Classical Music

These days people talk of a new Golden Age of Danish composition music. The first Golden Age, when Danish music and musical life really flourished, was in the first half of the 19th century, while the second Golden Age began in the early 1990s. Today a great deal of music is composed and performed and, on average, 300 Danish works are premiered every year. Particularly noticeable is the increasing productivity in the number of stage works, dominated by chamber operas. In addition a new Danish full-length opera was premiered at The Royal Theatre for the first time in thirty years in 2000: Poul Ruders’ (b.1949) The Handmaid’s Tale was a great success and several foreign performances are planned.

The Period Before the 19th Century

Right up to the 19th century, Danish composition music was with a few exceptions produced by foreign composers who came to the country in the service of the court. Among the earliest Danish composers were Mogens Pedersøn (c.1583-1623) and Diderich Buxtehude (1637-1707). Buxtehude is also regarded as a Danish composer, although he was of German origin, and he is often described as one of the great masters of organ music before J.S. Bach.

German Composers in Denmark

Until the mid 19th century the trend-setting composers in Denmark were from Northern Germany, such as J.A.P. Schulz (1747-1800), who was particularly involved in the dissemination of popular songs, F.L.Æ. Kunzen (1761-1817), C.E.F. Weyse (1774-1842) and F.D.R. Kuhlau (1786-1832).

Schulz’ and Kunzen’s importance primarily rested in their position as chief conductors at The Royal Theatre, where they presented a European repertory of high standard to the Copenhagen audience. Weyse and Kuhlau have made a more weighty contribution to the standard repertory within both orchestral and chamber music, but also the more popular repertory: Weyse with secular and religious songs and Kuhlau with chamber music that was also accessible to amateur musicians.

The First Golden Age

Not until the next generation, which includes J.P.E. Hartmann (1805- 1900), H.C. Lumbye (1810-1874) and Niels W. Gade (1817-1890), did Denmark produce a number of native composers. Thus the foundation was laid for an actual Danish sound, which was a further development of the work of the German predecessors.

Hartman features prominently in the first Golden Age. Apart from a number of orchestral works and theatre music, he has contributed to the Danish treasury of song and the piano repertory. Lumbye was employed as the first music director at the Copenhagen amusement park Tivoli when it opened in 1843. Here he had a platform for presenting a large foreign and Danish repertory, including his many waltzes and gallops in the Johann Strauss-tradition.

Gade completes the first Golden Age. After a period abroad and contact with, among others, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Gade participated in the development of The Music Society (founded in 1836) with the purpose of extending and improving the understanding of classical music. At the conservatory in Copenhagen he helped teach future generations, including Carl Nielsen (1865-1931).

Carl Nielsen and His Contemporaries

During the second half of the 19th century, the Central European – and due to the Danish military defeat in 1864 especially the German – influence on Danish music was toned down. Musical life began to isolate itself, although it remained closely in touch with the other Nordic countries.

As a result, the first half of the 20th century offered a nationalistic and introverted attitude, which reacted against the Central European late Romanticism. The efforts were also to some extent educational, for instance with piano schools and the like.

Especially the two leading figures, Carl Nielsen and the church musician Thomas Laub (1852-1927), pleaded for a national awareness orientated towards the ’pure’ musical idiom of earlier centuries, such as the Renaissance.

Carl Nielsen grew up in a village on Funen as the son of a house painter. Through performing with folk musicians as a child and as an army musician in his youth, he obtained the basic musical training which enabled him to enter the music conservatory in Copenhagen in 1884. He has made a large contribution to the unique Danish treasury of song and his six symphonies and much of his other music have been played in large parts of the world.

Opera in Søndermarken Park (1998). Every year more than 100,000 people attend The Royal Theatre’s two open-air concerts in Søndermarken Park and at the national memorial ground Skamlingsbanken. Photo: Martin Mydtskov Rønne.

