About these recordings

The spirit of folk culture plays an important role in the music of Vagn Holmboe. As was the case with Béla Bartók, folkloristic atudies have here contributed significantly to the compositional process. Holmboe is the most influential Danish composer of the generation after Carl Nielsen and his large output includes twelfe symphonies, chamber concertos, and a longs series of extremely fine string quartets.

These volumes, recorded for dacapo, presents the collected chamber concertos. The thirteen chamber concertos written between 1939 and 1956 occupy a special place in Holmboe's development. Though relatively little known and rarely performed up to now, they constitute one of his largest series of works alongside the symphonies and quartets. And unlike the latter they are the result of a concentrated effort over a relatively short period of time, the first ten having been composed within a mere seven years.

 

Complete Chamber Concertos, vol. I, Nos. 1-3

No. 1, op. 17: For piano, strings and timpani (1939)

No. 2, op. 20: For flute, violin, strings and percussion (1940)

No. 3, op. 21: For clarinet and chamber orchestra (1940-42)

 

Complete Chamber Concertos, vol. II, Nos. 4-6

No. 4, op. 30: For piano trio and chamber orchestra (1942-45)

No. 5, op. 31: For viola and chamber orchestra (1943)

No. 6, op. 33: For violin and  chamber orchestra (1943)

 

Complete Chamber Concertos, vol. III, Nos. 7-9

No. 7, op. 37: For oboe and chamber orchestra (1944-45)

No. 8, op. 38: For orchestra "Sinfonia Concertante" (1945)

No. 9, op. 39: For violin, viola and orchestra (1945-46)

 

Complete Chamber Concertos, vol. IV, Nos. 10-13

No. 10, op. 40: For wood-brass-gut and orchestra (1945-46)

No. 11, op. 44: For trumpet and chamber orchestra (1948)

No. 12, op. 52: For trombone and orchestra (1950)

No. 13, op. 67: For oboe, viola and chamber orchestra