King Frederik IX Conducts Royal Danish Orchestra & Danish National Symphony Orchestra CD I King Frederik IX Conducts Royal Danish Orchestra Friedrich Kuhlau 1 Overture to Elves’ Hill, Op. 100 (1828) 12:06 H.C. Lumbye 2 Dream Pictures. Fantasy (1846) 9:27 3 Salute to August Bournonville. Galop (1869) 3:17 Franz Schubert Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 24:01 Unfinished Symphony (1822) 4 I. Allegro moderato 11:31 5 II. Andante con moto 12:30 Dacapo Records is supported by the Recorded in December 1948 Total 48:53 CD II CD III King Frederik IX Conducts King Frederik IX Conducts Danish National Symphony Orchestra Danish National Symphony Orchestra Richard Wagner Niels W. Gade 1 Overture to Tannhäuser, WWV 70 (1845) 15:35 1 Echoes of Ossian, Op. 1 (1840) 14:22 Recorded on 23 February 1949 Recorded on 12 December 1949 2 Overture to Rienzi, WWV 49 (1840) 12:58 Recorded on 15 September 1953 Hakon Børresen 2 Prelude to The Royal Guest (1919) 8:30 Ludwig van Beethoven Recorded on 15 September 1953 Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 (1812) 39:46 3 I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace 13:43 Ludwig van Beethoven 4 II. Allegretto 9:25 Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55, Eroica (1804) 49:09 5 III. Presto – Assai meno presto 8:27 3 I. Allegro con brio 15:56 6 IV. Allegro con brio 8:11 4 II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai 14:16 Recorded on 21 February 1954 5 III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace 5:45 6 IV. Finale: Allegro molto 13:12 Edvard Grieg Recorded on 27 April 1950 From Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34 (1880) 7 II. The Last Spring 6:07 Recorded on 12 December 1949 Total 74:28 Total 72:02 CD IV King Frederik IX in reality, be kept within the private King Frederik IX Conducts sphere and as such could avoid the Danish National Symphony Orchestra as Conductor public criticism that is normally the lot of an artist, for better or for worse. Ludwig van Beethoven The Danish King Frederik IX’s Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 (1800) 23:27 by Claus Røllum-Larsen preoccupation with music must be 1 I. Adagio molto – Allegro con brio 7:52 described as atypical, in fact, unique 2 II. Andante cantabile con moto 6:43 For centuries artistic and musical for a member of a royal house, since 3 III. Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace 3:47 activities were part of everyday life in it is hardly possible to cite other 4 IV. Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace 5:05 the great princely houses of Europe. examples of ruling monarchs whose Recorded in 1969 Usually, such artistic expression favourite pastime was orchestral con- belonged to private life, and only ducting. That the work of conducting, Richard Wagner became public to a limited extent; but even if it is sporadic, requires a large 5 From Götterdämmerung: Siegfried’s Funeral March (Act III), 8:05 in some cases, the contributions to number of other participants goes WWV 86D (1874) cultural history were so striking that without saying, and King Frederik IX’s 6 Overture to The Flying Dutchman, WWV 63 (1841) 10:52 the princely artist made a name for cultivation of music was indeed a rare Recorded in 1969 himself and stepped out of the private combination of something extremely sphere with his works. Two such strik- private and something to some Carl Maria von Weber ing cases were the Swedish Prince extent public since only a few chosen 7 Overture to Euryanthe, Op. 81 (1823) 9:11 Eugene, whose painting was already spectators were able to watch the Recorded in 1942 highly regarded by his contemporar- King work with the orchestras, while 8 Overture to Der Freischütz, Op. 77 (1821) 10:06 ies, and in music King Frederick the a considerable number of the Danish Recorded in 1946 Great of Prussia, who won fame in professional orchestral musicians of musical history both as a patron of the day were able to make music with the arts and as a composer. For these the King. This paradox, and the fact and innumerable other prominent that as a conductor King Frederik Total 61:43 royal artists, their artistic work could, IX, although self-taught, favoured 6 7 technically difficult challenges in had a central place in the home, III gained merit for having ensured piano-playing – the writer Else Moltke the great symphonic repertoire, since Princess Alexandrine played that the major music festivals in wrote as follows in 1937: ‘To sight- in particular music from Wagner’s the piano and in general, had a lively Mecklenburg-Schwerin, which had read, to shape the material with operas, gave the King’s unusual interest in musical life both inside been established at the beginning of musical talent, great astuteness and musical activities a certain aura. At and outside Denmark’s borders. She the 19th century, could be revived in a sure sense of taste – the princess the same time, the musicians always often went to concerts and gave 1860 and continued to thrive. Like his had been born with this ability and had the most profound respect for musical life her support, including wife, he was an admirer of Richard she developed it with perseverance the humility the King showed at being a patroness of various concert Wagner, and in 1882, the year before and industry.’ rehearsals and private concerts. This organisations, in particular the Musi- Wagner’s death, the couple paid a Although it was undoubtedly the is the clear impression that is con- cal Association, Aarhus Philharmonic visit to Wagner and his wife, Cosima. influence of his mother that encour- firmed by the musicians who worked Society and the Danish Richard It is thus apparent that Queen Alex- aged the musical interests and with the King, and it is a description Wagner Association. Also, she was andrine grew up in a musical family activities of Frederik IX, it should that accords well with the general a frequent guest at the Bayreuth as well as in the residential capital of be mentioned that on his father’s view of his personality. Festival, as she was a great admirer the Duchy, Schwerin, where musi- side too a strong musical tradition of Richard Wagner. cal culture flourished at both music can be demonstrated. For exam- A Lively Interest in Musical Life The princess did not get her festivals and the opera and where ple, his paternal grandmother, the Frederik IX was born at Sorgenfri musicality from strangers either. Wagner’s works were presented Swedish-born Queen Louise, and his Palace on 11 March 1899 as the Her mother, Anastasia, later Grand early on. great-grandmother, King Christian eldest son of Prince Christian and Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, When young, Queen Alexandrine IX’s queen Louise, who came from Princess Alexandrine. It was not was born Grand Duchess Anastasija had received instruction in piano- Hessen, were both very interested from his father, King Christian X, Michailovna of Russia. Her family, playing, and to such an extent that in music. that Prince Frederik had inherited his the House of Romanov, included she had a piano teacher both at The young Prince Frederik was by musicality. As barrister Eugen Olsen various musical personages, and the home in Schwerin and in Cannes on no means pressed to play a musi- is once said to have remarked that grand duchess herself was greatly the French Riviera, where the fam- cal instrument, but in 1911 Crown the King was unable to sing: interested in music, especially opera, ily had its summer residence, ‘Villa Princess Alexandrine considered ‘No one, at any rate, has ever and the theatre. Queen Alexandrine’s Wenden’. We are fortunate enough the time was ripe to engage a piano heard him do so.’ Despite this, music father, Grand Duke Friedrich-Franz to have a description of the Queen’s teacher for him. The choice fell on 8 9 Lizzy Hohlenberg, who for the next Orchestra’s kapellmeister Georg Crown Prince Frederik rehearsed and and honourable affair to play under six years introduced the Prince, who Høeberg, and after a Royal Danish conducted several works ranging the Crown Prince’s baton. For one of on the accession of his father, Chri- Orchestra concert two years later, from opera overtures to Beethoven’s them, one of Christian X’s Aides-de- stian X, in 1912, had become Crown the Queen and Crown Prince Frederik 1st Symphony. At one of the first Camp, C.A. Kraft, there was another Prince, to the literature of the piano. contacted Høeberg to ask him if he concerts, Joseph Haydn’s Children’s important reason for taking part in At an early stage, a warm friendship would have a talk with the young Symphony was on the programme. the work of the orchestra. For Kraft, arose between the teacher and her music-lover: ‘He is so interested in One of the members of the orches- as the historian Tage Kaarsted men- pupil, and even after the actual piano music’, as the Queen said. Høeberg tra, Aage Hannover, has given an tions in his doctoral thesis, apart teaching had stopped, the Crown agreed, and in the years ahead he amusing description of the concert from serving under the King, was Prince and Lizzy Hohlenberg met to and the Crown Prince met frequently in his diary, at which the conduc- linked to the intelligence service play piano duets. to talk about music, including inter- tor’s father, Christian X, was present: of supreme high command, and pretations of the great masterpieces.