DANISH MUSIC FOR BRASS 2 – brass quintets by Thorvald Hansen and Aksel Jørgensen
DANISH MUSIC FOR BRASS
Is a series of recordings with brass players from the Royal Danish Orchestra
as chamber music players or soloists
BRASS QUINTETS
By THORVALD HANSEN and AKSEL JØRGENSEN
THORVALD HANSEN (1837-1815), Arr. Mogens Andresen:
BRASS QUINTET
1 – Allegro moderato
2 – Andante molto espressione
3 – Allegretto scherzando
4 – Allegro
AKSEL JØRGENSEN (1881-1847), Revised – Mogens Andresen:
BRASS QUINTET
1 – Moderato
2 – Intermezzo
3 – Andante cantabile
4 – Finale
ROYAL DANISH ORCHESTRA BRASS QUINTET
Ketil Christensen and Bjarne Nielsen – trumpet / Henning Hansen – horn
Keld Jørgensen – trombone/Mogens Andresen – euphonium
Executive producer – Ole Høglund
THE ROYAL DANISH ORCHESTRA
The Royal Danish Orchestra’s emblem, the Royal Trumpeter Corps. Engraving from 1583. The Royal Danish Orchestra is the the world’s oldest orchestral institution. It started out 1448 as a trumpeter corps, and today it is an opera and symphony orchestra based at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen.
THORVALD HANSEN (1847-1915)
THORVALD HANSEN came from The Danish Lifeguard Band to The Royal Danish Orchestra where he was principal trumpet 1884 – 1915. He was regarded the most prominent trumpet and cornet player at his time – maybe the most prominent brass player in Scandinavia. He was the first trumpet teacher at The Royal Danish Academy of Music, acted as organist substitute in our Lady’s Church (Copenhagen Cathedral). In addition to this he was vice conductor and played Viola in the Tivoli Garden Symphony Orchestra – and then he was a composer. All his compositions for cornet/trumpet and piano are dedicated to count W. Schultz, who donated the cornet on which he played all the solos in the music for the Bournonville Ballets. In 1904 Thorvald Hansen received a request from The Chamber Music Society of 1868. This society had the nickname “The Nights Men’s Association” since the meetings took place after working hours at the Royal Theatre. They wanted the brass players to perform in the society and for this occasion he composed a quartet for 2 cornets and 2 trombones. On this recording the piece has been re-arranged for brass quintet by Mogens Andresen (published on BRASSMUSICONLINE.DK).
Principal trombone in The royal Danish Orchestra Anton Hansen (1877-1947) writes in his memoirs about Thorvald Hansen: “Thorvald Hansen was unique. To hear him perform the various themes in, for example, Wagner’s operas was a pleasure, performed so wonderfully that one was always delighted with them. This artist had a phenomenal embouchure; there was not the slightest hint of effort to look at his face, although he played with full power. Hardly anyone, be it here or abroad, has had such a beautiful tone and he never exaggerated a forte or fortissimo.
The loss for The royal Danish Orchestra when Thorvald Hansen died has never been completely replaced. – His successor Lauritz Sørensen, who for many years was second trumpet player in the orchestra, was a very skilled musician, and when he possessed a unique imitation talent, he had understood to acquire almost all the good qualities of the predecessor.
TRUMPET PLAYER LAURIDS SØRENSEN IN THE FILM-RECORDING FROM 1923
THIS LINK:
– shows a recording from 1923 with the use of a special system for reproduction of sound in films developed by Danish Engineers Aksel Petersen and Arnold Poulsen. Here the audio sound was recorded separately and the system was used for the first Danish sound feature films at Nordisk Film. At the minute 3:06, there is a recording of the principal trumpet player in the royal Danish Orchestra Lauritz Sørensen.
AKSEL JØRGENSEN (1881-1947)
AKSEL JØRGENSEN was principal viola in the Royal Danish Orchestra from 1921 and a well known chamber musician. He was a good friend of the principal trombone Anton Hansen and their friendship inspired Aksel Jørgensen to write his Brass Quintet 1942 in a national – romantic style, which make this piece unique in the literature.