At the beginning of the century, Thomas Laub was one of the great reformers of Danish church singing. Musically he orientated himself towards the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and thus created church singing of a timeless nature.

Common to the two musicians were their efforts to repress the increasingly decadent musical idiom of Romanticism and especially late Romanticism. However, this also meant that there was no real new departure in Danish music for almost a hundred years.

Portraits of five of the principal Danish composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. From the left: Niels Wilhelm Gade, Carl Nielsen, Vagn Holmboe, Per Nørgård and Poul Ruders. Illustrations: Frederiksborgmuseet, Scanpix Nordfoto/Jakob Boserup, Polfoto/Jakob Carlsen.

A result of this trend was a lack of understanding of other musical expressions. A composer such as Rued Langgaard (1893-1952), whose music is characterised by a distinctive late Romantic ideology with several extremely forward-looking manifestations, thus found it difficult to be accepted by the musical establishment. Langgaard died without experiencing an understanding of his music, which has however found favour during the last decade.

The Generation After Carl Nielsen

The main composers to make their mark from the generation after Carl Nielsen were Jørgen Bentzon (1897- 1951), Finn Høffding (1899-1997), Herman D. Koppel (1908-1998), Knudåge Riisager (1897-1974), Niels Viggo Bentzon (1919-2000) and Vagn Holmboe (1909-1996). They were mainly active within the chamber music genres, but also composed orchestral music. Especially Vagn Holmboe has achieved a lasting place in the repertory. As the teacher of the generation of Per Nørgård (b.1932), Ib Nørholm (b.1931) and Pelle Gudmundsen- Holmgreen (b.1932), his influence is very noticeable: musically in their works from the 1950s and ideologically throughout their careers.

New Departure: Modernism and Reaction

Per Nørgård began composing in the 1950s. Together with his contemporary colleagues Pelle Gudmundsen- Holmgreen and Ib Nørholm, he took up the thread from their teacher Vagn Holmboe and the tradition which was the prevailing norm in Denmark. But the young composers wanted to rebel against the now almost 150 year old unbroken line in the Danish tradition, especially after encountering the Central European Modernism around 1959-1960.

At the same time there were changes in the organisation of the musical life which in every way blazed the trail for new thoughts and ideas. Among other things new, more forward-looking people were appointed to leading positions in key institutions such as The Royal Danish Academy of Music, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) and The Royal Theatre. Thus began an exploration of the avant-garde universe of musical Modernism lasting about five years. The rounded work was replaced by fragments and the classical forms by serialism, electronic music, aleatoric music and fluxus experiments. Where the composers had previously kept in step, their dissimilarity was now made evident by the very different directions which these three most prominent composers took in the 1960s.

Per Nørgård worked towards the ’organic serialism’ which resulted in the ’infinity series’ in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Ib Nørholm chose a predominantly lyric approach, while Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen went for a more tightly formulated style.

Around the mid 1960s, there was an abrupt change of course. The period was characterised by a strong reaction against the complexity of the avant-garde and was therefore soon called ’the new simplicity’. The only composer who has never completely left behind the avant-garde attitude of Modernism is Per Nørgård.

The composers born around 1910-1920, i.e. the generation between Holmboe and Nørgård, include a number of people who retained a neo-classical, tonal basis in their music. However, despite the high artistic standard, there was little space for composers such as Jørgen Jersild (b.1913), Svend S. Schultz (1913-1998), Leif Kayser (b.1919) and Leif Thybo (1922- 2001) in the concert programmes or the musical life generally after the turbulent rebellion of the 1960s.

The Period After the 1960s

With a few exceptions, Danish musical life since the 1960s has been dominated by an all-embracing attitude, where the composers have mutually accepted and appreciated their fundamental dissimilarity.

From the late 1960s onwards, prominent composers include Ole Buck (b.1945), who in several works cultivates a tightly formulated expression, Karl Aage Rasmussen (b.1947), who in his music philosophises about the dimension of time, and Poul Ruders, who is one of the few Danish composers genuinely to have made a name for himself in the Anglo-Saxon world with multi-layered music inspired by both the Middle Ages and Minimalism.

