I see Philip Glass, but no Louis Glass :(
Chamber
7 Violin Sonata in Eb 1888
5 Cello Sonata in F (1889, rev 1914) 1889 (16')
10 String Quartet No. 1 in F 1891
15 String Sextet in d minor, 1892 (32')
19 Piano Trio in e minor 1893
22 Piano Quintet in C, 1896 (38')
18 String Quartet No. 2 in Eb (lost) 1896
23 String Quartet No. 3 in a minor (1896, rev 1929) (33')
29 Violin Sonata in C
31 Forårssang (Andante molto espressivo - cello and klaver) (5')
31 Forårssang (version for fagot, cello, klarinet, fløjte, horn and obo)
33 Nocturne (kontabas and klaver)
36 String Quartet No. 4 in f# minor, 1907 (45')
75 Romance for cello and klaver (ca. 1934) 1934 (7')
76 Trio for violin, viola and guitar (1934) 1934
77 Trio for oboe, clarinet, and bassoon (lost) 1935
Opera
49 Melodrama
Orchestral
1 Festival March
2 Orchestral Suite (only 4th movement has survived), 1884
3 Symphonic Conc, ob, orch, op.3 (lost);
13 Festmarch (orkester)
17 Symphony No. 1 in E , 1894
Largo funebre (from String Quartet in Eb) arranged for String Orchestra
28 Symphony No. 2 in c minor, 1899
27 Sommerliv [Summer Life], op.27 (1901)
Romance for violin and orchestra (based on Violin Sonata in C, Op. 29)
30 Symphony No. 3 in D (Forest Symphony) 1901
34 ov., 'En Folkefjende' [An Enemy of the People], op.34, 1902/1923; 1902
37 ov., 'Danmark', op.37;
43 Symphony No. 4 in e minor 1910
47 Fantasy, pf, orch, op.47, 1913; 1913
50 Artemis, ballet, op.50, 1914–15, suite pubd (1939); 1915
50 Symfoniske Fragmenter af 'Artemis' [Symphonic Fragments from 'Artemis'], op.50, c1917
51 Livets Dans [The Dance of Life], op.51;
57 Symphony No. 5 in C (Sinfonia svastika) 1919
54 Havets Sang [The Song of the Sea], op.54, 1920;
60 Symphony No. 6 (Skjoldungeæt 1926)
64 Drømmen: Koldinghus [The Dream: Koldinghus], op.64, 1928; 1928
61 Blade af Aarets Billedbog [Pages from the Picture Book of the Year], op.62, 1926; 1929
65 Conc, vn, orch, op 65, 1930; 1930
69 Romantisk Ouverture, op.69, 1932 1932
68 Når Storstaden vågner [When the City Awakes], op.68, c1932; 1932
67 Episoder fra H.C. Andersens Eventyr 'Elverhøj' [Episodes from H.C. Andersen's Fairy-Tale 'The Elf Hill'], op.67, 1932 1932
Artemis, Suite for orchestra from the ballet 1939
Flugten fra Clausholm [The Flight from Clausholm], ballet
2 Festmarches
Sørgemarch i Anledning af Christian den Niendes død (March in honor of King Christian's IX death)
Piano
4 6 Fantasy-pieces
6 Piano Sonata No. 1 in E, 1889
8 Polonaise
9 Foraarsstemning [Spring mood], op.9;
11 Romance and caprice for piano left hand
21 Skitser [Sketches] op.21 (1896); 1894
25 Piano Sonata No. 2 in Ab, 1897
24 Til børnene (For Children) (11 klaverstykker 1897)
20 I det Fri [In the Open Air], op.20; 1898
26 6 Lyriske Bagateller (klaver 1899)
32 Piano pieces
35 Fantasy, op.35 (1904);
39 Små tonebilleder (klaver ? 1907) (Small tone picture)
41 Variatoner over danske Viser og Sange [Variations on Danish Ballads and Songs], op.41 (1911)
45 Stemningsbilleder (klaver 1912)
48 Landlige Billeder [Rural Pictures] op.48 (1915);
52 Impromptu et Capriccio, op.52 (1919);
58 Aquareller, op.58 (1921);
55 Sange, op.55 (1925);
66 3 Klaverstykker, op.66 (1931)
66 Klaverstykker 1931
Vocal
Sommerliv [Summer life], 1v, pf, op.13, 1892
38 5 Lieder, 1v, pf, op.38 (1907);
42 Songs, male vv, op.42 (1910), op.73
44 Songs 1912
46 sange (bl.a. "Det nye Foraar") (New Springtime) 1918
59 sange (bl.a. Midienat) 1922
56 5 sange (sang and klaver) 1925
70 Dannevang [Denmark], op.70, with unison male vv, 1934
12 Songs
15 Songs
