Rued Langgaard (1893 - 1952)

composer

Rued Langgaard had one of the most remarkable careers - and was perhaps the greatest musical talent - in all of Danish music. Rued Langgaard was brought up by his artistic parents to hold arch-Romantic, religio-philosophical views on art. Yet Langgaard was not deaf to the modern development of music, and took his Late Romantic tonal idiom to such highly original extremes that it could no longer maintain its Romantic grounding. This led to the first of the two long pauses in composition in his life, and to a subsequent output of works that were deliberately anachronistic.

The Danish music world looked askance at Rued Langgaard, a lonely eccentric who was the only Dane to go all the way with Late Romanticism. In 1940 he was engaged for the first time in an official capacity, as the cathedral organist in Ribe, far from the music life of the capital. And there he lived, a bitter man, until his death, regarding Carl Nielsen as the epitome of all that was wrong with the music of the age. Nevertheless, one finds traces of Nielsen in the most modernist works of Langgaard.

Rued Langgaard wrote over 400 works of which numerous are recorded for Dacapo: The 16 symphonies and many other orchestral works, the six string quartets, piano and organ works, choral music, songs and the religious vocal drama Antichrist. It was only at the end of the sixties that eyes were opened to the quite special qualities of his often unique musical idiom. And there are still great works by Langgaard awaiting their first performance.

Read more about Rued Langgaard and his music at www.langgaard.dk

Live Dates

19/08/2011   French distinctions to Dacapo
Music of the Spheres and Holmboe's Complete String Quartets are given the fine destinction "Ring" in the French music journal Classique Info. Read both reviews here:
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04/04/2011   Med Langgaard i Hi-Fi Klubben
Langgaards drømmende musik mødte moderne teknik og hotellounge på Åboulevarden i København
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11/03/2011   Lyden af Langgaard
HiFi klubben og Dacapo Records inviterer til eksklusivt medlemsarrangement om klassisk musik og CD-lyd
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02/02/2011   Two Danish nominees for BBC Awards
Two Dacapo recordings with music by Rued Langgaard and Poul Ruders respectively have been nominated for the perstiguous BBC Music Magazine Awards 2011. You can vote too!
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30/08/2010   Historic Langgaard debut at BBC Proms
English critics agree: last week's BBC Proms concert was the definitive international breakthrough of the Danish outsider composer Rued Langgaard
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06/08/2010   Langgaard and Dausgaard conquer London
Rued Langgaard's grandiose "Music of the Spheres" is given its UK premiere almost a century late at this year's BBC Prom 35 - and now appears on a new CD
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02/08/2010   New videos: Music of the Spheres
Promotion video from the recording sessions for Rued Langgaard's "Music of the Spheres" - and a bonus story told by Per Nørgård
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10/03/2010   Gramophone's Tune Surfing praises Dacapo
"Quite a variety of treats" - Gramophone's Editor-in-Chief James Jolly praises Dacapo's new Music Store
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28/06/2009   Dausgaard on Langgaard

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16/01/2012 Opus

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works Vol. 2
4/6 Stars

"Den här nya volymen visar upp större variation och bredd"
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12/09/2011 Gramophone

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works Vol. 2
"Pianist Berit Johansen Tange has become a more confident and dynamically empowered Langgaard interpreter."
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12/09/2011 Classics Today France (10/10)

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"Pour ceux qui connaissent déjà l'univers de ce Scriabine nordique, par exemple à travers l'opéra Antikrist, ce SACD sera du pur bonbon."
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19/07/2011 Jyllands Posten

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works Vol. 2
"Tæt banale, enkle udsagn er glimtene af genialitet og ofte i en virtuos sats. Det udgør en spændende cd"
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12/05/2011 Politiken

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works Vol. 2
"Berit Johansen Tange spiller med al ønskelig klarhed og konsekvens."
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11/05/2011 Kristeligt Dagblad

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works Vol. 2
5/6 Stars

"Berit Johansen Tange er den perfekte fortolker, der mærkbart har studeret disse værker til bunds."
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01/05/2011 Klassisk

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works Vol. 2
3/6 Stars

"Originalt Langgaard ... Berit Johansen Tange spiller glimrende og indforstået"
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07/04/2011 Fyens Stiftstidende

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works Vol. 2
4/6 Stars

"Berit Johansen Tange er eksperten, der kyndigt og medlevende fører lytteren igennem det Langgaardske univers"
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25/03/2011 MusicWeb International

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
CD of the Month - March 2011 "Absolutely not to be missed!"
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13/03/2011 Klassik.com

