The Carl Nielsen Era of Music in Denmark

Based on the result of problems with Germany, Denmark’s attitude during the first half of the 20^th century that became the nationalistic and reticent, the two major figures, Carl Nielsen and Thomas Laub revived the interest in the purer music of the earlier era like the Renaissance.

source of picture: www.disabroad.org 

Carl Nielsen from 1865 to 1931, he is now an international renowned composer he was the dominant figure in Danish music and musical life from the end of the 1890s until he reached into the 20^th century. He had grown up in a small village on Funen but, he performs with the folk musicians as a child and also as a bulger in the army, he was able to enter to the music conservatory in Copenhagen in 1884. At that period he took over the Gade’s role around 1900, Denmark’s music scene was firmly created with a strong known interest and support. Nielsen’s concertos for flute, violin and clarinet, it is widely performed. Although, the success of his first symphony when he was playing in Berlin in 1896 created the way for his growing standard, the third symphony in 1912 which interestingly contains the wordless vocal solos, was performed in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Finland within the two first years. The fourth symphony from 1916 feature a battle between two sets of timpani and one has been mostly widely recorded, Maskarade in 1906 which is made up of three act opera that is based on the play by Ludvig Holberg which is known as the Danish national opera. Nielsen which also composed the opera Saul of David in 1901 also offers a marvellous chorus song, another significant choral work is that of the cantata Hymnus amoris in 1896, a beautiful work for choir and group. He also remembered for the incidental music he wrote for Adam Oehlenschager’s who play Aladdin as well as for the lyrics he set to music, many of which are still famous in Denmark.

Thomas Laub from 1852 to 1927 was an organist, he devoted his time to reintroduce the old Protestant hymns tunes that had been forgotten or altered over the years. He later published a number of important works such Kirkemelodier (church melodies in 1890), Udvalg af Salme- Melodier I Kirkemelodier (which was selected hymns tunes in the church style in 1896 to 1902), Dansk Kirkesang (Danish church song in 1918 and Musik og Kirke music and church in 1920). Laub also wrote the folk song music together with Carl Nielsen published En Snes danske Viser (A set of Danish Folk songs in 1917).

Rued Langgaard from 1893 to 1952 a late Romantic singer who was not fully well-known until 16 years after his death, he was inspired by his conviction that music have a spiritual power and therefore it has an important factor to mankind.

He was a productive singer, completing over 400 works representing over 50 hour of music, his symphony No. 1 Klippepastoraler (rock pastorals), which is the late romantic style, reminiscent of Anton Bruckner while symphony No. 10 Din Torden Bolig (Your Dwelling of Thunder that is also the majestic but more in the pattern of Richard Strauss.