‘Moderation’ was the virtue Tage Nielsen ascribed to himself and Danish musical life in 1962. The understated and highly admired composer wrote truly listenable music, which continues to be frequently performed around the world.
On 4 October 2024 a digital album was released by Dacapo Records, presenting piano and chamber music from all five decades of Tage Nielsen’s career. Highly varied music that curiously breaks with the currents of its time yet remains condensed, precise and clear in thought and expression.
An intellectual glint in the eye
Tage Nielsen was born in 1929 and passing away in 2003, throughout his approximately 50 active years as a composer, he was infinitely respected and admired by his colleagues, whether composers or performing musicians.
Nielsen always had an understated quality about him, reflected in his music too. There is always an idea behind the music which has a refreshingly precise and thoughtful quality, and there do not appear to be any superfluous moments. The forms are short and clear, with only a single extensive work among them – the truly successful opera Laughter in the Dark written between 1986-91 to a libretto by Vladimir Nabokov and staged in Berlin with a touring stop in Denmark.
On this new album, pianist Erik Kaltoft and musicians from Aarhus Symphony Orchestra have recorded selected piano and chamber works by Nielsen, all together music that is both engaging and interesting – while also displaying an intellectual glint in the eye.
Captivating music in small formats
Tage Nielsen himself was accomplished at the piano and on the new album one can listen to several of his piano works. The selection includes two early piano works, the Piano Sonata, Op. 3 from the composer's pure youth which sounds somewhat like Barók or Herman D. Koppel and the Two Nocturnes from 1960-61, where one detects the storm of European modernism. The piano work Three Character Pieces and an Epilogue from 1972-74 opens a delicate sound world and illustrates beautifully how Nielsen managed both to maintain an ingenious musical thought and create captivating music.
The horn trio Trio Semplice from 1997 offers a glimpse back towards the Viennese Classical music with three instruments in mutual balance. The mood is serene and calm, with discreetly searching music where horn, violin and piano each unfold their role – like a small chamber play. Three Shakespeare Fragments for soprano, oboe, cello and piano last barely 10 minutes in total yet manage to build up immense dramatic tension in the sonic landscape. Tage Nielsen could truly achieve a great deal with limited means!
Find more information and listen to the album here.