A Biographical Multimedia Mosaic...


A sudden change...

The shift in Langgaard's style as regards orchestral, chamber and piano music falls between the following works:

 
  • Symphony No. 6 (1919-20) and Symphony No. 7 (1925-26)
  • String Quartet No. 3 (1924) and String Quartet No. 5 (1925)
  • Afgrundsmusik (Music of the Abyss) (1922-24) and Sonata No. 1 (1925-28)


The shift in style is particularly marked between String Quartets Nos. 3 and 5, which were composed within an interval of six months, but which represent in terms of style a span of some fifty years. (String Quartet No. 4 belongs to quite another place in the chronology!).

From the manuscript of String Quartet No. 3 (1924), 1st Movement (corresponding to the beginning of the music excerpt). Reproduced with the permission of the Society for the Publication of Danish Music.

From the manuscript of String Quartet No. 5 (1925), 2nd Movement (corresponding to the beginning of the music excerpt).


Listen to an excerpt from String Quartet No. 3, 1st Movement - and compare it with the beginning of String Quartet No. 5, 2nd Movement.