Renaissance: Schonwandt / Danishnational.rso, クリステンセン(T)

Peter Erasmus Lange-Muller was born to a wealthy Copenhagen family in 1850. He studied for a few years at the Royal Academy of Music before debuting his song cycle 'Sulamith og Salomon' ('Solomon and the Shulamite'). His output was extensive: operas, orchestral music, theatre music, choral works, over 200 songs and two large-scale symphonies. Since he was mostly self-taught, much of his music suffers from technical limitations, yet Lange-Muller had a remarkable melodic gift and much of his music sings with warmth and affability. This recording presents two of Lange-Muller's most popular works, the theater music for the play 'Renaissance' and the orchestral suite 'In the Alhambra,' his first major work.
The music to the play 'Renaissance' features the hallmarks of Lange-Muller's mature style, namely colorful orchestration and lyricism. The gondolier's "Serenade," perhaps the most popular piece in the score, is a gentle little melody that became a staple for Danish tenors. Tenor Michael Kristensen and baritone Guido Paevatalu sing the songs from this delightful melodrama with an appropriately light yet tasteful spirit.