Guide to the Danish Golden Age

February 10, 2007 6:03 PM

Guide to the Danish Golden Age
posted by Silune (11 comments total)

Some of the links in the music section are broken, but there's a lot to listen to on the Dacapo Records website:
C.E.F. Weyse
F.D.R. Kuhlau
J.P.E. Hartmann
H.C. Lumbye
N.W. Gade
posted by Silune at 6:03 PM on February 10, 2007

Mmmmm, Daaa-nish. Aaauuggggghhh.......
posted by longsleeves at 6:17 PM on February 10, 2007

This is great, Silune. I'm a big fan of comprehensive sites like this, especially when, though I'm familiar with bits and scraps of the subject, I don't have a sense of the whole. I have a lot more to look at and listen to, but so far I've found it all fascinating.

My best friend in elementary school moved with his family to Copenhagen for several years; when he came back to the states, he was too busy reacclimating himself to have much to say about Denmark. For years, Copenhagen was little more to me than a place on the map and a brand of chewing tobacco.

Then I read some Peter Hoeg and, I must confess, gained a rather depressing view of Danish life, especially from Borderliners (which, despite being almost unbearable to read, is one of my favorite books).

So thanks for the post, now my view of Copenhagen is changing from greyish-brown to golden.
posted by breezeway at 6:36 PM on February 10, 2007

Wow, thanks I lived in Denmark for a few years I am going to enjoy this. Taller du Dansk?
posted by MapGuy at 7:17 PM on February 10, 2007

Just 50 years? Serves them right for losing Scania.
posted by parmanparman at 8:04 PM on February 10, 2007

The new departures and ideas emanating from these many personalities, meanwhile, came at a time of political and economic chaos. Huge fires laid waste to large areas of Copenhagen shortly before the turn of the century. A few years later, Denmark lost her fleet, and Copenhagen fell victim to the first bomb and rocket assault against civilians in the world when the British attacked it in 1807. In 1813, a State bankruptcy was declared, and the following year Norway ceased to be part of the Danish realm.

Reminds me of The Third Man: Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.
posted by russilwvong at 11:11 AM on February 11, 2007

I intereviewed a band from Denmark a couple years ago, and asked them the most burning question I had for their countrymen— What do they call danishes over there?
The reply? "Sorry, I'm just not that into cake," said with apparently genuine regret and befuddlement.
posted by klangklangston at 4:23 PM on February 11, 2007

klang, Danish is 'wienerbrød' in Denmark. Wienerbrød litterally translates to 'bread from Vienna'.
posted by sveskemus at 5:58 AM on February 12, 2007

But what is Danish called in Austria?
posted by Eirixon at 6:50 AM on February 12, 2007

"Danish Pastry is in Danish called Wienerbrød, Viennese bread, though known in Vienna as "Kopenhagener Gebäck" or "Dänischer Plunder". In Denmark, it has been known since 1840 and is said to have been created by immigrant bakers from Vienna, perhaps strike breakers."
posted by iviken at 10:16 AM on February 12, 2007

aah... skruebrækkere!
posted by Eirixon at 12:25 AM on March 8, 2007