# SS 26.05.18 - Langgaard #1



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

Rued Langgaard (1893 - 1952)

Symphony No. 1 "Klippepastoraler" (Mountain Pastorals)

I. Braendinger og Solglimt (Surf and Glimpses of Sun): Maestoso
II. Fjeldblomster (Mountain Flowers): Lento
III. Sagn (Legend): Lento
IV. Opad Fjeldet (Mountain Ascent): Marcato - Andante e con espressione - Tempo I
V. Livsmod (Courage): Maestoso allargando

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Another weekend another symphony. Because realdealblues is away I made the decision. We have not had any Langgaard works yet, so it is time pick first one. I picked his first symphony, because I have it . This is available on youtube/spotify also, Enjoy!


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

One of the few symphonies composed by a child - Langgaard was 15 when he started it - that has made it to the recording studio. 
I'm listening to the Ilya Stupel / Artur Rubenstein Philharmonic recording on Danacord.


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## Biwa (Aug 3, 2015)

I'll go with this one on Chandos.

Danish National Radio Symphony and Choir/Leif Segerstam


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Thanks Mika for this week's Saturday Symphony selection. I listened to the Dausgaard recording. Langgard is not a composer I'm familiar with and I found this work to be overlong and somewhat overwrought in parts, but a pleasant enough listen.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I don't like most of Langgaard's symphonies (some are just awful) but his 1st has its moments. I like Dausgaard's version best but I've gone with Stupel and the Rubinstein P.O just cos I've got that one too and haven't listened to it in years. Sorry for the tiny pic.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Biwa said:


> View attachment 104094
> 
> 
> I'll go with this one on Chandos.
> ...


Same one for me also


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

This is a titan of work! Vastly epic, monumental, possibly very Wagnerian-Mahlerian to some, anyway, it's a major achievement for a 16-year old guy! (and it was premiered by the Berlin Philharmonic). The recording by Segerstam and the Danish National Radio SO gets my vote on this day.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Langgaard is the sort of composer I really ought to like, but as with Havergal Brian last week, I cannot get into him. I find he rambles something rotten, even -oddly enough especially - in his shorter symphonies. I prefer those which do seem to have some sort of disciplined structure, including this, indeed a very fine effort from an obviously talented youngster. I'll listen to the DaCapo recording under Dausgard.

For me his best music is in the weird static ethereal Music of the Spheres. Overall, however, I get more from the seven symphonies of his near contemporary Asger Hamerik, also Louis Glass among non-genius Danish composer, both albeit slightly earlier.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Klenau, Langgaard, Ludolf Nielsen and Glass are among the more interesting and ambitious ones, pre-Holmboe, IMO.

There are quite big differences between the individual Langgaard symphony recordings, making their mark on how we perceive the music, I think.


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## Weird Heather (Aug 24, 2016)

I hadn't yet gotten around to checking out Langgaard's music, so I used this as an excuse to get started. I bought the Dausgaard recording. This symphony is quite an impressive effort considering how young the composer was at the time. It is massive and has some wonderful moments, although it is a bit rough around the edges. It is good enough to give me a positive impression of this composer and make me want to hear more of his music.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Listened to the Dausgaard recording on YouTube. Langgaard gets MAJOR points for ambition! An astonishing effort from a teenager. And it pretty much kept my attention through its hourlong running time.

That said, it suffers from the same problem (to my ears) as a lot of late-romantic symphonies: weak melodic content. I can’t whistle any of the tunes because I can’t remember them! But his mix of Wagner, Richard Strauss, Mahler, and Bruckner is delivered with impressive aplomb.

This is a work that I’ll happily hear again, and would be happy to buy a ticket to a concert where it was performed (fat chance of that, of course). Right now, and pending future hearings, I’ll rate it as a significant new addition to my personal listening repertoire.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

The heroic theme that appears at the beginning in B minor and then at the ending in B major is thoroughly overwhelming. It possibly lacks more memorable melodies, though. Even so, it's grandiose in every sense of the word!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

MusicSybarite said:


> The heroic theme that appears at the beginning in B minor and then at the ending in B major is thoroughly overwhelming. It possibly lacks more memorable melodies, though. Even so, it's grandiose in every sense of the word!


Yes, it occurred to me that the melodic content may be more apparent on repeated listenings. I'm a bit slow sometimes!

BTW I checked and nothing by Langgaard was programmed at any concert of the 40 or so major orchestra in the US in the 2016-2017 season.​


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Listened to the Dausgaard recording on YouTube. Langgaard gets MAJOR points for ambition! An astonishing effort from a teenager. And it pretty much kept my attention through its hourlong running time.
> 
> That said, it suffers from the same problem (to my ears) as a lot of late-romantic symphonies: weak melodic content. I can't whistle any of the tunes because I can't remember them! But his mix of Wagner, Richard Strauss, Mahler, and Bruckner is delivered with impressive aplomb.
> 
> This is a work that I'll happily hear again, and would be happy to buy a ticket to a concert where it was performed (fat chance of that, of course). Right now, and pending future hearings, I'll rate it as a significant new addition to my personal listening repertoire.


I think this is a good summary of my thoughts about this work.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

KenOC said:


> Yes, it occurred to me that the melodic content may be more apparent on repeated listenings. I'm a bit slow sometimes!
> 
> BTW I checked and nothing by Langgaard was programmed at any concert of the 40 or so major orchestra in the US in the 2016-2017 season.​


Unfortunately not. Langgaard is not as famous as the same guys of always, whom orchestras perform their works over and over again. On YouTube there is a performance of this work by a Korean orchestra.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks again Mika for stepping in. 

My back went out and have been in terrible pain and unable to move much until today. I will give the above Korean Symphony Orchestra a listen today while I try to catch up on some paperwork.


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