[덴마크] Henning Wellejus

Henning Wellejus

(1919 -2002) was a Danish composer and conductor

Cello Concerto, Op. 56  

I. Andante sostenuto - Frescamente 0:00
II. Quasi cadenza, larghetto 7:17
III. Andante - Allegro fresca 9:56

Morten Zeuthen, cello
Danish Radio Concert Orchestra
Peter Ettrup Larsen, conductor

Concerto for violin and orchestra in A minor

He was born in Roskilde, where his father was editor of the Roskilde Dagblad. In 1927, the family moved to Viborg, where his father, Theodor, became editor of Viborg Stift's Folkeblad and later mayor. Here, Henning grew up with his little brother, the future conductor Aksel Wellejus. Henning Wellejus married Inge Østerby at the end of March, 1950. Theodor was an amateur pianist and encouraged his sons to study music.

Henning started playing and composing at 6 years old. Later he was taught piano and music theory by Magda Plessing and organist Bodil Helsted. After graduating in 1938, he studied law at the University of Copenhagen while continuing his music studies with Svend Erik Tarp (composition and music theory) and Giovanni di Bella (instrumentation.)

He graduated in 1945 and was employed for the next 28 years as a lawyer in "Landsnævnet for barn og ungdomsforsorg". He established himself as a composer, conductor, pianist, and music critic, as well as a teacher and civil servant. From 1950-1979 he was the conductor of an amateur orchestra, the Etatsorkestret , but he also directed in other contexts, e.g. own works with the Aarhus City Orchestra, the Radio Concerts Orchestra, and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. For a time, he was répetiteur at Malmö City Theater and the Royal Theater. on several occasions he was an accompanist, often in contexts outside of so-called "classical" music, for example. on Sebastian's album The Goddess. As a music journalist for a number of years - at the Copenhagen newspaper, the Left Press Bureau and finally at Frederiksborg County's newspaper - he was given an opportunity to argue for his attitude towards music composition. He soon got a reputation as a conservative defender of classical tradition and as one of the sharpest opponents of modernism. From the beginning of his career as a composer, he chose to write music that was accessible. He turned his back on modernism, and wrote articles and editorials against music that did not have melody or harmony. He contended that music should accommodate the public, and speak to the heart, attacking modernism as too cerebral because what is written from the heart goes to the heart. He has been compared with some older Danish composers, e.g. Emil Reesen, Jacob Gade, and Oskar Gyldmark, as well as Svend Erik Tarp, Otto Mortensen, and Jørgen Jersild.

His music has been likened to English "Light Music", a term that can also be used to describe the

music of Reesen, J. Gade, and Gyldmark. His earlier music followed Classical tradition regarding tonality, but his later works became more tonally progressive, like that of his more famous countryman Carl Nielsen.