Rung, Henrik og Frederik: Albumsblade / Albumblätter (for Guitar)

Henrik Rung (Copenhagen, 13 March 1807 – 12 December 1871) and his son Frederik Rung
(Copenhagen, 14 June 1854 – 22 January 1914) were two highly-regarded guitarists and composers,
whose importance in the development of an autonomous musical life in Denmark, emancipated from
European musical culture, is only becoming apparent in recent years.
Henrik Rung studied the guitar and violin as a boy, and in 1828 he found work as a double bassist with
Det Kongelige Kapel (the Royal Danish Orchestra). Following the great success of his vaudeville work,
Svend Dyrings Hus, he was awarded a study grant which enabled him to travel for two years, visiting
Vienna, Rome and Paris, where he spent much of his time in libraries, eagerly studying the works of
historical composers. In Rome in particular, he developed a passion for Italian Renaissance polyphony,
so much so that upon his return to Denmark, he founded the Cæciliaforeningen madrigal group (St
Cecilia Society) which he ran until 1877, when he handed it over to his son Frederik.
In the brief compositions contained in the two volumes of the Albumsblade (Album Leaves)
collection, we find an elegant portrait of the two Danish musicians, Henrik more conservative – happily
split between his twin souls, one Scandinavian, the other Italian – and Frederik more romantic and
genuinely Scandinavian (similar in many ways to the music of Grieg and Nielsen). The level of difficulty
of performance is always fairly moderate, making this fine anthology not only a valid alternative for
concerts, but also an excellent teaching aid for those approaching the performance practices of the
Romantic era.

Editor: Fabio Rizza

Albumsblade Vol. 1
1. Tyrolienne (F. Rung)
2. Melodie (F. Rung)
3. Romance (F. Rung)
4. Inpromptu (H. Rung)
5. Af „Faraos Ring“ (F. Rung)
6. Choral I (F. Rung)
7. Choral II (F. Rung)
8. Nocturne (H. Rung)
9. Albumsblad (Albumsblatt) (F. Rung)
10. Novelette (F. Rung).
11. Idyl (F. Rung)
12. Intermezzo (H. Rung)
13. Elegie (F. Rung)
14. Humoreske (F. Rung)
15. Echo (F. Rung)
16. Aquarel (F. Rung)
17. Serenade (H. Rung)
18. Vekselsang (Wechselgesang) (F. Rung)
19. Sarabande (F. Rung)
20. Barcarole (F. Rung)
21. Berceuse (F. Rung)
22. Sicilienne (H. Rung).
23. Flageolet-Solo (F. Rung)
24. Præludium (F. Rung).
25. Pastorale (F. Rung)
Albumsblade Vol. 2
26. Elegie (F. Rung)
27. Ricordanza d’Italia (I) (H. Rung)
28. Romance (F. Rung)
29. Bolero (F. Rung)
30. Capriccio (F. Rung)
31. Flageolet-Solo (F. Rung)
32. Ricordanza d’Italia (II) (H. Rung)
33. Folkevise (Volkslied) (F. Rung)
34. Marche funèbre (F. Rung)
35. Ricordanza d’Italia (III) (H. Rung)
36. Bourrée (F. Rung)
37. La melanconia (F. Rung)
38. Karakterstykke (Karachterstück) (F. Rung)
39. Ricordanza d’Italia (IV) (H. Rung)
40. Etude (F. Rung)
41. Menuet (F. Rung)
42. Ricordanza d’Italia (V) (H. Rung)
43. Humoreske (F. Rung)
44. Etude (F. Rung)
45. Capriccio (H. Rung)
46. Dans (F. Rung)
47. Gavotte (F. Rung)
48. Idyl (F. Rung) .
49. Fantasistykke (Fantasistück) (F. Rung)
50. Tarantella (H. Rung)