Concertante works from one of Denmark’s most iconic composers and one of its freshest new voices. Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen (1932-2016) was the great maverick of contemporary Nordic music until his death in 2016. For Violin and Orchestra ventures into the jungle in classic Gudmundsen-Holmgreen style, leading us to consider our place in a world full of noises. Allan Gravgaard Madsen’s (b. 1984) double concerto Nachtmusik takes the opposite route, blossoming outwards from the microscopic examination of a single note. Danish National Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Christina Åstrand brings both works to life, joined by her duo partner Per Salo in Nachtmusik written for them.

Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen was a unique personality and a major figure in Danish musical life, and one of the most important composers from Northern Europe in the 20th and 21st century. With his fearlessness, individuality and meticulous craftsmanship, he inspired a generation of composers in Denmark. One of them was Allan Gravgaard Madsen.

Allan Gravgaard Madsen is composer-in-residence at the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Århus Sinfonietta. Madsen’s music is distilled, dampened, poetic and occasionally haunted by ghosts from the Romantic era.

The works on this album are dedicated to the soloists performing them; Christina Åstrand and Per Salo.

Christina Åstrand is one of the most remarkable violinists in Scandinavia. She is a Dame of the Order of the Dannebrog, has received numerous awards and prizes, and this year she was nominated for the Nordic Council Music Prize.

Per Salo is one of Denmark’s leading pianists and is an extremely active soloist and chamber musician. His repertoire includes a great number of Danish and present-day works.