Various Composers - The Kronborg Collection: Music in Denmark 1550–1650 (Bo Holten)

Information

• CD1: Schütz in Copenhagen: A German at King Christian’s Court
• CD2: The King of Denmark his Orpheus: Dowland’s Lachrimae
• CD3: Nordic Crossroads: The Madrigal North of the Alps
• CD4: The Flemish Connection: Antwerp to the Øresund
• CD5: Giardino novo: Copenhagen’s First Madrigal Book
• CD6: Pedersøn’s Pratum spirituale: Danish Hymns & Polyphony
• CD7: In the South: Rare Italian Masterworks from Danish Collections
• CD8: Tycho Brahe’s Harmony of the Spheres: Music from Kronborg and Uraniborg

Musica Ficta

Bo Holten, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Dacapo

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This landmark eight-CD collection from Bo Holten and Musica Ficta restores Denmark’s rich musical heritage from the royal court at Kronborg Castle—famously immortalized as Shakespeare’s Elsinore. Under the patronages of Kings Christian III, Frederik II, and Christian IV, the Renaissance court attracted premier European talent, cultivating an era of extraordinary artistic grandeur. The comprehensive set brings this golden age to life through John Dowland’s lute songs, Heinrich Schütz’s motets, and world-premiere recordings of works by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Giaches de Wert, and Orazio Vecchi. Combining historical rigor with refined artistry, this anthology offers an immersive celebration of early Danish royal music.

Danish composer and conductor Bo Holten (b. 1948) is an internationally acclaimed specialist in early music and vocal polyphony. Following studies at the University of Copenhagen and the Royal Academy of Music, he founded the renowned ensembles Ars Nova and Musica Ficta, leading the latter to international acclaim with over 750 performances. Alongside distinguished appointments, including chief conductor of the Flemish Radio Choir, Holten maintains a prolific compositional output of over 140 works. His extensive catalog spans four symphonies, ten operas—including Gesualdo – Shadows and Schlagt sie tot!—and 42 widely performed a cappella pieces, defining his enduring influence on vocal and orchestral repertoire.