COMPOSERS: Holmboe
LABELS: Dacapo
WORKS: Chamber Concerto No. 4; Chamber Concerto No. 5; Chamber Concerto No. 6
PERFORMER: Anne Øland (piano), Mikkel Futtrup (violin), Tim Frederiksen (viola), Niels Ullner (cello); Danish Radio Sinfonietta/Hannu Koivula
CATALOGUE NO: 8.224063
Vagn Holmboe, who died last year in his late eighties, may have been the most respected Danish composer of his generation. But despite writing 13 symphonies, 13 chamber concertos and twenty string quartets, knowledge of his works has barely spread outside his native country. These three concertos, written in 1942/3, adopt the same structure – three movements, a slow one in the middle. All three are less interesting in their outer movements but the slow movements of No. 5 for viola and No. 6 for violin show a much more distinctive personality, freed from neo-classical chugging, with real intensity of feeling transmitted. The works are helped by excellent performances from the soloists, in particular the violinist, Mikkel Futtrup, and sprightly Danish Radio Sinfonietta. Annette Morreau
Holmboe: Chamber Concerto No. 4; Chamber Concerto No. 5; Chamber Concerto No. 6
Vagn Holmboe, who died last year in his late eighties, may have been the most respected Danish composer of his generation. But despite writing 13 symphonies, 13 chamber concertos and twenty string quartets, knowledge of his works has barely spread outside his native country. These three concertos, written in 1942/3, adopt the same structure – three movements, a slow one in the middle. All three are less interesting in their outer movements but the slow movements of No. 5 for viola and No.
Our rating
4
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:40 pm