New Release: BEETHOVEN VOLUME 10, Symphony No. 9, Die Weihe des Hauses, and Gratulations Menuett    

Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard                                                    
Inger Dam-Jansen, Lilli Paasikivi, Lars Cleveman and Karl-Magnus Fredriksson 
Danish Radio Vocal Ensemble and Chorus                                                             
Simax PSC1283

The Swedish Chamber Orchestra has just released Volume 10 in their series of recordings of Beethoven´s complete orchestral works on the Norwegian label Simax (PSC1283). With two more recordings still to appear the 10th Volume features Beethoven Symphony no. 9, Die Weihe des Hauses and the Gratulations Menuett, conducted by Principle Conductor, Thomas Dausgaard and featuring Inger Dam-Jansen, Lilli Paasikivi, Lars Cleveman and Karl-Magnus Fredriksson as soloists together with the Danish Radio Vocal Ensemble and Chorus.

Thomas Dausgaard and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra embarked on this project in 1999 and it has been a 10 year labour of love which has forged their artistic collaboration and been a major focus of their work together. Now as the project nears completion Beethoven´s symphonic and incidental works continue to feature regularly in the ensemble´s concert programming. Whilst on tour in Germany in 2007 the Berlin Tagesspiegel wrote “It seems like we had to wait for the Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard to show us what makes a real “Egmont".

In keeping with earlier recordings in the series, Beethoven´s Symphony No. 9 is coupled with two incidental works: Die Weihe des Hauses and Gratulations-Menuett.     The Gratulations-Menuett was originally sketched as a movement intended for the projected Tenth Symphony before Beethoven decided to use it instead as a tribute to his impresario Hensler. Beethoven tried to have the work published, though without success; it was first printed in 1833. Die Weihe des Hauses overture was heard in a concert given at the Kärnthnerthor Theatre in Vienna on 7 May 1824 that also included the premiere of Beethoven´s final symphony together with three sections (the Kyrie, Credo and Agnus Dei) of the Missa Solemnis (1819-23), which had had its complete first performance exactly one month before.