Esbjerg Ensemble & Kristoffer Hyldig Playing Axel Borup-Jørgensen Esbjerg Ensemble & Kristoffer Hyldig

• Axel Borup-Jørgensen (1924 - 2012): Intrada op. 149 (1993-94):
• 1 Borup-Jørgensen: Intrada op. 149 (1993-94) 10:35
• Trio op. 134 (1988-90):
• 2 Borup-Jørgensen: Trio op. 134 (1988-90) 11:57
• Ricostruzioni op. 71 (1973-74):
• 3 Borup-Jørgensen: Ricostruzioni op. 71 (1973-74) 05:45
• Malinconia op. 68 (1972-74):
• 4 Borup-Jørgensen: Malinconia op. 68 (1972-74) 09:17
• Distichon op. 67 (1974):
• 5 Borup-Jørgensen: Distichon op. 67 (1974) 13:10
• Rapsodi op. 114:3 (1994-96):
• 6 Borup-Jørgensen: Rapsodi op. 114:3 (1994-96) 09:01
• “mikroorganismer” op. 20b (1956):
• 7 Borup-Jørgensen: “mikroorganismer” op. 20b (1956) 06:02
• Total Runtime 01:05:47

Info for Esbjerg Ensemble & Kristoffer Hyldig Playing Axel Borup-Jørgensen

A tribute in honor of the Danish Sound Explorer’s composer’s centenary.

The Danish composer Axel Borup-Jørgensen (1924-2012) was one of the 20th century’s great “silent individualists.” Although largely self-taught, he was the first Danish composer who attended the Darmstadt Summer Courses for New Music. Without a doubt, the avant-garde of the sixties exerted a strong influence on Borup-Jørgensen's sound world, but he never embraced any specific “ism,” following instead his own intuition and his extraordinary sense of organizing sound.

Borup-Jørgensen's handwritten scores are of almost calligraphic quality and beauty and reveal him to be a meticulous craftsman and magician of tone color, traits on full display on this very special tribute in honor of the composer’s centenary.

The vast majority of his work is devoted to chamber music. Here he enjoyed the freedom and inspiration to work closely with the artists and explore new sonic possibilities of their instruments. This album is the final entry in a decade long documentation of the life and work of Axel Borup-Jørgensen’s music, a project that has seen multiple critical triumphs, innovative concert installations and even an award-winning video. The animated short film for his masterpiece MARIN won OPUS Klassik AWARD as best DVD/BLUE RAY as well as the Danish Radio P2 Prize for Best ALBUM.

For those curious to explore the composer’s unique style, this is an ideal entry point, featuring works from throughout Borup-Jørgensen’s creative journey, in equally diverse and colorful arrays, including his only woodwind quintet and a work employing junk yard percussion, performed by the leading Danish chamber orchestra the acclaimed Esbjerg Ensemble. Joining the Ensemble for this recording, the 8th album in OUR Recordings series with music by Axel Borup-Jørgensen, is the award-winning pianist Kristoffer Hyldig, and special guests, all captured in crystalline clarity in the DXD audio format by producer Mette Due.

Esbjerg Ensemble
Kristoffer Hyldig, piano

Kristoffer Nyholm Hyldig
is a distinguished Danish pianist from Bornholm, celebrated for his interpretations of the solo piano works by French composer Olivier Messiaen. He graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Music in 2010, studying under Professor Niklas Sivelöv and Tove Lønskov. His chamber music debut came in 2016 with Trio Nord.

As a soloist, Hyldig has performed with prominent orchestras, including the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, CPH Phil, and the Royal Danish Orchestra. He is a frequent performer at music societies and festivals, both in Denmark and internationally. His international appearances include performances in Italy, Germany, Poland, England, China, and the United States, with notable concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York.

Since 2006, Hyldig has released numerous recordings featuring lieder, chamber music, and solo works by composers such as Debussy, Ravel, Messiaen, Bent Sørensen, and Hindemith. He is actively involved in various chamber music collaborations, including the Messiaen Quartet Copenhagen and a lieder partnership with internationally renowned Wagnerian soprano Brit-Tone Müllertz.

Hyldig has received several prestigious awards, including the jury’s special prize at the EU Piano Competition in 2009, the Jakob Gade’s Grant, the Léonie Sonning Scholarship, and the Danish Music Critics’ Artist Prize.

Additionally, he is part of the Bruun Hyldig Duo with mezzo-soprano Hetna Regitze Bruun. Since 2006, the duo has specialized in 20th-century repertoire, particularly the vocal music of Messiaen. They have performed extensively across Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and the USA, gaining acclaim for their recordings, including the Naxos release of Messiaen’s “Harawi” and other works by Danish composers.

Kristoffer Hyldig continues to be a significant figure in the Danish music scene, known for his technical prowess, expressive depth, and dedication to contemporary and classical repertoire.

This album contains no booklet.