Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen

Denmark

A master of compositional structure and form, whose technique is such that each work has its own musical language; a pioneer in minimalism; often immersed in topics reflecting contemporary emotional issues. Pelle will respond to Buxtehude's sixth cantata, TO THE HEART, premiering Saturday night June 25.  He will draw on poetry of Ursula Andkjær and the text of Buxtehude's original work. (learn more about Ursula here. in Danish - http://www.ursulaandkjaerolsen.dk)

Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen (Denmark) studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, with Finn Høffding, Svend Westergaard, Bjørn Hjelmborg, and Vagn Holmboe (instrumentation), graduating in 1958 (Jakobsen 2001). He has won several prizes such as the Lange-Müller Stipend in 1965, the Herman Sandby Prize in 1971, the Carl Nielsen Prize in 1973, the Music Prize of the Nordic Council for his Symphony, Antiphony in 1980 and the Wilhelm Hansen Prize in 1996. His music strives for perfect structure, requiring that each piece have its own unique personality and musical style. His works include: Variationer (1954); Chronos (1962); Collegium Musicum Konsert (1964); Je ne me tairai jamais. Jamais (1966); Tricolore I (1966); Tricolore IV (1969); Plateaux pour deux (1970); Genbrug (1975); Symfony, Antiphony (1977); Stringquartets 5-8 (1982-86), Triptykon (1985) For cello and orchestra (1996).

Learn more about Pelle and his work here.

Pelle's Libretto

Choir 1.

Wound!

you have wounded my heart,

my bride.

In this wounded heart may your love gain entry,

my love.

Choir 2.

Joy!

Hail to thee,

my love.

I greet you with a joyful heart.

Embracing you is a joy.

With a lively heart I call to you, 

truly, dearest heart, I love you.

Joy!

Hail to thee,

my love.

Spoken text (by the percussionist).

I laugh at you mockingly, intimacy-lovers

I laugh at you mockingly, solicitude-lovers

I laugh at you, love-lovers

I don't want your authenticity

I don't want your tastefulness

I don't want your true feelings

I want to BATHE in true sentimentality

I want to be CLEANSED in true sentimentality

My body SCREAMS for sentimentality

a hard, smooth material

I'd be molded into

now is the time

I SHALL LIFT UP MY COUNTENANCE UPON THEE AND GIVE THEE SHIT

THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY FEELINGS

I am completely without empathy

it happens to me freqently

I am not evil

I just can't feel anything/anyone

Three different kinds of statements. Each others counterpoint.

The text by Ursula Andkjær Olsen is translated by Katrine Øgaard Jensen.