Click on the picture to see the html-version of: Opera Venues and Companies

Bent Sørensen (b.1958) and Karsten Fundal (b.1966) belong to the generation of composers coming to the fore during the 1980s. Bent Sørensen’s music is best characterised as 20th century ’fin de siècle’, which has generally been the ideological starting point and the fulcrum as regards content. Karsten Fundal seeks awareness in music, inspired by among others his teacher Per Nørgård and Oriental philosophy framed in uncompromising scores.

Click on the picture to see the html-version of: Musicians and Singers with an International Career

The 1970s were characterised by cultural pessimism within most areas, including music. An increasing self-confidence did not become noticeable among the composers until the late 1980s and early 1990s, instigated partly by the very young. These young composers have grown up with the equal status of every kind of musical expression – Classical- Romantic and 20th century art music, popular songs, pop and rock, etc. – which has given them great freedom of movement.

The new composers of the 1990s range from young, self-taught or recently graduated composers to established musicians from the jazz and rock environments. The latter typically combine in small groups of artists, such as Skræp (experimental and electronic music) and Score (cross-over between avant-garde jazz and art music).

The Second Golden Age

The Danish new music scene is developing rapidly and works are being composed and performed as never before. This positive trend is the culmination of the culture political initiatives taken in the 1960s and 1970s.

The main catalyst was the passing of the Music Act of 1976, which was the first of its kind in the world. Here the musical life – and especially the classical area – received much attention with a view to strengthening and consolidating non-commercial music. Apart from grants to composers, substantial national and regional subsidies are given to five symphony orchestras, a number of regional basic ensembles, chamber opera companies, a national company and individual ensembles, choirs, musicians, etc. The subsidy is given by the Ministry of Culture through the Danish Music Council, which distributes the funds in accordance with the Act. Since 2001 the Danish Secretariat for International Cultural Relations has been Denmark’s official representative abroad.

The introverted, nationalistic and Nordic attitude prevalent among composers fifty years ago has now been replaced by an openness towards foreign countries, which is repaid by an increasing interest in Danish music. Especially Carl Nielsen’s music has experienced a renaissance internationally, but also contemporary Danish composers such as Per Nørgård, Poul Ruders and Bent Sørensen are highly regarded abroad.

Opera It was the German composers settling in Denmark in the 18th and 19th century who initially wrote opera on Danish soil and their socalled ’singspiel’ (ballad operas) became a part of the musical life. Some of the national treasures which have endured are Kunzen’s Holger Danske (1789), Weyse’s The Sleeping Draught (1809) and Kuhlau’s The Robbers’ Castle (1814). The through-composed opera was introduced with works such as Hartmann’s Little Kirsten (1846) and Peter Heise’s (1830-1879) King and Marshal (1878).

Over the years, few Danish operas have been so well received that they have entered the standard repertory. They include Carl Nielsen’s two works Saul and David (1902) and Masquerade (1906). Hakon Børresen (1876-1954) made his mark with The Royal Guest (1919) and Kaddara (1921).

During the second half of the 20th century, it was primarily Nørgård and the younger generations who attracted attention. Nørgård’s works include Gilgamesh (1973), The Divine Circus (1983), Siddharta (1983) and Nuits des hommes (1996).

In recent years, the chamber opera genre has grown explosively in Denmark, especially after the establishment of the experimental company The Other Opera in Copenhagen in 1994. A large number of contemporary composers have written one or more stage works, and especially composers such as Karl Aage Rasmussen, John Frandsen (b.1956), Andy Pape (b.1955) and Lars Klit (b.1965) have excelled in the genre.

After the success of The Handmaid’s Tale (2000), based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, Poul Ruders was commissioned to write another work for The Royal Theatre in connection with the inauguration of a new opera house in Copenhagen, which is expected to be ready in 2005.

