Flemming Dreisig, the organist on this recording, won first prize at the Nordic competition for young organists in Stockholm in 1973 and had a concert debut in 1972 that drew attention for his technical and musical maturity and improvisations.
Compositional Technique
Bentzon's Variations for organ, opus 103, features a lyrical, singable theme that is dodecaphonic, meaning it uses all twelve tones twice, yet creates natural reference points through note repetitions.
Composition History
Niels Viggo Bentzon's early organ 'classic,' Prelude, Intermezzo and Fugue, opus 13, was forgotten by the composer and only premiered in 1953, over a decade after its composition.
Composer Biography
Niels Viggo Bentzon is a prolific artist with talents beyond music, including painting, and he only decided to concentrate on music after his father's death in 1937.
Composer Biography
Niels Viggo Bentzon, the composer of the organ music on this album, grew up in Copenhagen and had musical ancestors, including his great-grandfather J.P.E. Hartmann, a composer and organist at Copenhagen Cathedral.
Composer Biography
Niels Viggo Bentzon was a member of the Fluxus movement in the 1960s and composed 'happenings' like Tøjmusik... (Clothes Music...) and Mycelie, a mycological suite for organ with graphical notation.
Instruments
The organ used for this recording, located in The Church of the Holy Spirit in Copenhagen, is one of Scandinavia's largest and most unusual organs, with 75 stops divided over four keyboards and pedal.
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