16 Songs (J.P. Jacobsen), 1v, pf, op.16;
40 Efterårssang (Autumn song)
December (sang)
73 Songs
Unknown Opp: 53, 71-72, 74
Balapoel, Louis Glass' op 67 is available from Dacapo, Music inspired by H. C. Andersen:
http://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/recording-music-inspired-by-hans-christian-andersen.aspx (http://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/recording-music-inspired-by-hans-christian-andersen.aspx)
The Noctune, Op. 33 for Doublebass & Piano is available on this Danacord CD:
http://www.danacord.dk/frmsets/records/593-r.html
Op. 21 is available here
http://www.danacord.dk/frmsets/records/434-435-r.html
And Op. 24 here
http://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/recording-billedbogen--the-picture-book.aspx
Thanks.
My apologies...I should have checked :-[
My contribution-
LOUIS GLASS: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
1884: Orchestral Suite, op.2
1894: Symphony No.1 in E major, op.17: 43 minutes + (Marco Polo and Danacord cds)
1899: "Summer Life" for orchestra, op.27: 20 minutes
Symphony No.2 in C minor for chorus and orchestra, op.28: 48 minutes + (Marco Polo and Danacord cds)
1900-01:Symphony No.3 in D major "Wood Symphony", op.30: 36 minutes + (Marco Polo and Danacord cds)
1902: Tone Poem "Ein Folkefjende", op.34
1903: "Fruhlingslied" for Cello and Orchestra, op.31: 4 minutes
1906: Funeral March on the Death of King Christian IX
1910-11:Symphony No.4 in E minor, op.43: 60 minutes + (Marco Polo and Danacord cds)
1913: Fantasia for Piano and Orchestra, op.47: 22 minutes + (Danacord cd)
1915: Ballet "Artemis" (and Symphonic Fragments from "Artemis" for orchestra)
1917: Fantasy Suite "Livets dans" for orchestra, op.51
1919-20:Symphony No.5 in C major "Sinfonia Svastica", op.57: 41 minutes + (Marco Polo and Danacord cds)
1920: "Havets Sang" for orchestra, op.54
1924: Symphony No.6 "Birth of Seyldings", op.60: 35 minutes + (Marco Polo and Danacord cds)
1929: Suite "Blade af Aarets billedbog" for small orchestra
Suite "Koldinghus" for orchestra
1930: Violin Concerto, op.65
1931: Suite "Elverhoj" for orchestra, op.67: 16 minutes + (Dacapo cd)
1932: Tone Poem "Naar Storstaden vaagner", op.68
Romantic Overture, op.69
and
Festival March for orchestra, op.1
Symphonic Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra, op.3
Festival March for orchestra, op.13
Romance for Violin and Orchestra
Overture "Denmark", op.37
Posted in another thread (on Hans Eklund (http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,2281.msg27554.html#msg27554)):
Quote from: regriba on Tuesday 24 January 2012, 16:44
Dacapo did in fact record the Glass symphonies in the 90's with Aarhus Symphony Orchestra under (I think) Barry Wordsworth. The recordings were played on Danish radio and announced as forthcoming CD releases. But for some reason they never came out, and I have never been able to find out what happened to them. A pity, because they were (as I remember) a good deal better than the Danacord versions.
To think that recordings of the Glass symphonies have been made with a good orchestra and then just left in the can and never released drives me crazy! I have bought the Danacord recordings because they are the only ones available, and listening to them gives me almost as much pain as pleasure. I appreciate the fact that some guy in Bulgaria would take the trouble to perform and record these symphonies, but the Plovdiv Philharmonic makes ugly, ugly sounds in this beautiful music.
