Henrik Rung

[Linda Binder]

I was surfing around this evening on the internet looking into chamber pieces using mandolin and guitar and came across the 19 c. Danish composer Henrik Rung. #I'm not familiar with him at all. #It appears he wrote a large number of guitar pieces, both solo and in chamber music. #There is a collection of his works but it's only available for sale as a full set. #I think it's nine volumes (!) #which is an expensive risk to take. #Anyone played or heard any of his music and have any thoughts you'd like to share? #Thanks! #If it's great stuff maybe I can convince the university music library to purchase it for their guitar dept....and then I can borrow it from them!
--Linda

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello Linda,

Indeed the Danish composer Henrik Rung composed some duos (10 or 12 in total if I remember well) for Mandolin and guitar. They are all very nice and not so difficult to play.


There is a nice CD titled ´SONATINA´ on which you can hear my dear friends Tove Flensborg and Per Hansen play two of Henrik Rung´s Duos; one in d-minor and one in e-minor.
Interesting to know perhaps is that Tove Flensborg plays a marvellous 1915 Luigi Embergher concert mandolin.

If you like to have the CD for your self (or your library, guitar #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif #dep.) to listen to, here is the address you can order the CD (MANDOCORD CD001).

P. Flensborg,
Studiestraed 8,
DK-1455 Copenhagen
K DENMARK


Best greetings,

Alex

[Linda Binder]

Thank you Alex! #I will order the CD. #Do you have a personal opinion regarding Rung's compositions? #I read something on line mentioning the Italian influence of his compositions but that they have a strong Danish character. #I'm not sure how to interpret that description. #Musically, what does that mean? #I'm interested in the duo pieces but I'm also intrigued at the mention of some of Rung's other works that include mandolin and guitar.:
Volume 8: The complete works for guitar, mandolin and strings.
Volume 9: The complete works for guitar, viola d'amore, mandolin, and harpsichord.
Thank you again Alex!
Regards,
Linda

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello Linda,

I have looked at the Rung duets again after a long time (I helped editing the CD mentioned above, you see), and - since you ask for my personal opinion - I must say that these duets are really very beautiful.
I even think that they (there are eight duets in total) belong to the best written pieces in the repetoire for guitar and mandolin of that period. Both instruments are treated equally, alternating in melody and accompaniement.
The music is not difficult but certainly not easy to play. And the mandolin part requires a technically advanced player (rithmically well and able to play smoothly up and down the fingerboard).

What makes the duo´s extra interesting, is that they are all composed in 1871 by the Enrico (Henrik) Rung (1807-1871) and his son Federigo (Frederik) Rung (1854-1914), and that they still form a nice set of works in one style. Not so much Italian (although Enrico had lived in Italy from 1837 up to 1840), but more a style that refers to the Danish elegant folk music and to their great history of songs and singers.


The 1st duet, an ´Andantino´, was composed by Henrik on the 28th of August, while the 2nd, an ´Andante con moto´, was written the other day - on the 29th - by Frederik.

Than Frederik was inspired first and an ´Andante´ was born on the 12th of September. It took Henrik a bit longer to respond now, but he did on the 18th of September, with an ´Andante lento´.

Maybe, who knows, because he felt his previous responce had been a to late one for his ability, Henrik felt that this time he had to be the first to write something. So he composed a georgious ´Andante´ (the 1st duet on the CD mentioned above) on the 19th of September. That was answered with an ´Andante con moto´ by Frederik on the 21th of September.

Who was the first two write the last two duets we will never know, but what is known is that they were composed at the same day, namely the 13th of October.
Now, with the fantastic and warm temperatures we have at the moment in Holland, I like to think about them under the same circumstances being together in their Danish garden and playing the game who is the first to finish a new duet. And than of course playing the new pieces for the rest of the family...

Anyway, this time two fast pieces were added to the others; an ´Allegro´ by Frederik (he won!) and an ´Allegro agitato´ (2nd work on the CD above) by Henrik (probably just finished some seconds later).

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif


By the way, this ´Allegro agitato´ could well have been Henrik´s last - or one of his last compositions, for he died in that very year.


Best,

Alex

[Linda Binder]

Alex, thank you for this fascinating information! I had no idea the duets were composed by father and son. I discovered that the individual volumes of Rung's music are available from guitarist Jens Bang-Rasmussen so I am able to start acquiring some of it. I'm eager to hear and play their music.
Regards,
Linda