what's going on, but then just turn off subtitles and listen to the voice as instrument.)

[Ilja]

Yes, you can download a low rez version, if you want a low rez version. Low rez is fine for computer speakers, headphones and boom boxes. I prefer higher quality audio media -- in order of quality (i) LP, (2) SACD, and (3) DVD. There are good pressings of CD, but it is hit or miss. And of course, there is not always a choice. But if I have a choice, I will always choose better audio.

Most of eMusic's downloads nowadays are 256kbps MP3. That's still not SACD, but not 'low rez' either, methinks.

[Ilja]

Mahler on steroids is pretty wide of the mark, I think. However, Langgaard was definitely on something...

Envy mostly, if I read his biography correctly. Listen to his 'Carl Nielsen Our Great Composer!' (BVN 355) to get a rough idea...

I guess that 'Mahler on steroids' is something you might say after just having heard the First Symphony; the other ones are a different thing altogether. The First is a remarkable feat for a fifteen-year-old, mind you, and a good illustration of what happened if you let a frustrated pubescent boy run riot with a Mahler-sized orchestra.