Yes, it is rather strange. I have tried to google the recordings from time to time, but they seem to have vanished completely. But I am quite positive they were made back then. I even began taping them, but stopped after the first broadcast (of symphony no 3) when I found out they were going to be issued on CD. I only had a very small cassette recorder so the sound quality of my tapes left a lot to be desired. But of course I regretted that when the CDs never showed up. And unfortunately the tape I did make of symphony no 3 disappeared when we moved.
As to why the recordings were never issued I can only guess. But Dacapo got in rather serious financial trouble at about the time when the recordings were made because (if I remember correctly) their American distributors insisted that they took back a vast number of CDs which they believed they had sold. And when they began operating at a normal level of business again, the Plovdiv recordings had been issued, so perhaps they thought there was room for only one Glass cycle on the market.
Quote from: regriba on Tuesday 19 February 2013, 14:49
As to why the recordings were never issued I can only guess. But Dacapo got in rather serious financial trouble at about the time when the recordings were made because (if I remember correctly) their American distributors insisted that they took back a vast number of CDs which they believed they had sold. And when they began operating at a normal level of business again, the Plovdiv recordings had been issued, so perhaps they thought there was room for only one Glass cycle on the market.
Thanks for the further information. I have never written to a CD company before, and I don't know if Dacapo would be much moved by the fact that a few people on this site have expressed interest in those unreleased recordings, but I may try sending them a note.
It won't do any harm.
Is the Violin Concerto Lost/ manuscript?
... good question, no idea.
A search of Worldcat does reveal some chamber music by him I'd never heard of, like a trio with guitar recently edited and published ca.1994. Hrm... Ah, that's in the list at the top, though.
Ah. Ok. The ms. of the violin concerto is at the Royal Danish Library. One manuscript score dated July 1930 dedicated to Julius Thornberg; one ms. piano/violin reduction; one set of ms. parts. Easily enough found using their REX catalog. (The same library has the ms of the oboe concerto, though I don't see an opus number attached.)
Message re-edited at 10.57 EDT, 20 Feb. 2013: See explanation at end.I sent an e-mail message to Dacapo (through an address given on their Web site (http://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/contactus.aspx)) yesterday evening inquiring about the recordings of the Glass symphonies. By the next morning I had a reply from Mr. Henrik Rørdam, who, after thanking me for my interest, wrote as follows:
QuoteWe did start what was planned to be a complete symphony cycle in the mid 1990s, but for various unfortunate reasons . . . we decided to cancel the recordings.
We have tried to restart the project several times, but it is very hard to find an orchestra willing to dedicate the time needed for such a project. However, your email, and the correspondence you referred to, gives us an opportunity to look into this repertoire again.
Added in editing: Oops! I initially posted this message before getting an answer from Mr. Rørdam to my request for permission to quote him. When I did get a reply, he asked that I omit the remarks in parentheses that I previously included! So I apologize for the error. Anyone who is curious about the omitted words can write to me directly.
Quote from: eschiss1 on Wednesday 20 February 2013, 14:49
... good question, no idea.
A search of Worldcat does reveal some chamber music by him I'd never heard of, like a trio with guitar recently edited and published ca.1994. Hrm... Ah, that's in the list at the top, though.
Ah. Ok. The ms. of the violin concerto is at the Royal Danish Library. One manuscript score dated July 1930 dedicated to Julius Thornberg; one ms. piano/violin reduction; one set of ms. parts. Easily enough found using their REX catalog. (The same library has the ms of the oboe concerto, though I don't see an opus number attached.)
Looks like there's enough there to attempt a resurrection!
His response reminds me of something I've maintained for over 50 years - go ahead and write your letter or email or whatever. You never when it will be Your letter that makes them stop and say, "Gee, maybe we SHOULD do this......" I know, because that happened to me several times over the years......
Jerry
Dacapo obviously doesn't commit itself....but it is an encouraging response (far better than I've ever received from a record company!) Well done, Miles R!
There is a worthwile radio recording of the Sinfonia Svastica (no. 5) with Edward Downes recording the BBC Philharmonic on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fHwPTHuUiQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fHwPTHuUiQ) (This connects to the first movement). Another good recording was made in the 1980s (I think) by the South African Broadcasting Corporation National SO under Peter Marchbank. I shan't begin to ponder the poltical implications of a 'Sinfonia Svastica' being performed in Apartheid-era South Africa, though...
