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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

22/01/2013   Nightingales honoured with BBC nomination and P2 Prize
The Nightingale String Quartet has been awarded the DR P2 Prize for Best Danish CD of the Year as well as a nomination for the prestigious BBC Music Magazine Awards 2013!
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16/05/2012   Nightingale and Langgaard strike gold in England and the US
The young Nightingale String Quartet's new Langgaard recording tops the bill in the Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine and on USA's biggest classical radio station
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03/05/2012   Langgaard's 11 Symphony at the BBC Proms 2012
Til sommer vil Rued Langgaards musik igen lyde i Royal Albert Hall som del af BBCs berømte række af promenadekoncerter, The BBC Proms.
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27/03/2012   Photos from Nightingale String Quartet CD launch
Se billederne fra Nightingale String Quartets London-besøg i forbindelse med lanceringen af deres første Langgaard-CD
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12/03/2012   New video: Nightingale plays Langgaard
View our video trailer from the recording sessions for Rued Langgaard's quartets featuring the Nightingale String Quartet
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12/03/2012   Prisvindende nattergale klar til CD-premiere
Den unge Nightingale String Quartet præsenterer den første samlede indspilning af Rued Langgaards strygekvartetter ved release-arrangementer i London og København
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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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04/02/2013   MusicWeb International

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets vol. 1
"Fully deserving of a BBC or any other award."
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01/01/2013   Music Web International

Rued Langgaard: The Symphonies
"Music of near genius, quirk and quiddity; this bumper set has it all.", "Dacapo’s Super Audio recording is very impressive indeed."
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01/12/2012   Berlingske

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
Berlingske - Årets Bedste 2012. "Guf for dem, der har alt."
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01/10/2012   Neue Zeitschrift für Musik

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets vol. 1
5/5 Stars

"Diese fantastische CD macht auf ganzer Linie Lust auf Langgaard."
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04/07/2012   Musik & Theater

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"Dänische Quartettkunst"
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01/07/2012   San Francisco Chronicle

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"Simply breathtaking. I can't wait for the next release."
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01/07/2012   thewholenote.com

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"These performances are as close to definitive as you can get. Wonderful stuff, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of the series."
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01/06/2012   OPUS.41

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
6/6 Stars

"en strålande inspelning."
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24/05/2012   SA.CD.net

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
5/5 Stars

"If you are already a Langgaard fan, this will be an essential aquisition". "Highly recommended".
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14/05/2012   www.WQXR.org

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"...Makes you wonder what a night out with these four Danish dames would be like."
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13/05/2012   Gramophone - GRAMOPHONE CHOICE JUNE 2012

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"This young Danish Ensemble throws itself into the music... To call the second volume 'eagerly anticipated' would be a massive understatement."
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13/05/2012   BBC Music Magazine - CHAMBER CHOICE JUNE 2012

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
5/5 Stars

"The Nightingale Quartet understand all these aspects: the provocative vitality, the fragile romantic sensitivity and the striking intellectual independence behind it all."
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01/05/2012   KLASSISK

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets vol. 1
5/6 Stars

"Cd'en er et kæmpeskridt for både de unge musikere og for Langgaard (...) vol. 2 kan ikke komme hurtigt nok."
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01/05/2012   International Record Review

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"Comprehensive notes from Bendt Viinholt Nielsen further enhance a disc that confirms the significance of the composer's quartet legacy."
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01/05/2012   Classical Music Sentinel

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"Potentially two more volumes of new music for us to anticipate, hopefully with the same quartet captured in as fine a recording as this one."
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19/04/2012   www.timeout.com/london

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
4/5 Stars

"...really this is the music of a genuine one-off..."
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18/04/2012   Svenska Dagbladet

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
5/6 Stars

"Unga danska Nightingale String Quartet står för febrila tolkningar som överträffar Kontrakvartettens inspelningar från 80-talet"
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18/04/2012   Kristeligt Dagblad

