Fragmentary composition techniques

Several of Langgaard's later compositions reveal a very abrupt style of composition. The music seems like a collage, because the fragments of which it is composed reveal strong contrasts in terms of style and expression.

This is true, for example, of the String Quartet Movement from 1950, an extremely short, isolated scherzo, though in this case Langgaard achieved a homogeneity of expression in virtue of the dynamic, ongoing nature of the movement. This composition is closer in style to that of Schönberg, Berg and Webern from around the turn of the century than any other composition by Langgaard.

The movement, which has not been published, has been recorded in its entirety for this website.

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