Most of the piano pieces on this album were premiered decades after Rued Langgaard's death, indicating they were deeply personal expressions rather than works composed for an audience.
Composer Biography
Rued Langgaard, the composer, was a child prodigy who debuted as an organist at Frederikskirken in Copenhagen in 1905, incorporating improvisation.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rued Langgaard's music is driven by his inner visions and moods, rather than traditional forms, as he stated, 'I see what I want to do like a picture, and then the music develops all by itself'.
Composer Biography
Despite his high qualifications, Rued Langgaard was repeatedly rejected for organist positions until he secured his only official appointment at Ribe Cathedral in 1940.
Compositional Technique
In his work Insectarium, Rued Langgaard was, as far as is known, the first composer to instruct a pianist to play directly on the piano strings and knock on the piano lid.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in the DXD audio format, using a high sampling rate of 352.8 kHz/32bit and DPA microphones for a detailed sound.
Performer Biography
Pianist Berit Johansen Tange has extensively studied Rued Langgaard's music, performing annually at the Rued Langgaard Festival and releasing multiple recordings of his piano works.
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