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"Es gelingt hervorragend, die Qualitäten von Langgaards Musik aufs Beste zu akzentuieren."
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25/02/2011 Fanfare

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"Works of genius, or manifestations of madness-or both-these at the least are compelling listening."
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11/01/2011 Classique Info

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"Thomas Dausgaard propose ici une version moins spectaculaire, plus mystique et peut-être en définitive plus satisfaisante"
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10/11/2010 Dagens Nyheter

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
4/5 Stars

"Verket i sig väckte en fascination som inneburit en oväntad försäljningsframgång för den inspelning som utkommit."
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01/11/2010 OPUS

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
5/5 Stars

OPUS Rekommanderar - "Framförandet är i superklass och inspelningen helt fenomenal ... Ändå, Årets CD!"
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01/11/2010 Gramophone

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"Superbly played and recorded disc ... Highly recommended."
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27/10/2010 Gapplegate Music Review

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"The performances are excellent and the sound is good."
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11/10/2010 BBC Music Magazine

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
5/5 Stars

"Stunningly ambitious and well-executed...Amazing."
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04/10/2010 The Arts Desk

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"This is possibly the strangest, most delicious music you’re likely to hear all year. Fabulous.”
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29/09/2010 Fyens Stiftstidende

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
5/5 Stars

"Takket være Thomas Dausgaards enorme overblik og dybe indsigt står hver en passage lysende klart."
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29/09/2010 NPR

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"If there was ever any music suitable for a planetarium, this is it!"
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29/09/2010 Kristeligt Dagblad

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
4/5 Stars

"Et flot requiem af en af Danmarks mest spændende komponister"
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14/09/2010 Classics Today (10/10)

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"The music is terrific and wholly gripping ... stunningly recorded and beautifully performed ... A truly awesome event" 10/10 - CD OF THE MONTH OCTOBER 2010
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08/09/2010 Jyllands-Posten

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"En gave til et nyt stort publikum."
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06/09/2010 Klassisk

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
5/5 Stars

"Som lytter løftes man med og op på denne intense bølge af vellyd."
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16/08/2010 Musikansich.de

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
6/6 Stars

"Sphärenmusik darf beanspruchen, eines der merkwürdigsten und fantastischen Werke des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts zu sein."
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13/08/2010 Berlingske Tidende

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"Hør den endelig!"
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13/08/2010 Politiken

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
4/6 Hjerter

“Musikken klang så himmelsk og diffus i Royal Albert Halls særprægede akustik, som den vel overhovedet kan komme til.”
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12/08/2010 Information

Rued Langgaard: Music og the Spheres
“De gjorde det alle fremragende oppe på podiet under Thomas Dausgaard, og publikum tog mærkbart den ejendommelige musik til sig.”
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03/05/2010 Sequenza 21

Rued Langgaard: Rose Garden Songs
"The 12-member Ars Nova Copenhagen under Tamás Vetö is a premiere vocal ensemble, distinguished for its perfect blend, flawless intonation and expressiveness."
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04/03/2010 American Record Guide

Rued Langgaard: Rose Garden Songs
"There's not an unattractive sound anywhere in the program... Aided by handsome SACD sonics, the choir sounds gorgeous from start to finish."
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01/03/2010 Fanfare

Rued Langgaard: Rose Garden Songs
"Admirers of great a cappella singing who don't own these performances are urged to make their acquaintance."
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24/02/2010 Musicweb International

Rued Langgaard: Rose Garden Songs
"In every way then, this is a lovely disc."
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04/11/2009 Audiophile Audition

Rued Langgaard: Rose Garden Songs
4 Stars

"If your choral collection needs some refreshing, you've found a perfect starting place."
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02/11/2009 OPUS

Rued Langgaard: Messis
5/5 Stars

"För samlaren är detta så klart ett måste. Flemming Dreisig är strålande"
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15/08/2009 Audiophile Audition

Romantic Violin Concertos
5 Stars

"All three concertos are beautifully executed by Christina Åstrand who shows off the upper register of her instrument with a lovely purity of both tone and intonation."
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01/07/2009 Gramophone

Rued Langgaard: The Symphonies
"Dausgaard, Danish Radio and Dacapo do the cycle proud."
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29/06/2009 Audiophile Audition

Rued Langgaard: Messis
5 Stars

"This is one of the finest organ recordings I have heard; and with such rare and rewarding, largely romantic sounds, it is to be highly recommended."
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03/02/2009 Politiken

Rued Langgaard: The Symphonies
5/6 Hjerter

"Samtlige 16 svulmende, velorkestrerede orkesterudsagn er hermed indspillet. Langgaard-fans, kom ud af skabene og tag for jer!"
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16/01/2009 Classics Today

