NIELS W. GADE: THE KING'S DAUGHTER

Niels W. Gade:
– Erlkönigs Tochter (Elverskud), Op. 30 (1845)
– Five Songs, Op. 13 (1846)

Erlkönigs Tochter – Elverskud – is a dramatic cantata from 1854, based on Danish medieval ballads. It became one of Niels W. Gade’s greatest successes, not only in Denmark but throughout Europe, where Elverskud was performed hundreds of times, often conducted by Gade himself. Gade was particularly admired in Germany, and on this album, Elverskud is not only performed on period instruments for the first time, but is also sung for the first time with the German text that brought the work international fame. Perhaps this Danish national treasure isn’t so Danish after all?
In 1864, Gade made a number of changes to the work’s instrumentation. It was this version that Gade himself used when he conducted Elverskud, and it is this version that forms the basis for this recording.

Reviews:

 “A sobering reminder of our view of this national treasure”
(Valdemar Lønsted, Information, April 17, 2018)

“It may be a long time before we hear a more melodious, passionate, and masterful performance of Gade’s dramatic cantata” (Per Rask Madsen, *Klassisk*, August 2018)

Cast:
Soloists:
Mr. Oluf: Johannes Weisser, baritone
The Elven Princess: Sophie Junker, soprano
The Mother: Ivonne Fuchs, alto

DR Vocal Ensemble

Concerto Copenhagen
Flute: Katy Bircher, Irene Spranger
Oboe: Antoine Torunczyk, Per Bengtsson
Clarinet: Nicola Boud, Philippe Castejon
Bassoon: Jane Gower, Lisa Goldberg
Horn: Gawin Edwards, Martin Lawrence, Claudio Flückiger, David M.A.P. Palmqvist
Trumpet: Howard Rowntree, Paul Bosworth
Percussion: Marcus Wall
Timpani: Patrick Raab
Violin I: Peter Hanson, Fredrik From, Jesenka Balic Zunic, Alison Luthmers Teyssier, Kanerva Juutilainen, Ida Lorenzen, Stefanie Barner-Madsen, Jens Solgaard
Violin II: Antina Hugosson, Marie-Louise Marming, Hanna Ydmark, Maria Solgaard Holm, Merete Steffensen, Tinne Albrechtsen, Julia Dagerfeldt
Viola: Fanny Paccoud, Gabriel Bania, Marie Stockmarr Becker, Mikkel Schreiber, Mika Svensson
Cello: Thomas Pitt, Louna Hosia, Hanna Loftsdottir, Steffen Helmut Madsen
Double bass: Erik Zeppezauer, Ivan Zavgorodny


Musical Director: Lars Ulrik Mortensen

The album was released in 2018