Per Nørgård (Born 1932)

composer

Per Nørgård is the most significant Danish composer after Carl Nielsen and Vagn Holmboe. With his original works, his teaching and his theoretical innovations, Per Nørgård has been the most striking Nordic musical personality for over thirty years. At a young age he became a private pupil of Vagn Holmboe, and his earliest works were in the master’s "Nordic” idiom with Sibelius as a shared guiding star. The First Symphony and the string works Constellations are the high points of this period. Nørgård’s incredibly sensitive curiosity drove him to explore the potential of Central European Modernism. But after a few years he arrived at his own serial technique, the "infinity series”, the mechanisms of which can be compared to the growth and symmetry of nature. Using this technique, Nørgård wrote some of his most important works, for example the Third Symphony.

In the 1980s Nørgård concentrated on the opposite of the harmony of the infinity series: chaos and fragmentation typify his works, inspired by the schizophrenic Swiss artist Adolf Wölfli. Most recently, in the 1990s, he has worked with sophisticated layerings of rhythms and lines, and has focused on the effects of "interference” in his quest to capture the music that otherwise escapes our ears. Per Nørgård has written works of all sizes, from operas to simple choral songs (he once heard one hummed in the local supermarket, to his great satisfaction). Even for the general public without any great interest in music, Per Nørgård is the "modern Danish composer” par excellence.

Live Dates

17 June 2010 Fanfare

Per Nørgård: Piano Works
"Nørgård's is a distinctive, personal voice... Pianist Erik Kaltoft's playing is clean and accurate"
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17 June 2010 The Whole Note

Per Nørgård: Der göttliche Tivoli
"The operatic rendition of Wölfli's life is mind-boggling in its musicality...a difficult yet intriguing adventure in the life of a troubled artist and the curious composer who was moved by his artistry."
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25 May 2010 klassik.com

Per Nørgård: Der Göttliche Tivoli
"Alles in allem: Eine rundum überzeugende Einspielung eines selten gespielten Musiktheaterwerks des 20. Jahrhunderts, das durchaus Überraschendes, Bewegendes, Skurriles, Lustiges und Groteskes zu bieten hat."
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07 May 2010 Klassisk

Per Nørgård: A Light Hour

"Overalt indfinder Nørgårds adelsmærke sig - de omskiftelige tilstande, der i ét væk bølger én i møde og nogle gange ender med at vælte én omkuld. Oven i hatten er der som altid en kompleksitet at betages af og vende tilbage til. Mange gange."
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01 May 2010 Klassisk

Per Nørgård: Der göttliche Tivoli

"Der er tale om en teknisk fremragende udgave. Opførelsen er dynamisk og mister ikke intensiteten et øjeblik undervejs."
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01 May 2010 La Scena Musicale

Per Nørgård: Der göttliche Tivoli

"La distribution vocale est époustouflante et incroyablement bien rodée, nous permettant de plonger avec plaisir dans cet univers déroutant mais indéniablement fascinant."
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01 May 2010 Klassik.com

Per Nørgård: A Light Hour

"Nørgård und das Percurama-Ensemble demonstrieren mit 'A Light Hour' zweierlei: Den überragenden Rang des Komponisten als (Er-)Finder neuer Klänge und die keineswegs schon voll ausgeschöpften Möglichkeiten der Perkussions-Musik. Man höre und staune."
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01 April 2010 www.allmusic.com

Per Nørgård: A Light Hour

It's friendly, inviting, and fun. The sound is nicely spacious and ambient.
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29 March 2010 Sequenza 21

Per Nørgård: String Quartets 7, 8, 9 and 10
"The Kroger Quartet has chameleon-like powers of color shifting and timbral transformation."
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29 March 2010 Sequenza 21

Per Nørgård:Symphonies 3 and 7
"You hear everything that happens and everyone is performing on their highest level."
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22 February 2010 Musicweb International

Conversations for violin and piano
"The performances, excellently recorded, are outstandingly good, and evince powerful commitment for the repertoire."
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01 February 2010 Allmusic.com

Per Nørgård: Der göttliche Tivoli (The Divine Circus)
"The Divine Circus should be of interest to Nørgård's fans and opera lovers with a taste for extreme adventure."
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01 July 2009 Gramophone

Per Nørgård: Seadrift
"Substantial works ... Bente Vist is the radiant soprano ... Dacapo’s sound is first-rate."
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17 June 2009 Classics Today

Per Nørgård: Symphonies 3 & 7
"If you're looking for some really good contemporary music ... then this powerfully engineered production offers a perfect opportunity to satisfy your craving."
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Image: Helle Rahbæk

