Is Niels Gade unsung?

[monafam]

I did a little wiki-reading on Mr. Gade and he's obviously important to Denmark, but I had not heard of him until he was listed as a recommendation on a music site I frequent.

The snippet I heard sounded good...would anyone else recommend him?

Thanks!

[Josh]

I actually got a complete set of his symphonies, his two string quartets (I think either he only wrote 2, or only 2 survive), Elverskud, a piece for clarinet+piano, the oratorio (?) Kalanus, and some other stuff. Oh yeah, his Violin Concerto.

Of all the symphonies, I think the best are 1 and 5.  To be frank, in my opinion, while none of them are what I'd call bad, only 1 and 5 are particularly good.  Most especially, the first movement of each.  #5 is often noticed because it employs a piano, but that's not the only thing that makes it good; I think it'd be a very nice symphony even without the piano, but it certainly does add to the interest, and Gade uses it well.  Probably, as a whole, #1 is my favourite.

The two string quartets I have are performed by the Cailin Quartet, a group I don't remember hearing of anywhere else.  The A Major quartet has three movements, while the E minor has the usual four.  They're both adequate, though the first movement of the A Major lasts longer than its material warrants.  I have never given either work but a single complete listen, but I don't remember being turned off... then again, I don't remember being turned on, either.

The work for clarinet&piano has a really ear-catching opening.  I couldn't hum it to you now, but I do remember it made a fairly pleasant impression.  I had to check to get what it was: Fantasiestucke for Clarinet and Piano, Op.43.  Yep, got it playing again now.  Not half-bad!  Clarinet+piano is not one of my favourite combinations, but it's not too long (around 11 minutes), and is really nice.  Not something I wake up in the morning with a sudden urge to hear again, but if it's on, I enjoy it.

As far as Elverskud goes, the pastoral movements are really worth a listen.  I've got to be honest and point out that I've never listened to 100% of this work.  I just couldn't wade all the way through it.

Kalanus is another chorus+orchestra piece that's on another plane. I was very impressed with it.  I think throughout it's hour+ duration, it ranges from slightly good to very good.  May not be everyone's cup of tea, but I definitely am not disappointed.  I don't know what it is about it, but I think it's very effective, and a bit imposing (in a good way) with its... subdued dramatisation?  I'm not sure what words can convey it.  Majestic might be a good adjective.  But not usually loud and bombastic, more like noble majesty.

As for the Violin Concerto, some people like it pretty well, but sadly I'm not among them.  I like it a little bit, but I doubt I'll ever give it another full listen.

Recommended?  I suppose I would, selectively.  Clearly, all of the above is only my opinion, and you'd have to know my personal tastes to recognise whether or not my suggestions would have a reasonable chance of helping you out.

My picks: Kalanus, Symphony #1, Symphony #5

[Peter1953]

To answer your question, monofam, in my country Niels Gade can hardly be considered as unsung. His music, the symphonies in particular, is broadcasted quite frequently. I think he wrote some fine music, but Gade does not belong to my (long list of) favourites.

I think that certain composers might be considered as sung in one country, but in other countries their music is rarely played and broadcasted, and are almost forgotten. My country (and I think the UK as well) has a long and strong Mahler and Bruckner tradition, but that might be very different in southern European countries, although both composers are very famous (Fernando, is that true?). How about your country? Just another name: a composer whose music is broadcasted daily in the Netherlands is Gabriel Fauré (see the other topic on his concertante works). He is very sung over here. How much do you hear from him in the States?

Back to Gade: why don't you try one of his symphonies, like the 5th.

[Alan Howe]

In the concert hall and as far as the public is concerned, the response would be Niels who? So he's an unsung who's reasonably well represented on CD - like so many of the composers we consider on this forum.

[Mark Thomas]

To answer monafam's original question: yes, I'd classify Gade as unsung. True, quite a lot of his music has been recorded, but that's true of Raff, Rubinstein, Spohr and a host of others. It's also true that some of his music is broadcast from time to time but, except possibly in his native Denmark, what makes him unsung for me is the fact that he no longer enjoys the high reputation that he had for most of his lifetime and as a consequence is seldom played in concert.