Rued Langgaard: The Symphonies
"It's great to see a national label working so hard and so successfully to preserve its cultural heritage."
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14/04/2005 Politiken

Rued Langgaard: Piano Works
4/6 Stars

”Berit Tange spiller varmt melodi- og gestusbevidst med fin sans for musikkens karakterskabende, lyrisk maleriske træk og spontant fantaserende særpræg”
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15/01/1994 American Record Guide

Gade, Hartmann, Langgaard, Henriques, Lange-Müller: Klavertrioer fra den danske guldalder
"Tre Musici display remarkable ensemble playing in the way they dovetail one another in expression."
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15/01/1994 Fono Forum

Gade, Hartmann, Langgaard, Henriques, Lange-Müller: Danish Golden Age Piano Trios
"Tre Musici gehen konzentriert und sensible zu Werke."
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Discography

	Piano Works Vol. 2 Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220565 (2011) This solo piano album presents Langgaard's wondrous world through a handful of significant world premiere recordings
	Music of the Spheres Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220535 (2010) Rued Langgaard’s most visionary works form the impressive conclusion to Dacapo’s acclaimed Dausgaard-Langgaard cycle
	Antikrist Rued Langgaard BD 2.110409BD (2010) Blu-ray version of the acclaimed DVD production of Rued Langgaard's doomsday opera
	Romantic Violin Concertos N.W. Gade, Lange-Müller, Langgaard SACD 6.220562 (2009) Languishingly beautiful music played with soul and brilliance by Christina Åstrand
	Rose Garden Songs Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220561 (2009) New SACD version of Langgaard’s alluring, mysterious a cappella works
	Messis Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220528-29 (2009) Spectacular recording from Copenhagen Cathedral of one of the greatest Late Romantic organ works
	The Symphonies [7-SACD box set] Rued Langgaard SACD 6.200001 (2009) All Langgaard’s 16 symphonies collected in one beautiful box; a watershed release!
	Symphonies 15-16 Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220519 (2008) The last two symphonies and a handful of short pieces by the Romantic firebrand Langgaard
	Symphony No. 1 Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220525 (2008) The amazing breakthrough work by the child prodigy Langgaard is still Denmark’s biggest symphony
	Symphonies No. 2 and 3 Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220516 (2007) Two of Langgaard’s most colourful, optimistic symphonies
	Symphonies 12-14 Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220517 (2006) Three symphonies that cover the whole field of Langgaard’s corrosive, schizophrenic view of music
	Antikrist Rued Langgaard SACD 6.220523-24 (2006) The SACD production of Rued Langgaard's magnificent doomsday vision. allegorical opera
	Antikrist (DVD) Rued Langgaard DVD 2.110402 (2005) Langgaard’s ecstatic vision of doom in prizewinning recording. Indescribable!
	Piano Works Rued Langgaard CD 8.226025 (2005) One of the most beautiful ways of encountering Langgaard’s special universe
	Violin Sonatas Vol. 2 Rued Langgaard CD 8.226006 (2003) Extremely original music from the last years of the great loner Langgaard
	Symphonies 4-5 Rued Langgaard CD 8.224215 (2002) ¨The first recording ever of the two very different versions of the Fifth Symphony, as well as the masterpiece Leaf Fall
	Violin Sonatas Vol. 1 Rued Langgaard CD 8.224153 (2002) The first two sonatas show the extremes of Langgaard’s incomparable output
	Symphonies 9-11 Rued Langgaard CD 8.224182 (2001) The six-minute Symphony no. 11, Ixion, is intensely minimal music from 1944
	Symphonies 6-8 Rued Langgaard CD 8.224180 (2001) First CD in the definitive series of recordings of Langgaard’s strange and wonderful symphonies
	Chamber Music Rued Langgaard CD 8.224139 (2000) Lieder og kammerværker fra Langgaards afgørende brydningsår omkring 1. verdenskrig
	String Quartets Rued Langgaard DCCD 9302A-B (1999)
	Sinfonia interna Rued Langgaard CD 8.224136 (1999) Premiere på et genopdaget storværk fra Langgaards symbolistiske periode
	Organ Works Camillo Carlsen CD 8.224089 (1998) Late Romantic organ music by Langgaard, Heise and the neglected Camillo Carlsen
	Lieder Rued Langgaard CD 8.224011 (1994) Remarkable Lieder in Late Romantic style by the child prodigy Rued Langgaard
	Danish Golden Age Piano Trios Gade, Hartmann, Langgaard, Henriques, Lange-Müller DCCD 9310 (1993)
	Romantic Danish Songs DCCD 9114 (1993)