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
4/6 Stars

"Nattergalene spiller med liv og lyst, og man fristes til at sige, at aldrig har Langgaard lydt skarpere."
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12/04/2012   Classical CD Reviews.com

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"the sheer originality of the music, its skilful melodic construction, and its vast array of colours and moods makes it well worth hearing"
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11/04/2012   Fyens Stiftstidende

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
5/6 Stars

"Deres følelsesladede fortolkning fornemmes så perfekt og rigtig: der skal spilles til sveden perler og blodet springer."
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11/04/2012   The Observer

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"They have an uncanny affinity with Langgaard's wildly moody music and conjure plenty of exquisite moments on this surprisingly rewarding recording."
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11/04/2012   Classics Today (10/10)

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"The performances here are marvelous... The Nightingale String Quartet relishes every bizarre nuance."
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30/03/2012   Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
5/6 Stars

"Der er noget dejligt uhæmmet over den danske strygekvartets greb om den excentriske Langgaard og hans frodige lydbilleder."
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27/03/2012   Politiken

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
5/6 Hjerter

"Medrivende og slagkraftigt... De banebrydende tonemalerier i Langgaards anden strygekvartet får nerve og nærvær som aldrig før."
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26/03/2012   Musical Pointers

Rued Langgaard: String Quartets Vol. 1
"A treasure trove, with the youthful Nightingale String Quartet well placed to have secured such an important contract."
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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   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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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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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   Gramophone

Rued Langgaard: Music of the Spheres
"Superbly played and recorded disc ... Highly recommended."
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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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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   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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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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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

String Quartets Vol. 1
String Quartets Vol. 1
Rued Langgaard

SACD 6.220575 (2012)

A dramatic breakthrough for both Langgaard’s unrestrained quartet art from the beginning of the 1900s and the young female Nightingale Quartet.

Piano Works Vol. 2
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
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
Antikrist
Rued Langgaard

BD 2.110409BD (2010)

Blu-ray version of the acclaimed DVD production of Rued Langgaard's doomsday opera

Romantic Violin Concertos
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
Rose Garden Songs
Rued Langgaard

SACD 6.220561 (2009)

New SACD version of Langgaard’s alluring, mysterious a cappella works

Messis
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]
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
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
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
Symphonies No. 2 and 3
Rued Langgaard

SACD 6.220516 (2007)

Two of Langgaard’s most colourful, optimistic symphonies

Symphonies 12-14
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
Antikrist
Rued Langgaard

SACD 6.220523-24 (2006)

The SACD production of Rued Langgaard's magnificent doomsday vision. allegorical opera

Antikrist (DVD)
Antikrist (DVD)
Rued Langgaard

DVD 2.110402 (2005)

Langgaard’s ecstatic vision of doom in prizewinning recording. Indescribable!

Piano Works
Piano Works
Rued Langgaard

CD 8.226025 (2005)

One of the most beautiful ways of encountering Langgaard’s special universe

Violin Sonatas Vol. 2
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
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
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
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
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
Chamber Music
Rued Langgaard

CD 8.224139 (2000)

Lieder og kammerværker fra Langgaards afgørende brydningsår omkring 1. verdenskrig

String Quartets
String Quartets
Rued Langgaard

DCCD 9302A-B (1999)

Sinfonia interna
Sinfonia interna
Rued Langgaard

CD 8.224136 (1999)

Premiere på et genopdaget storværk fra Langgaards symbolistiske periode

Organ Works
Organ Works
Camillo Carlsen

CD 8.224089 (1998)

Late Romantic organ music by Langgaard, Heise and the neglected Camillo Carlsen

Lieder
Lieder
Rued Langgaard

CD 8.224011 (1994)

Remarkable Lieder in Late Romantic style by the child prodigy Rued Langgaard

Danish Golden Age Piano Trios
Danish Golden Age Piano Trios
Gade, Hartmann, Langgaard, Henriques, Lange-Müller

DCCD 9310 (1993)

Romantic Danish Songs
Romantic Danish Songs

DCCD 9114 (1993)


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