Wednesday, April 19, 2017

The Danish Quartet

Gilbert Jespersen                  Erling Bloch                 Lund Christiansen
More Danish gems this time, played by an ensemble founded in 1935 by the three gentlemen pictured above plus one other - cellist Torben Svendsen, whose picture, regrettably, I cannot find. I present three recordings from the late 1930s, one by the full ensemble (flute, violin, cello, piano), and the others featuring two of the possible trio combinations within it:

Bach: Trio Sonata in C Minor (from "The Musical Offering", BWV 1079)
The Danish Quartet (Jespersen-Bloch-Svendsen-Christiansen)
Recorded November 22, 1937
HMV DB 5215 and DB 5216, two 78-rpm records
Link (FLAC file, 44.85 MB)
Link (MP3 file, 24.88 MB)

Kuhlau: Trio in G Major, Op. 119 - Allegro moderato (first movement)
Members of the Danish Quartet (Jespersen-Bloch-Christiansen)
Recorded November 21, 1938
HMV DB 5226, one 78-rpm record
Link (FLAC file, 20.16 MB)
Link (MP3 file, 11.83 MB)

Beethoven: Variations on "Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu", Op. 121a
Members of the Danish Quartet (Bloch-Svendsen-Christiansen)
Recorded January 16 and 21, 1939
HMV DB 5229 and DB 5230, two 78-rpm records
Link (FLAC file, 40.31 MB)
Link (MP3 file, 26.74 MB)

The trio movement by Friedrich Kuhlau (1786-1832) is complete as issued; its composer was German-born but fled to Denmark as a young man to escape having to fight in the Napoleonic wars. During his lifetime he was famous as a pianist and composer of Danish operas, but he is best remembered now for his piano sonatinas and his works featuring the flute.

4 comments:

  1. Alternate links:

    Bach:
    FLAC:
    http://www.mediafire.com/file/trb8h1nrk455n2d/Danish_Quartet_-_Bach_Musical_Offering_FLAC.zip
    MP3:
    http://www.mediafire.com/file/awrtgggs8mwj2to/Danish_Quartet_-_Bach_Musical_Offering_MP3.zip

    Kuhlau:
    FLAC:
    http://www.mediafire.com/file/iwjwummy19bq3se/Danish_Quartet_-_Kuhlau_Trio_FLAC.zip
    MP3:
    http://www.mediafire.com/file/ptw4ibwq872fi71/Danish_Quartet_-_Kuhlau_Trio_MP3.zip

    Beethoven:
    FLAC:
    http://www.mediafire.com/file/mm0w76uj9oumd2v/Danish_Quartet_-_Beethoven_Kakadu_FLAC.zip
    MP3:
    http://www.mediafire.com/file/7ftjut21777tg7b/Danish_Quartet_-_Beethoven_Kakadu_MP3.zip

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you so much! I've been wanting to hear the Bach, especially, for some time, and curious about the Kuhlau, too; Beethoven lovely, of course. All the best, Nick

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a marvelous world, just an incredible legato playing!
    Thanks for sharing these gems to us!

    ReplyDelete