Yes, Peter Marchbank and the National Symphony Orchestra of the South African Broadcasting Corporation ('phew, what a long ponderous name) recorded Symphonies 5 and 6 on Marco Polo 8.223486. Haven't listened to them for at least 15 years, but I'm about to blow the dust off the disc and remind myself of the music. I remember (vaguely) those recordings are very much an improvement on the Danacord ones (serious dust has settled on those).
It reflects my own likings, but the Louis Glass I do dig out now and again are two CDs of chamber music. There is a CPO disc of the String Sextet in G major, Op. 15 and Piano Quintet in C major, Op. 22 from 1893 and 1895-96 respectively. And then a Dacapo disc of String Quartets No. 2 in A minor, Op. 23 (1896) and No. 4 in F sharp minor, Op. 35 (1907). None of these works are sufficient to halt the earth on its axis, but they are well crafted and satisfying things which produce pleasure. And who could complain about that!
Yes, I too am a fan of Glass' chamber music.
I see that cpo also released a disc of violin sonatas by him. Trying to remember what else besides two broadcast recordings of his symphonies and one of the Danacord CDs (the latter from the public library here), that I've heard, though. The scores I've skimmed of other things did look promising. There were some remarkably poor CD reviews from reviewers I respected, unfortunately (that doesn't mean I would have agreed with them.)
The 3rd Symphony is the best of those I've heard - a wonderful piece.
The 23rd of March will be the 150th anniversary of Louis Glass's birth. Are there any celebrations or new recordings to mark this date ?
None that I know of - not even in Denmark.
Yah, not even in Denmark.
Funny how even orchesras on tour ,mostly don't really promote their own countries composers. A couple of nights ago we heard the Academy of St. Martin orchestra here in Palm Desert. I was hoping for some Elgar, or Vaughn-williams or maybe Delius. Oh no, Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven 3. The orchestra seemed to me to be the best we've heard this season and Bell playing the Brahms Concerto was outstanding. Still......when the St. Petersburg SO was here earlier - no question, all Russian program.
Off topic. Sorry, gentlemen
J
"The 23rd of March..."
Not May? Ah, you're right- En-Wikipedia has a typo. Fixing.
Around 1990 when Leif Segerstam was conductor of the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, he conducted a performance of Glass' 5th, the Swastika. A fine performance, if I remember right. There were rumours of a Chandos recording (they recorded the DNRSO at the time in Mahler and Sibelius) but for some reason unknown to me it never materialized. That is the last performance of a Glass symphony by a Danish orchestra that I know of.
I've got three of the four discs of the symphonies recorded by Maestro Todorov with the Cacophonic Orchestra of Plovdiv. It has been a long time since I have listened to them: my distress at the bad playing of the orchestra seems to have overbalanced my interest in the works themselves. The same balance of pain and pleasure has held me back from buying the fourth disc of the series. If only somebody would record these symphonies with a decent-sounding orchestra!
Well, fwiw there used to be a recording of the 5th and 6th on Marco Polo, and I think someone's uploaded the 5th in a broadcast recording to this site - I think --? Hrm... hrm. I see symphony 3 conducted by the late Edward Downes, and 5 likewise, uploaded 2 years ago.
Quotethe Cacophonic Orchestra of Plovdiv
You're joking, right? If not, then the clue is in the orchestra's name! ;D
Oh, we've all bought one or two of their recordings in our lifetimes, haven't we??
QuoteYou're joking, right? If not, then the clue is in the orchestra's name! ;D
Yes, I was joking. The orchestra is called the Plovdiv Philharmonic. Its excellence is proportionate to its fame.
;D
Rather off topic, but just out of interest, Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria, after Sofia, and is the official tourism portal of that nation. In among the communist utilitarian style buildings there are some fascinating glimpses of its colourful past, and it boasts some truly spectacular Roman remains.
Seems like it deserves a good orchestra, but maybe there's more money to be made playing folk music ...
