Thomas Dausgaard
Symphonic music took an international step forward in Scandinavia when Thomas Dausgaard began to direct the Danish Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. With the latter, he undertook a major project of recording, dedicated to recording the complete orchestral works of Beethoven for the SIMAX label. The symphonies of course: but also the concertos, along with the sadly-overlooked overtures, and rare works like the young Beethoven's works for ballet: Musik zu einem Ritterballet and Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus. This project was hailed by critics for its coherence and the excellence of its execution. But their work goes much further than the romantic repertoire, with Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak and even Bruckner.
Known for his particularly innovative programming choices, for his creative curiosity, and for his impassioned performances, he successfully made the most of the works of the Nordic composers. The discovery of these artists is particularly interesting. Franz Berwald and Carl Nielsen take pride of place of course - they are, after all, far from obscure to the rest of the world, but the resurrection of scores by the Dane Rud Langgaard (1893-1952) is especially thrilling. Not fitting into any given school, this completely anachronistic music has always been completely out of step with its own time. An avant-gardist in his youth, Langgaard was accused in later life of being a reactionary, apparently turning his back on modernity. Symbolic music (Harmony of the spheres), romantic pastiches or collages presaging the 1970s, Thomas Dausgaard has produced a profoundly original, startling work which can now, thanks to this record, be accorded its deserved place in the history of music. Another major discovery here is that of Asger Hamerik, a Danish composer who came to France to work with Berlioz, and who left us 7 symphonies, all recorded by Dausgaard with excellent Scandinavian orchestras. But his curiosity doesn't stop there: the Danish conductor conducts and records lots of music by Scandinavian composerslike Per Nørgård, Svendsen, Hartmann or Sinding. The musical life of the countries of Northern Europe, with its often neglected richness, has found in Thomas Dausgaard an ambassador to bring it to light. He is also the head of the BBC Scotland Orchestra and, from 2019, will be the musical director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, where is very personal approach to programming will enjoy a lively reception.
Always with one eye on educating tomorrow's audiences, Thomas Dausgaard accords great importance to the role that music can play in the lives of children and young people. That is why he has collaborated with young people's orchestras like the Baccarelli Institute in Brazil, the Toronto Youth Symphony and the Australian Youth Orchestra. This unique conductor is a real free radical in the often-hidebound world of classical music. His curiosity goes far beyond the borders of music, and he is fascinated in particular by the ways of life of faraway peoples: he has visited head-hunting tribes in Borneo, worked on a Chinese farm, and lived with villagers on a remote South Pacific island. He currently lives in Denmark with his family.
The variety of his vast discography sheds a light on the adventurous spirit with which he approaches music. He ceaselessly exploits new musical worlds, an enemy of the routine which can so often prevail in concert halls. His store of knowledge can only be a help to him in directing canonical works, which he can enrich with his experiences. © FH – November 2017 /Qobuz
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Symphonies n° 3 & 4 (HAMERIK Asger)
Symphonic Music - Released by Dacapo on 1 Jun 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
HAMERIK, A.: Symphony No. 7 / Requiem (Stene, Danish National Radio Choir and Symphony Orchestra, Dausgaard) (HAMERIK)
Classical - Released by Dacapo on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann, R.: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4
Classical - Released by BIS on 1 Sep 2008
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonies
Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Symphonic Music - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Œuvres orchestrales (Knudage Riisager)
Classical - Released by Dacapo on 30 Mar 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hartmann : Overtures
Bodil Udsen, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by Dacapo on 15 Sep 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Berlioz: Le Carnaval romain, Helene & Lelio, ou le retour à la vie
Sacred Oratorios - Released by Chandos on 1 Jun 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Riisager: Suites Op. 33 / Tolv Med Posten / Darduse
Helsingborgs Symfoniorkester, Håkan Hardenberger, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by Dacapo on 17 Oct 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Symphony No. 3, Alto Rhapsody & 6 Schubert Songs
Anna Larsson, Johan Reuter, Svenska Kammarorkestern, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by BIS on 7 Sep 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Symphony No. 6 - Rosamunde
Svenska Kammarorkestern, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by BIS on 30 Jul 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 3-5
Svenska Kammarorkestern, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by BIS on 1 Jan 2014
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert, F.: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9
Classical - Released by BIS on 30 Mar 2010
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Symphony No.1
Classical - Released by BIS on 1 Dec 2012
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Miraculous Mandarin, Sz. 73: I. Introduction
Thomas Dausgaard, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by PM Classics Ltd. on 19 Feb 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 9, "From the New World"
Classical - Released by BIS on 1 Jul 2007
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruckner: Symphony No. 2
Classical - Released by BIS on 16 Nov 2010
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sibelius: Kullervo Symphony, Op. 7
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 28 Jun 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Volvens Spadom (Johan Peder Emilius Hartmann)
Symphonic Music - Released by Dacapo on 27 Mar 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Liszt: Eine Faust Symphonie (A Faust Symphony), S. 108
Thomas Dausgaard, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Christian Elsner, Danish National Symphony Choir
Symphonies - Released by Chandos on 1 Apr 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen: Incontri – Works for Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by Dacapo on 14 Oct 2016
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nyårskonsert
Svenska Kammarorkestern, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by Naxos on 1 Jan 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo