Golgotha, Op. 54, No. 2

Otto Valdemar Malling (1 June 1848 – 5 October 1915) was a Danish composer, from 1900 the cathedral organist in Copenhagen and from 1889 professor, then from 1899 Director of the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen. He was born in Copenhagen, and became a pupil of Niels Gade and Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann. in his later career he mainly composed organ works and vocal music, but he also wrote a significant amount of orchestral music, as well a substantial cantata "Der hellige Land", and a symphony in D minor. He was a co-founder and vice-conductor of The Concert Society, Copenhagen (1874), supporting himself as organist at various Copenhagen churches. His scores of organ music brought Malling some reputation abroad, but after his death he was soon forgotten in his native country, as musical tastes changed. In the late 20th century, several of his concert works were recorded.

The three movements of "Der Tod und die Auferstehung Christi", Op.54 make up a sort of "Holy Week Suite", as they begin with the events in the garden of Gethsemane, move (in a most agonizing manner) to the journey and arrival at Golgatha, and the innocent and still-unknown events that were to take place on Easter Morning.

The second movement, "Golgatha" (Adagio, lugubre - C minor) is an agonizing death march. The mood is one of unbearable heaviness, and it does not take much imagination to feel the Saviour dragging his heavy cross. There is little relief in terms of brightening or lightening the texture, but the middle section moves from the opening C minor to G-sharp minor. A tremendous and painful climax is reached, which gradually melts away, only to see the opening material return, but the this time on full organ, with all the heaviness and pathos that can be produced. The piece ends in a tranquil C major. Long chords, always getting softer seem to indicate that finally, "All is finished..."