Press and materials

Rued Langgaard has composed a number of his best works with Swedish nature or experiences he had in Sweden in mind. And even though Sweden is Denmark’s neighbor, we know surprisingly little about their classical composers. That’s why we focus on Swedish music, culture and composers Ture Rangström and Elfrida Andrée, who both deserve to be better known.

Two symphony orchestras

With Sweden as the theme, it is with great pleasure that we meet Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, who will play at the Rued Langgaard Festival 2026. An expanded Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester is also coming in 2026. In addition to works by Ture Rangström and Elfrieda Andrée, the two orchestras will play a total of three Langgaard symphonies inspired by Sweden. Not least the hour-long masterpiece Symphony No. 1 Cliff Pastorals, which depicts a hike on Kullen from the foam-spraying surf up to the summit, where there is a view of the dawn.

Two Swedish composers

Ture Rangström (1884-1947), like Rued Langgaard, went his own way artistically in his homeland. His expressionistic German-inspired music earned him the nickname “Sturm-und-Drangström”. He was also deeply inspired by Swedish nature and other Swedish artists such as August Strindberg. Elfrieda Andrée (1841-1929), like Langgaard, was both organist and composer. She was a pioneer when it came to female composers and had a particular fondness for the contemporary Selma Lagerlöf.

Out in nature

In 2026, we will continue our work to also create site-specific concerts and events, opening up new experiences where music enters into a dialog with the urban space and all the life that can arise there. For the first time, we are moving outside the old town center of Ribe, as we are planning a musical staging of the heathland area Tange Bakker, where heath and inland dunes form a very special nature. Folk and jazz musicians interpret Rued Langgaard’s piano classic Summer Vacation in Blekinge, and the audience is invited to find their very own place in nature’s large concert hall and listen to the music at just the distance and constellation they want.