Langgaard: Symphony No. 1

Here's a CD of a composer dear to my heart whose achievements have remained largely unsung so far... except that the Danish record company DACAPO is joining the chorus of vocal supporters of Rued Langgaard (1893-1952). It was the second volume of the Dacapo recordings of Langgaard's Violin Sonatas that turned me on to this marvelous, lovably strange, utterly romantic, occasionally acerbic, short-lived 20th century composer. Since then, I've tracked down most Langgaard releases - especially his symphonic aevre. Alas, not until Dacapo started recording the symphonies with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard (on hybrid SACDs, no less), were there truly credible, excellent versions of these works available - the laudable and fine efforts of Ilya Stupel (and the "Artur Rubinstein State Philharmonic Orchestra") or various Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra performances (Danacord) notwithstanding. I reviewed Symphonies 12 through 14 earlier last year ("There is Something Wonderful in the State of Denmark") and the latest release with Symphony No.1 is in some ways even more impressive.That's in most part due to the work itself. Although written when Langgaard was still a teenager (1908-1911, premiered by an enlarged Berlin Philharmonic off 100+ musicians on April 10th 1913), it betrays a master craftsman and - most importantly - a master melodist. Langgaard, who went on to found a music society to "counterbalance the horrors of modern music", never adjusted to (much less adapted) the dissonant and dodecaphonic style of his contemporary composers. Consequently he was shunned by critics after 1918.Langgaard is not ashamed of the occasional Tchaikovskean melodic phrase (four minutes into the first movement, check for yourself if you resist the urge to figure skate to that music), Wagnerian bombast, and it's all put to perfect, sumptuous use in this five movement symphony. Although programmatic music (the symphony depicts a hike from the rocky shores of a mountain to its pinnacle, the movements are named "Surf and Glimpses of the Sun", "Mountain Flowers", "Legend", "Mountain Ascent", and finally: "Courage"), it works perfectly well as absolute music. It's a bold, audacious, uninhibited, unabashedly pleasant symphony - perhaps like early, very frivolous Mahler - minus the Angst and the chromatic twists. Or might it be described as de-kitsched Rachmaninov? Whatever the case, it's a glorious sixty minutes played exceedingly well and captured in glorious sound. Urgently recommended to anyone who likes romantic orchestral music, whether Tchaikovsky or Sibelius, Bruckner or Respighi.[...]

Rued Langgaard (1893-1952) was a Romantic in a time when Romanticism had been declared dead by the musical powers that be. The premiere of this symphony, his First, written when he was only eighteen, was turned down in his native Denmark and thus, through the intercession of friends and teachers, was given its first performance by the Berlin Philharmonic under Max Fiedler in 1913 in Berlin. It was a huge success. But, sadly, this was the high point of Langgaard's career, for World War I intervened, musical tastes changed (to neoclassicism, expressionism and beyond), and Carl Nielsen became the Danish composer of the era. Langgaard never stopped composing, eventually finishing sixteen symphonies before his death. And his music remained Romantic to the end, although his personal eccentricities were more and more evident in the later music. This symphony, though, is not particularly unusual. It is modeled on the music of Wagner and Tchaikovsky and its craft is amazingly assured for one so young.The symphony is akin to Strauss's Alpine Symphony in that it depicts the ascent of a mountain. However, rather than a huge Alpine peak, Langgard's hike is up a 500-foot mountain, Kullen, near the Danish shore and his program is rather more a philosophical than a geographical one. In five movements, the first and last are huge pieces, each lasting twenty minutes or so. The first, 'Surf and Glimpses of Sun', is described by Langgaard as '...the human soul strains beyond the surf to see the dawn and the promised land.' (This and other quotations are taken from the extensive and very helpful booklet notes by Bendt Viinholt Nielsen.) The second, 'Mountain Flowers', is a pastorale depicting 'flowers of the mountain trembling faintly' in the gentle ocean breeze. The third movement, 'Legend', was originally written as an independent orchestral tone poem. In it the far off roar of the sea creates a 'saga mood' in which one hears 'voices from long-vanished times.' The penultimate movement, 'Mountain Ascent', depicts 'the view of the far-off horizon, the high-vaulted sky and the faraway blue-sparkling sea with the white crests' which fill 'the heart with new courage to face life.' (It is of note that the young Langgaard's parents were fervent Theosophists, as well as professional musicians, and this sort of spiritual yearning was surely learnt by the home hearth.) The finale is titled 'Courage' and is the hugest of the five, calling for a large contingent of brass instruments, including eight horns and four Wagner tubas. It is Mahlerian in scope, but without any irony or faux-peasantry.The overall impact of the symphony is one of adventure, quest, struggle and courageous triumph over life's obstacles. After a total of only three performances before the 1990s, the Symphony No. 1 has now been available on CD twice before in recordings conducted by Ilya Stupel and by Leif Segerstam, but I have not heard these. I must say that I am completely satisfied by both the sound and the performance on this hybrid SACD. I am increasingly admiring of the work of conductor Thomas Dausgaard and his orchestra, the Danish National Symphony. And I don't hesitate to recommend this issue for all who revel in the late Romantic sound-world.Also in this series:  Rued Langgaard: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 [Hybrid SACD ]Scott Morrison

This is a good performance of this long, rambling, self-indulgent symphony, but Segerstam on Chandos does a better job of holding it together and making a case for it. If you really like this work, that's the one to get.

Anyone who enjoys early Mahler will love this symphony. It is often rambling but always returns to its main theme. Excellent recorded sound.

A surprisingly stimulating symphony, well played and recorded in impressive sound, this is one of those sacds which makes it worth it to buy a half decent surround receiver and a couple of extra speakers. It's been said that sacds are dead but don't believe it. Although the big companies quickly abandoned the project, the dedicated smaller ones keep serving us excellent and exciting new sacd recordings. Play the beginning of this symphony to your friends in surround with some volume. The 17 year old composer did a Mendelssohn and presented his enthusiastic vision to a skeptical world that was just ready to abandon romanticism. As if romanticism could ever die. As long as there are humans.