Opera Companies

The Royal Theatre was founded by Frederik V in 1748 and remained Denmark’s only actual opera company until the establishment of the Danish National Opera in 1947. The theatre houses the art forms drama, ballet and opera, and trains a large number of its artists at its own drama school, ballet school and opera academy. The main stress of the opera repertory is on the established international Classical and Romantic works, but modern music drama also has its place in the season plans.

The Danish National Opera is based in Århus and at the same time functions as a touring company all over the country. It has achieved international distinction, among other things by twice presenting Richard Wagner’s opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung.

During the last twenty years, a number of smaller opera companies have been established, most of them focusing on contemporary chamber opera. Apart from The Other Opera, Lerchenborg Music Festival, the opera group Musikteatret Undergrunden (close to Copenhagen), Aarhus Summer Opera and Holland House (in Copenhagen) are the main promoters of the genre in Denmark and they have also taken it abroad.

Michael Schønwandt at the conductor’s desk, The Radio House Concert Hall (2000). Photo: Scanpix Nordfoto/Erik Refner.

Marianne Rørholm and Aage Haugland in Poul Ruders’ The Handmaid’s Tale (2000). In 2002 the composer received the Cannes Classical Award for this work. Photo: Martin Mydtskov Rønne.

Institutions and Music Scene

Denmark has five academies teaching both classical and rhythmic music. They are located in Copenhagen, Århus, Aalborg, Odense and Esbjerg, with The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen as the largest and oldest, founded in 1867. Also in Copenhagen is the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, which only teaches jazz, rock and similar genres.

Denmark has a number of major professional ensembles. The Danish Broadcasting Corporation is responsible for two – the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Radio Light Orchestra. The Royal Theatre has The Royal Orchestra and in addition Denmark has five regional symphony orchestras located on Zeeland and Funen, and in South, East and North Jutland. Apart from the symphony orchestras, there are a number of smaller, state subsidised basic ensembles, likewise distributed across the country’s regions.

The Danish Treasury of Song

Denmark has such a rich and unique tradition of popular song that it is referred to as ’the Danish Treasury of Song’. It has its origin in the folk ballad tradition, which can be traced back to around the 13th century. With the dissemination of music in the 19th century middle class homes, the tradition flourished along with the folk high school movement and popular education. An important element in this development was the Compulsory Education Act of 1814, which laid the groundwork for a popular dissemination of the Danish treasury of song with unison singing in the mother tongue as an integral part of the teaching. The outstanding tunes by Carl Nielsen and his contemporaries have contributed to the continuation of the tradition in the 20th century.

Denmark has two national anthems. King Christian stood by the lofty mast is used on official occasions when the royal house is represented. There is some doubt about the origin of the tune. The text is written by Johannes Ewald for the ’singspiel’ The Fishermen (1780) and here the music was by Johann Ernst Hartmann (1726-1793). However, the tune used today is probably written by D.L. Roger and arranged by Kuhlau. It is heard in the final tableau of the ’singspiel’ The Elfin Mound (1828).

There is a lovely country is used on other occasions, such as sporting events and the like. The text is by Adam Oehlenschläger (written around 1819) in the National Romantic style with music composed around 1835 by H.E. Krøyer (1798-1879).

Klaus Lynbech
Editor, mag.art.

Further Information

Ministry of Culture
Nybrogade 2
Postboks 2140
DK-1015 Copenhagen K
(+45) 3392 3370
www.kum.dk
kum@kum.dk

Danish Music Information Centre (MIC)
Gråbrødre Torv 16
DK-1154 Copenhagen K
(+45) 3311 2066
www.mic.dk
mic@mic.dk

Culture Net Denmark
Christians Brygge 3
DK-1219 Copenhagen K
(+45) 3313 5088
www.culturenet-denmark.dk
kulturnet@www.kulturnet.dk