I still find it amazing that a composer like Louis Glass can generate such a vast output and yet so little is heard of him or the music (notwithstanding the few discs noted by Peter). Members may recall that his 3rd and 5th symphonies were available from this site, in ex-radio versions by the BBCPO under Edward Downes. I must have another listen.... :)
I'd love to hear those concertante works, particularly the VC, Op. 65.
The piano fantasy is already available in that Danacord set (and has been digitized in score by the Danish Royal Library DKB besides); the violin concerto I was unaware of - hrm. :) (Ah. Manuscript autograph score, 1930, of his Op.65, dedicated to Julius Thornberg, is listed in the "REX" catalog of the DKB... - Louis Glass' samling IV,32 (C II, 6 b), mu 7806.2989 - (mu 6411.1901))
I see this composer hasn't been talked about for over 2 years. The CPO cd series has started. Any news about the next in the series coming up?
(Incidentally, just noticed he was the dedicatee of one of my favorite quartets (by Stenhammar). Did he know the latter well?...)
I've read Bo Wallner's huge (3 volumes, app. 2000 pages in all) biography of Stenhammar (in Swedish only, unfortunately), and I'm quite sure that Stenhammar introduced some of Glass's works in Sweden. I can't remember if it was as a conductor or a pianist. But they weren't close, as far as I remember. Carl Nielsen, on the other hand, was one of Stenhammar's best friends.
Since his 5th is nonetheless his most recorded symphony, for better or worse, I'd be more interested in preparations to record a work of his that's received less exposure, be it a chamber work (there's that trio for violin, viola and guitar? :) ), vocal cycle, dramatic vocal work...
Re violin concerto: oh, hrm, here's a thing. Oh, -neat.- (Will explain later)
I read somewhere that the Manuscript of the Violin concerto was digitlized by the Danish National Library but I can't find anything further on it.
Does this link (https://soeg.kb.dk/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma99122746029205763&context=L&vid=45KBDK_KGL:KGL&lang=en&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine) help?
3 years ago cpo released a recording of Glass' 5th symphony. Volume 2 of 'The Complete Symphonies'... Is there any news about the progress of this project?
Vol. 1 was recorded in 2009 and released in 2014 I believe. Similarly Vol. 2 released in 2017 was actually recorded in 2013 so I guess we will see a full set in time...
CPO rather pride themselves on their complete sets (and they're good sellers, apparently), so I trust they'll try to complete this. The first two volumes were quite good even if Raiskin made a few weird omissions in the fifth (percussion, mainly). But the Third is better than any I've heard (either Todorov or Grøndahl) and really makes it shine as (IMO) Glass's best symphony.
We also need to remember that these are probably tied to radio broadcasts done over the course of several years - and that's always assuming that the conductor thinks the remaining symphonies are worth recording.
The violin concerto was recently published by the German music publisher AlbisMusic. It will be performed in 2022 in Copenhagen. Here's the 3rd Mvt (mockup with Sibelius&NotePerformer). https://app.box.com/s/oagu7rg8nadvnf8flhbt9flhasq22kt5 (https://app.box.com/s/oagu7rg8nadvnf8flhbt9flhasq22kt5) His "Tone Billeder" about the awakening of the big city can be seen and heard here. Charlie Chaplin would have had his joy! https://youtu.be/W2HWkdANwK4 (https://youtu.be/W2HWkdANwK4)
A digital rendition of When the city wakes up is available for listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2HWkdANwK4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2HWkdANwK4)
Looking at the movement titles, I find it charming, although it reminds me a bit of Gershwin.
It always seemed to me that it might be inspired by Walter Ruttmann's Berlin – Die Sinfonie der Großstadt (Berlin - the Symphony of the Great City), a silent documentary film in the "day in the life" genre, from 1927. It's first act describes the city waking up, and you can almost imagine Glass's piece being used for it (there are various scores for the film)
By the way, the work on this rendition was done by Walter Zielke.
It appears that most of the recorded chamber music has been discussed in this thread, but unless I missed it, unmentioned is a nice recording of the piano music on the Divine Art label, played by Peter Sievewright. It's a two-disc set containing three large scale works -- the two piano sonatas and the piano fantasy -- and three collections of shorter piano pieces. I think anyone who enjoys Glass's music would enjoy these too.