Danish Culture
The culture of Denmark scoops sources of inspiration from local national traditions and is somehow formatted by the influence of other European countries. National traditions are visible in handicraft products (for example, in textile, silver and ceramic); they are appreciable in music, dances and are even reflected in fairy tales. Basically the most well-known Danish fairy tales are G.H.Andersen’s stories. The European influence can be caught also in architecture of modern high-rise buildings and appartment houses, so easily they join to the old-fashioned buildings.
Denmark has given many talented writers to the world, among them Syoren Kirkegor, Hans Christian Andersen, Martin Andersen-Neksyo, Henrik Pontoppidan. The special place occupies creativity of poet-philosopher Pita Hajna.
Essential problems of public life of 20th century were shown by visible Danish playwrights. The plays opening private world of the person and its relation to a society were staged at theaters not only in Denmark, but also in other European countries.
The abstract and modernist tendencies rather far from romantic traditions of the Danish masters of the beginning of 19 century are reflected in sculpture.
First half 19 century can be considered ”Golden Age” of Danish culture. A number of talented masters has left realistic paintings (portraits, landscapes, city scenes,
genre compositions). A group of the artists working around a place called Skagen, in the extreme north of Denmark, has got popularity at the end of the century. They represented the nature and people of this place, using richness of color palette, but preferring light tones. Like the French impressionists, they aspired to learn harmony of human life and to transfer poetic perception of the world. The
Danish artists have achieved big successes in the schedule and applied art, especially in a ceramics list.
Charles Nilsen, the greatest composer of Denmark, has written about 100 products, from quartets to an opera. It is the author of charming choral product “Spring in Fjunene”, a concert for a clarnet with an orchestra, by some estimations one
of the most beautiful products of 20th centurie, and six symphonies from which are most known the fourth and the fifth. The royal Danish symphonic orch
estra and an orchestra of the Danish radio along with classical repertoire often execute products of modern composers.
Denmark has old cultural traditions in the field of motion picture arts. The Danish film director most known all over the world is Charles Drejer who has made the masterpiece «Jeanne’s D’Arc’s Passions» in 1927г. The Danish films «Feast of Babetty
» and “Pelle-conqueror” have been awarded awards of Royal academy, and films “Tsentropa” and “Kingdom” have won the international recognition.
In Denmark theatrical art has great popularity. The Danish Royal theater is the largest theatrical collective of the country. It has three troupes – drama, ballet and opera. Besides, theat
ers are available both in Copenhagen, and in other cities of the country, including so-called small both mobile theaters are extended. Both national and local theaters exist partly due to the state grants. In summer time symphonic orchestras and theatrical, choral and dancing collectives give concerts, particularly in park Tivoli in Copenhagen.
