The five solo violin sonatas on this album were composed during Raasted's years in Odense, Denmark, between 1918 and 1921, a period when chamber and sacred music were his focus.
Composer Biography
Raasted initially trained as a goldsmith and worked in Wiesbaden, Germany, before deciding to pursue a career in music.
Composer Biography
Raasted studied organ with Karl Straube and composition with Max Reger in Leipzig, Germany, which was a crucial period for his musical development.
Compositional Technique
Raasted's solo violin sonatas, particularly Op. 18, are demonstrably influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach, incorporating Baroque dance forms and maintaining a consistent tonality across movements.
Critical Reception
After Raasted's death in 1966, much of his music was forgotten, with only a single hymn tune and occasional organ sonatas being performed.
Composer Biography
Niels Otto Raasted, born Niels Otto Jensen, changed his surname in 1904 to Raasted, after his family's home village.
Performer Biography
Johannes Søe Hansen, the violinist on this album, won the Gold Medal in the Berlingske Tidende Music Competition at age 14 and was a prizewinner in the International Carl Nielsen Violin Competition.
You might also enjoy...
Pleyel: 6 Duos for 2 Violins, Op. 23
Scarlatti: Violin Transcriptions
Hermann: 3 Capriccios - Grand Duo Brillant - Suite in D minor
