Carl Nielsen Symphonies

[BBMmk2]

Indeed. It was the word 'transcribed' that was foxing me ... [Not 'reversioned'!! ]

I was rather perplexed there as well!

[Madame Suggia]

I've got the Ole Schmidt cycle on Alto and I wouldn't lend it.

Two Nielsen 5th's worth hearing:

Kubelik with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Kondrashin with the Concertgebouw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo8t34L_q3I

[richardfinegold]

Well not as if I don't have a very good cycle of these symphonies, I do have Herbert Blomstedt's Decca SFS recording! So I could look and maybe wait until something else for comparison turns up?

I like that Blomstedt SFS cycle. I also have his earlier cycle on lp. Why do you find it lacking, bbm?

addendum--sorry bbm--just reread your post and I see that you were praising Blomstedt/SFSO--my bad

[Beef Oven!]

I've got the Ole Schmidt cycle on Alto and I wouldn't lend it.

Two Nielsen 5th's worth hearing:

Kubelik with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Kondrashin with the Concertgebouw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo8t34L_q3I

I have not heard the Schmidt cycle and I'm interested in it. What does your comment about not lending it mean?

[Madame Suggia]

I wouldn't lend it as it's rather special and I enjoy these recordings often.

[Beef Oven!]

I wouldn't lend it as it's rather special and I enjoy these recordings often.

I suspected that, but wasn't sure!

I've been well serviced by the SFSO/Blomstedt for almost 25 years and I saw Simon Rattle/CBSO at the Barbican do the complete cycle, also over 20 years ago. So my Nielsen 'Experience' has been quite stable, but unrefreshed, although I acquired HvK's celebrated 4 at some point in the mid 90s.

In the last few years I've added Horenstein's BBCSO 5, Schondwant's 1 & 6 and Dudamel's 4 & 5.

I always found Blomstedt slightly 'tame' (in places?) compared to Rattle live and HvK on DG.

There doesn't seem to be an awful lot of recordings out there, and the Schmidt does have its adherents. So I'm interested.

Edit: In multitasking, I've just ordered Blomsted's 1970s cycle for £5.43. At that price it seems silly not to (perhaps I'd have been better off putting the money towards the Schmidt).

[BBMmk2]

I like that Blomstedt SFS cycle. I also have his earlier cycle on lp. Why do you find it lacking, bbm?

addendum--sorry bbm--just reread your post and I see that you were praising Blomstedt/SFSO--my bad

j
I just feel the need to have another cycle to compare, etc(as we do!). John Sorgards somebody mentioned?

[Roehre]

I...
There doesn't seem to be an awful lot of recordings out there, ...
Edit: In multitasking, I've just ordered Blomsted's 1970s cycle for £5.43. At that price it seems silly not to (perhaps I'd have been better off putting the money towards the Schmidt).

That was the only "modern" european cycle available then (next to Bernstein's NYPh) and the one through which I started to know these symphonies.
for comparison: there were some 4 complete Mahler-cycles then, now just a bit more.

[Ferretfancy]

That was the only "modern" european cycle available then (next to Bernstein's NYPh) and the one through which I started to know these symphonies.
for comparison: there were some 4 complete Mahler-cycles then, now just a bit more.

I would certainly recommend hearing the historical performances of the symphonies by Tuxen and Jensen, in all cases with the Danish State Radio SO. The earliest recording is a fine Jensen version of No. 6 from 1935, and I also enjoy Tuxen in Nos. 3 & 5. These performances are all on Dutton, and very well mastered, but I'm not sure if they are still in circulation. It's very interesting to hear playing from musicians who knew the composer.

There's another nice Dutton transfer of the Clarinet and Violin Concertos with their dedicatees, Telmanyi ) Violin ) and Cahuzac ( Clarinet). Why don't we hear the Violin Concerto more often, perhaps as a replacement for the over exposed Korngold, or the sentimental Glazunov? It's a finer composition than either of them.

[cloughie]

That was the only "modern" european cycle available then (next to Bernstein's NYPh) and the one through which I started to know these symphonies.
for comparison: there were some 4 complete Mahler-cycles then, now just a bit more.

The Sony cycle was Bernstein 2-5 and Ormandy 1/6.

[Roehre]

The Sony cycle was Bernstein 2-5 and Ormandy 1/6.

Yes, I should have written CBS-cycle

[Roehre]

...Why don't we hear the Violin Concerto more often, perhaps as a replacement for the over exposed Korngold, or the sentimental Glazunov? It's a finer composition than either of them.

Good question. But Korngold's concerto is a mahler-like success story too: in the 1970s hardly any recordings were available, 2 or 3 or so.

[HighlandDougie]

There doesn't seem to be an awful lot of recordings out there

In addition to the Davis, there are two new(ish) cycles, both in SACD sound: Gilbert/NYPO (on DaCapo - now complete) and Oramo/Royal Stockholm Philharmonic on BIS (we've had 1, 3, 4 and 5 - 2 and 6 seem likely to appear sooner rather than later). In addition, the Storgårds/BBC PO cycle is due for release from Chandos, presumably later this year. The Gilbert got better as it progressed from its, for me, less than auspicious start with the 2nd and 3rd. I very much like the Oramo (and, having heard him conduct the 4th recently with the BBC SO which reinforced to me that he is as fine a conductor of Nielsen as he is of Sibelius, am looking forward to his final instalment). The Storgårds is well worth a listen if it's still on i-player - and will be as distinguished an addition to the Chandos catalogue as his Sibelius cycle. Unless Linn Records has a rush of blood to the head over its new partnership with the BBC NOW and Thomas Søndergård and decides to record his Nielsen, we are, alas, unlikely to have a further cycle from him. His 5th from last year's Proms was just about the finest performance of it that I have ever heard.

[Beef Oven!]

Thanks chaps. a bit more out there than I'd realised.

Highlanddougie's summary of the latest activities is most interesting

[Beef Oven!]

I suspected that, but wasn't sure!

I've been well serviced by the SFSO/Blomstedt for almost 25 years and I saw Simon Rattle/CBSO at the Barbican do the complete cycle, also over 20 years ago. So my Nielsen 'Experience' has been quite stable, but unrefreshed, although I acquired HvK's celebrated 4 at some point in the mid 90s.

In the last few years I've added Horenstein's BBCSO 5, Schondwant's 1 & 6 and Dudamel's 4 & 5.

I always found Blomstedt slightly 'tame' (in places?) compared to Rattle live and HvK on DG.

There doesn't seem to be an awful lot of recordings out there, and the Schmidt does have its adherents. So I'm interested.

Edit: In multitasking, I've just ordered Blomsted's 1970s cycle for £5.43. At that price it seems silly not to (perhaps I'd have been better off putting the money towards the Schmidt).

I should have mentioned that in 2008 I bought the Schonwandt cycle on DVD with the Karl Aage Rasmussen documentary 'The Light And The Darkness' on Carl Nielsen's life and music. Excellent sound on these DVDs too.