Lars Ulrik Mortensen (born 9 November 1955)
is a Danish
harpsichordist and
conductor, mainly of Baroque solo music, chamber music and
early music
Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750) or Ancient music (before 500 AD). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad Dates of classical ...
repertory. He was a professor in Munich in 1996–99 and has since then been artistic director of
Concerto Copenhagen. He received the
Léonie Sonning Music Prize in 2007.
Early life and education
Lars Ulrik Mortensen was born in
Esbjerg
Esbjerg (, ) is a seaport city and seat of Esbjerg Municipality on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. By road, it is west of Kolding and southwest of Aarhus. With an urban area, urban population of 71,554 (1 January ...
, Denmark.
His father was the conductor Bent Mortensen. He studied with
Karen Englund (
harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
) and
Jesper Bøje Christensen (
figured bass
Figured bass is musical notation in which numerals and symbols appear above or below (or next to) a bass note. The numerals and symbols (often accidental (music), accidentals) indicate interval (music), intervals, chord (music), chords, and non- ...
) at
The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen and with
Trevor Pinnock in London.
Career
He has a career as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, North and South America and Japan. From 1988 to 1990 he was harpsichordist in
London Baroque, and from 1990 to 1993 he was a member of
Collegium Musicum 90. He appears regularly with singer
Emma Kirkby, violinist
John Holloway and cellist and
gambist Jaap ter Linden. He has recorded for Archiv Produktion (3rd harpsichord in
Bach's 3- and 4-harpsichord concerti with
The English Concert), harmonia mundi, Kontrapunkt and da capo and his recording of Bach's
Goldberg Variations won him a ''Diapason d'Or''. He is the artistic director of
Concerto Copenhagen, and appears regularly directing opera at the
Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. He is also the artistic director of the
European Union Baroque Orchestra since 2004.
He was professor of harpsichord and performance practice at the
Hochschule für Musik und Theater in
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
from 1996 to 1999. In 2007 he was awarded the
Léonie Sonning Music Prize, Denmark's premier music award.
Recordings
*
Dietrich Buxtehude (chamber music)
:''"Buxtehude – Seven Sonatas, Op.1"'' (1994,
Dacapo)
:''"Buxtehude – Seven Trio Sonatas, Op.2"'' (1994, Dacapo)
:''"Buxtehude – Six Sonatas"'' (1994, Dacapo)
*
Dietrich Buxtehude (solo works)
:''"Dietrich Buxtehude – Harpsichord Music, Vol. 1"'' (1998, Dacapo)
:''"Dietrich Buxtehude – Harpsichord Music, Vol. 2"'' (1998, Dacapo)
:''"Dietrich Buxtehude – Harpsichord Music, Vol. 3"'' (1998, Dacapo)
*
Dietrich Buxtehude (Vocal music)
:''"Dietrich Buxtehude – Vocal Music, Vol.1"'' (1996, Dacapo)
*
Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is one of the most prolific composers in history, at least in terms of surviving works. Telemann was considered by his contemporaries to b ...
(Flute sonatas with accompaniment)
:''"Telemann: 6 Recorder Sonatas"'' (Kontrapunkt)
*
Johann Adolph Scheibe,
Martin Ræhs (flute Sonatas with accompaniment)
:"Flute Sonatas" (2002, Dacapo)
*
Johann Jacob Froberger (Solo works for cembalo)
:''"Johann Jacob Froberger – Harpsichord Music"'' (1990, Kontrapunkt)
*
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
(Solo works for cembalo)
:''"Bach: 8 suites in French style, BWV 812–819"'' (2005, Kontrapunkt)
:''"Bach: Clavierübung Zweiter Teil"'' (2005, Kontrapunkt)
:''"Bach:
Goldberg Variations"'' (2005, Kontrapunkt)
References
External links
Biography(in English)
Interview, danishmusic.info
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mortensen, Lars Ulrik
1955 births
Living people
Danish male conductors (music)
Danish performers of early music
Danish harpsichordists
Danish classical musicians
Royal Danish Academy of Music alumni
Bach conductors
Bach musicians
Recipients of the Léonie Sonning Music Prize
21st-century Danish conductors (music)
People from Esbjerg