Classical Summer Concerts

For the 46th time, you are - true to tradition - invited to attend classical concerts in the beautiful surroundings of the Glyptotek.

Experience some of Denmark’s most acclaimed classical musicians – from Andreas Brantelid and Katrine Gislinge to the Danish String Quartet and Concerto Copenhagen.

The summer concerts take place every Sunday in August and September from 12:00 to 13:00.

Behind the star-studded program are Julie Eskær, 1st concertmaster of the Danish Entertainment Orchestra and chamber musician, and Ingemar Brantelid, chamber musician and former solo cellist of the Royal Danish Orchestra.

Thanks for generous support from:

The Danish Soloist Association, Soloistforeningen af 1921, Knud Højgaard Foundation, Augustinus Foundation, Wilhelm Hansen Foundation, and William Demant Foundation.

Concert descriptions by Henrik Engelbrecht.

August 3 Andreas Brantelid & Friends: Glazunov & Schubert The first concert of the season offers chamber music of the highest caliber, as this international star quintet takes the stage. Experience Schubert’s moving farewell work and Glazunov’s lively and melodic quintet, performed by the father-son cello duo Ingemar and Andreas Brantelid, viola sensation Nicolas Swensen, and violinists Benjamin Schmid from Austria and Alexander Sitkovetsky from Russia/England. Five world-class string players invite you in.

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August 10 Absalon String Quartet: Haydn & Schumann Experience the Absalon String Quartet – a Scandinavian ensemble known for both depth and edge, and winners of the 2023 P2 Chamber Music Competition. They present Schumann’s third and most dramatic string quartet, written over six intense summer weeks and dedicated to Mendelssohn. Also on the program is music by Joseph Haydn – the father of the string quartet – from his later works, where he challenges classical form and opens new musical horizons.

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August 17 Katrine Gislinge: Fantasies Step into a soundscape of poetry and intimacy as Katrine Gislinge – one of Denmark’s most acclaimed pianists – presents a special concert featuring music written for her by her husband, composer Bent Sørensen. Two of his dreamlike nocturnes are paired with piano works by Schumann and Chopin – composers who, like Sørensen, knew how to make the piano speak with both sincerity and magic. A concert of music that touches and enchants.

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August 24 Orchestral Soloists: Nielsen and Brilliant Beethoven Seven outstanding musicians – soloists and concertmasters from Danish and international orchestras – join forces for two rarely heard gems for winds and strings. Carl Nielsen’s witty and charming serenade, written quickly for colleagues in the Royal Danish Orchestra, meets Beethoven’s youthful and sparkling septet – one of his most beloved works, full of colorful instrumental dialogue and classical elegance.

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August 31 The Danish String Quartet: Haydn/Shaw & Shostakovich With roots in Nordic tones and an international reputation for both virtuosity and warmth, the Danish String Quartet has delighted audiences worldwide for over 20 years. This concert pairs classical Haydn with the modern sound world of Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Caroline Shaw – inspired by Haydn himself. The concert concludes with Shostakovich’s deeply emotional third quartet, written in the aftermath of World War II. A journey through 200 years of music – with depth, intensity, and presence.

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September 7 Concerto Copenhagen: Fandango! Join Concerto Copenhagen – one of Europe’s leading baroque ensembles – on a lively journey to Southern Europe around the year 1800. Here we encounter Boccherini’s Spanish guitar quintets, Rossini’s youthful sonatas, and the legendary fandango, likely composed by the monk and composer Antonio Soler. The music radiates warmth and temperament.

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September 14 Eskær Trio, Anna Agafia & Ettore Causa: Beethoven & Sparkling Schumann With 30 years of concert experience at home and abroad, the Eskær Trio is one of Denmark’s most seasoned chamber ensembles. For this concert, they are joined by distinguished Italian violist Ettore Causa and rising Danish violin star Anna Agafia. Together, they take on Beethoven’s vibrant second piano trio, written during a personal crisis, and Schumann’s dramatic piano quintet, whose premiere was saved by none other than Mendelssohn. An evening where chamber music lives with both passion and precision.

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September 21 Arild Quartet: The Bird Quartet & Rosamunde The Arild Quartet – four prominent Danish musicians with over 15 years of shared joy in playing – invite you on a journey through the evolution of the string quartet. From Haydn’s playful elegance and humor to Schubert’s deeply moving tones written in the shadow of his untimely death, the concert concludes with the intense late Romanticism of Webern. A concert rich in historical resonance and musical depth.

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September 28 Jonathan Swensen: Symphonic Solo Cello At just 29, Jonathan Swensen is already one of Denmark’s most prominent soloists with international acclaim. Here, he performs solo – just him and his cello – in a program ranging from Bach’s iconic suites to Kodály’s sonic experiments and Ligeti’s forbidden sonata from Cold War-era Hungary. An intense and sensuous experience that explores the cello’s full expressive range.

Read more here.