Whether he deserved that high reputation is a different matter. As Josh has implied, I find that much of his music outstays its welcome, and that's particularly true of the choral works which do seem interminable, although there are some lovely passages. Amongst the symphonies, I find No.1 a really satisfying piece that I return to often - it has a sort of brisk open-air atmosphere. No.8 is also good as is No.5. The Violin Concerto isn't bad, but it's no masterpiece. About par for the course for its time, I guess. The Overture Echoes of Ossian shares the feel of the First Symphony, but most of the half dozen or so other overtures are "Mendelssohn with water". The chamber music (a String Octet, three string quartets, a Piano Trio and three violin sonatas) always seem rather overworked for their material. I can't recall the piano music although I have several CD's worth.

All in all, IMHO the very best of him is his earliest work: the First Symphony and Echoes of Ossian.

[Alan Howe]

Mark's pretty well spot-on in his assessment of Gade, I think - with, for me, the exception of his VC which I play often and find utterly memorable. But his large-scale masterpiece is surely the 1st Symphony, which is so fresh and natural-sounding and very much of its time. From then on, although there is much to enjoy in the other symphonies, it's downhill in terms of freshness and originality. The chamber music IMHO is much more successful: I find myself enjoying the immense craftsmanship and sweet tunefulness of it all. But that's just my opinion.

[febnyc]

I like many of the chamber works.  I think the larger ensemble pieces are the better ones, i.e. the Quintet Op.8, Sextet Op.44 and Octet Op.17, but all of Gade's chamber music is lyrical and appealing.

[monafam]

Thanks for all the replies -- a lot of good insight and discussion out there.  I am definitely going to take the suggestions to heart when I make my purchasing decisions.

[Mark Thomas]

Re-reading my comments on Gade's chamber music in the light of Alan and febnyc's replies makes me think that I was perhaps rather too damning. All of his chamber music is very melodious and generally easy on the ear and to that extent it is recommendable. Where I maintain my criticism is that the melodic material itself doesn't really have legs, he relies a lot on repetition and sequence, and so things can seem rather empty when he tries to rise above the pleasant and attempts something rather more profound. This is particularly true in the string quartets and violin sonatas as I recall.

[Alan Howe]

Don't the melodies of his VC have legs too?

[JimL]

The funny thing about the VC, Alan, is that the only tune I can readily call to mind right now is the first subject of the first movement.  I really love the piece while I'm hearing it, but I can't readily recall the material after a few hours.  Maybe I need to dig it up and listen to it some more for it to really "stick".

[febnyc]

...and so things can seem rather empty when he tries to rise above the pleasant and attempts something rather more profound.

Perhaps au fond a true analysis - but this statement might be appropriate for lots of "unsungs," might it not? They've not all of them written pages of profundity. Anyway, for me, at this stage of my life, pleasant is perfectly fine - often desirable, in fact.  Don't get me wrong - I enjoy turning to the masterworks for my dose of what makes them what they are.  But beauty, lyricism, and, yes, pleasing sounds suit me quite fine.  This is what I seek in those composers who are new to me; those who are being rescued from their obscurity by the enterprising labels; those who may have little to offer me but a pleasant tune.   

[TerraEpon]

If you want a good melody, try the second movement of the Piano Sonata in e.

It might even seem a bit familiar...

[Alan Howe]

I agree: 'pleasing' is good. Especially after the aural battering you get from most contemporary composers. They should learn the art of pleasing the audience too!

[DennisS]

Hello Monafam

As you can see, I am a new member as of today. I have been reading many of the postings and I note that you are still on line.  I note that you have made postings on Rott, Gade and Berwald amongst others. During the past year, I have gradually expanded my horizons and actively sought out so-called "unknown composers". Re- the 3 composers referred to above, I am familiar with all 3 as follows and with each one, I give a brief opinion.

Gade : I have all the symphonies and some orchestral pieces. I sort of like his music but it doesn't really move me in the sense that I have to keep re-visiting his work. I do of course prefer some of his symphonies more than others. For me, no 1 is perhaps the best?

Berwald : Again,  I have all the symphonies and am very keen on him. There is a lightness, deftness of touch with his music which I find very appealing.

Rott : I bought the cd of his symphony because of the connection made to Mahler, particularly with reference to Mahler quoting from Rott. Mahler is one of my favourite composers and I had to listen to the Rott. Whilst I found the symphony interesting and was able to detect a couple of references to Mahler, the symphony as a whole is ok but I will only occasionally come back to it.

Have you any further comments to make on these 3 composers?

cheers Dennis