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- Gade, Niels Wilhelm
Duration: 10 minutes
Description: EFTERKLANGE AF OSSIAN (ECHOES OF OSSIAN) OVERTURE, Op. 1, composed in 1840 by Niels Wilhelm Gade (1817-1890), marked a major turning point in his early career and brought him widespread recognition as a leading figure of Danish music. Inspired by the romanticized Ossianic poems popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries (attributed to the ancient Scottish bard Ossian but actually written by James Macpherson), the work is imbued with a sense of Northern mysticism, evoking misty landscapes and heroic melancholy through sweeping melodies, bold harmonic progressions, and a striking use of orchestral color. The piece premiered in Leipzig in 1841 under the baton of Felix Mendelssohn, who became a key supporter of Gade and helped launch his international reputation. Instrumentation: 2(2nd d.Picc).2.2.2: 4.2.2.1(or CBsn): Timp: Hp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.