EMIL REESEN (1887-1964): Greenlandic Folkmusic, Polkina from The Contest of the Goddesses, Trianon - Suite in Old Style, Variations on a Theme of Schubert, Himmerland - Danish Rhapsody, Festival March, Gaucho - Suite from the Ballet, 2 Danish Folksongs.

Description: Reesen spent much of his career conducting musical theater and operetta and wrote a very popular example of the latter (Farinelli in 1942). As a composer, he wrote in practically every genre except the symphony and concerto (there is one unfinished opera) and much of his output is what we would call "light music" although the genre is foreign to Danes. Most of what is on this disc falls into that category although the 1928 Schubert variations are decidedly "serious" music, almost on a level with Reger's similar orchestral pieces, while Greenlandic Folkmusic and Himmerland (which uses folk songs from North Jutland) fall somewhere in between. Aalborg Symphony Orchestra; Bo Holten.