Discography

	Der göttliche Tivoli Per Nørgård SACD 6.220572-73 (2010) A marvellous portrayal of Swizz artist Adolf Wölfli and a key-work in Nordic music drama
	A Light Hour Per Nørgård CD 8.226100 (2010) A world wide percussion journey brilliantly realized by Gert Mortensen and his ensemble Percurama
	Conversations for violin and piano Koppel, Nørgård, Ruders, Rosing-Schow, Nordentoft CD 8.226519 (2009) One hour of short youthful and charming pieces by five important post-war composers
	Piano Works Per Nørgård CD 8.226089 (2009) Animals, friends and The Beatles appear on this collection of Nørgård’s imaginative piano music
	Seadrift Per Nørgård CD 8.226067 (2009) Three celestial, dazzlingly beautiful works for soprano that explore the harmony of the universe
	Symphonies 3 and 7 Per Nørgård SACD 6.220547 (2009) Sensational recording of Nørgård’s 7th Symphony and his epoch-making Symphony no. 3
	String Quartets 7, 8, 9 and 10 Per Nørgård CD 8.226059 (2008) Nørgård’s latest string quartets recorded in close collaboration with four young musicians
	Secret Melodies Per Nørgård CD 8.226037 (2007) The English pianist Rolf Hind takes centre stage in works by Nørgård – and himself
	Recycled CD 8.226539 (2006) Modern recompositions of classical hits like "The Flight of the Bumble-Bee" and Monti’s "Czardas"
	The Little Mermaid; The Will-o'-the-Wisps Go to Town Bent Sørensen; Per Nørgård CD 8.226046 (2006) Two new Danish masterworks inspired by Hans Christian Andersen
	Works for Harp and ensemble Per Nørgård CD 8.226039 (2006)
	L'Homme Armé - Works for Solo Cello CD 8.226007 (2005) Monumental collection of new works for solo cello – virtuosic and powerful!
	Circles CD 8.226517 (2005) Music for trumpet and trombone by Per Nørgård, Peter Bruun and others
	Mythic Morning - Choral Works II Per Nørgård SACD 6.220510 (2005) Virtuoso choral works – a beautiful, seductive introduction to Nørgård’s universe
	Passage - Danish Piano Trios Trio Ondine CD 8.226009 (2005) Danish piano trios throughout a century, including an unknown work of Carl Nielsen’s youth
	Nuit des Hommes Per Nørgård CD 8.226011 (2004) Per Nørgård’s shattering anti-war opera for two singers with texts by Apollinaire
	Breath and Wings Jens Schou CD 8.226507 (2004) Improvisation music and new works for clarinet
	Six Works for Saxophone and Percussion DuoDenum CD 8.226504 (2004) Brand new repertoire for the imaginative combination percussion and saxophone
	Orchestral Works Per Nørgård CD 8.226014 (2003) Three unique orchestral pieces, including the watershed Voyage into the Golden Screen
	Songs Per Nørgård CD 8.224170 (2002) Per Nørgård himself accompanies on this unique recording of his songs
	Singe die Gärten Per Nørgård CD 8.224115 (1999) Fascinating, seductive music with the Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Ars Nova
	Oboe and Piano CD 8.224043 (1996)
	Luna; Symphony No. 3; Twilight Per Nørgård CD 8.224041 (1996)
	Works for Cello Per Nørgård CD 8.224007 (1995) Five highly varied fruits of Per Nørgård’s fascination with the cello
	A Drummer's Tale, episode one Per Nørgård CD 8.224024-25 (1995) A vigorous collaboration between the percussionist Gert Sørensen and Nørgård, who himself plays keyboards and sings
	Siddharta Per Nørgård CD 8.224031-32 (1995)
	Wind Quintets CD 8.224001 (1994) Carl Nielsen’s masterpiece and more recent quintets by Abrahamsen, Holmboe and Nørgård
	Music for Guitar Rosing Olsen, Nørholm, Nørgård, Gerfors, Gudmundsen-Holmgreen DCCD 9316 (1993) The guitarist Erling Møldrup is a unique catalyst for Danish composers of today
	Gilgamesh; Voyage Into the Golden Screen Per Nørgård DCCD 9001 (1992) The cosmic opera about the creation of the world – enchantingly beautiful music
	Concertos Per Nørgård DCCD 9002 (1992) The international star Pinchas Zukerman as soloist in Nørgård’s violin concerto Remembering Child