KAPEL 575 by Bo Holten premieres April 21, 2024 at The Royal Theatre in Copenhagen.
This season, The Royal Danish Orchestra celebrates it’s 575 year anniversary. To commemorate the occasion the orchestra has commissioned a range of new works by some of the most interesting composers in Denmark.
Bo Holten has written the 10 minute long work KAPEL 575 for the orchestra’s original instrumentation of brass and percussion and was inspired by the orchestra’s long history:
A section of the piece is based on a fragment of a composition of Josquin des Prez, the motet Praeter rerum seriem, presumably composed around 1500, and this piece still is in the archive of the Royal Orchestra. We can with certainty presume that the orchestra has played it about 500 years ago. The second part of the work is based on a tune from the middle of the 17th century, used very frequently in Danish spiritual life for the past 400 years
Dating back to 1448, the Royal Danish Orchestra was originally attached to the court of King Christian I whose coronation was accompanied by brass and percussion. Today, The Royal Danish Orchestra resides in the orchestral pit at the Royal Danish Theatre performing ballets, operas and symphonic concerts. Through their long history the orchestra has collaborated with some of the most important historic and current composers and musicians. From John Dowland and Christoph Willibald Gluck to Igor Stravinsky, Carl Nielsen, Leonard Bernstein and Sergiu Celibidache.
Performance details
The Royal Danish Ochestra
Gamle Scene, The Royal Theatre, 21 April 2024, 3 pm
Tickets available at the Royal Danish Theatre
