Carl Nielsen Symphonies

[Beef Oven]

I haven't a clue! The thread title does still say "Nielsen".

Yes, this lark is un-ending

[richardfinegold]

Yes, this lark is un-ending

Thanks to BBM, the Lark seems to have ascended out of this thread and into RVW thread...

[PJPJ]

This is at least partially good news. I heard some of the concerts by Davis over the last few years, and I was thinking that it would be worth getting the CDs or SACDs, as I enjoyed the concerts. It's a shame that the multi-channel mix seems to have problems, but good that the performances can be enjoyed in stereo. I think some of the LSO discs also exist in CD only versions - can't remember about this one. Currently the store appears to show only SACDs, but I have a feeling that there was a set with CDs. Sounds as though it might not be worth splashing out for the SACD versions if CDs are still possible.

Re: Nielsen symphonies - LSO/Davis

There is a single inventory for SACD. There is still one volume to come (no set has been released yet) and its future arrival has been announced, cover photo below. Of the two released so far, the surround mix produces no problems on my system provided it's played at the right level.

[Barbirollians]

Rave review from Anthony Burton for the Gilbert in BBCMM and a positive one in IRR.

[Dave2002]

Re: Nielsen symphonies - LSO/Davis

There is a single inventory for SACD.

I think the Sibelius set exists in CD and SACD versions. LSO Live used to do that, but maybe they gave up that policy for more recent issues. Richard's discovery re different SACD versions on the different layers still suggests that the CD layer could be different again - though not that it will be.

[PJPJ]

The Sibelius does indeed have dual inventory - a CD box as well as separate CDs, and belatedly individual SACDs of all the symphonies (one volume took years to appear). Single inventory for newer releases has existed for a little while now.

[richardfinegold]

Re: Nielsen symphonies - LSO/Davis

There is a single inventory for SACD. There is still one volume to come (no set has been released yet) and its future arrival has been announced, cover photo below. Of the two released so far, the surround mix produces no problems on my system provided it's played at the right level.

I sort of agree with that. I replayed part of the disc in multichannel at a much higher level (eliciting complaints from other long suffering family members). It was improved, sort of. The bass was still way to boomy but the treble made more sense. The whole thing still sounds like a proverbial veil overlays the multichannel layer compared to the two channel SACD layer. The mixes are clearly not the same and one should not have to listen to greater than concert hall levels to improve the sound, IMO.
Happy New Year to all.

[Sir Velo]

Rave review from Anthony Burton for the Gilbert in BBCMM and a positive one in IRR.

Would this be the same Gilbert that our old friend, Thomas Roth, recommended and was patronisingly castigated by a certain verbose contributor for so doing? I think we should be told.

[Demetrius]

Would this be the same Gilbert that our old friend, Thomas Roth, recommended and was patronisingly castigated by a certain verbose contributor for so doing? I think we should be told.

it seems to be, though the patronising part, as I remember, belonged to Thomas Roth ... disagreeing about a record happens, naturally; Yet, as a rank amateur I was put off of Gilbert not by the opposition, but by TR's style of argumentation - that might be very prejudiced and unfair from me, but i can't really help it.

Still wondering how members who have listened to them rate the Kuchar/Janacek PO recordings - I like them (but my knowledge is very limited, plus I have nothing to compare them to). JLW likes them, and as her opinion always seemed well reasoned to me, that was a recommendation I rate highly. Would still like to hear other opinions, if at all possible.

[PJPJ]

They sound fine to me, and I can't add anything useful to JLW's thoughts. However, I have listened to Michael Schønwandt's cycle, now on Naxos, with great pleasure. I have been addicted to these works for so long, and have accumulated so many recordings of them - I think the only cycles I don't have are Rozhdestvensky's (the disc of shorter works has some tempi which seem terribly slow) and Salonen's.

The BBC MM DVD is well worth getting if you haven't got a copy - tremendously exciting, my nearly needing Propranolol to listen to it.

PS I did try a few weeks ago to thin out the Nielsen collection, and failed to move a single disc to the get-rid-of pile.

[Dave2002]

Would this be the same Gilbert that our old friend, Thomas Roth, recommended and was patronisingly castigated by a certain verbose contributor for so doing? I think we should be told.

Oh dear - it seems a pity perhaps to reopen old wounds. I was also slightly critical of postings by JLW once or twice, or at least expressed diferent opinions, but I didn't expect her to disappear off the scene completely. I did wonder about the equipment she said she was using though - I don't think I'd be allowed to use such or buy such. Sounded very expensive to me - up there with cars and expensive foreign holidays.

I hope she returns nevertheless.

[BBMmk2]

I think I have to reioterate herbert blomstedt's cycle. But I might have to acquire the Gilbert one too!

It's amazing that a conductor of Sir Colin Davis's stature, has never conducted these works until recently?

[Ferretfancy]

I think I have to reioterate herbert blomstedt's cycle. But I might have to acquire the Gilbert one too!

It's amazing that a conductor of Sir Colin Davis's stature, has never conducted these works until recently?

There seems to be a historic failure in this country to appreciate Nielsen. As far back as the days of Neville Cardus I remember him being rather dismissive, and this has always puzzled me. The BBC Music Guides gave the symphonies some recognition when they published a monograph by Robert Simpson, but there were still few performances until recently, apart from Nos. 4 & 5. To me they are great music,very different from Sibelius, but just as fascinating.

[richardfinegold]

There seems to be a historic failure in this country to appreciate Nielsen. As far back as the days of Neville Cardus I remember him being rather dismissive, and this has always puzzled me. The BBC Music Guides gave the symphonies some recognition when they published a monograph by Robert Simpson, but there were still few performances until recently, apart from Nos. 4 & 5. To me they are great music,very different from Sibelius, but just as fascinating.

Actually I think Nielsen has fared better in the U.K. Than many other countries outside of Scandinavia, but while his music has gained in appreciation over the past few generations, it is still under appreciated .
Speaking of under appreciated , I have been listening to the Gilbert more. I think that he tends to emphasize the
The quieter introspective side of the composer at the expense of the more overtly dramatic sections. I'm beginning to to warm to his interpretation. Blomstedt continues to be my favorite , but I like Gilbert as a supplement for a different point of view.

[johnb]

I have great respect for JLW and after reading her praise for Chung with the Gothenburg SO I bought their recordings of Nos 2 and 3 cheaply, second hand, from Amazon. My first reaction when I played No 3 was "Bloody hell, this is loud". I had to set my volume control at a much lower level than I can ever remember.

Now, we all know that CDs have a maximum level which can't be surpassed so I had a very strong feeling as to what was going on - and, after looking at the ripped files in Soundforge, found I was right.

The only way to make something sound that loud is to boost up the loud passages and then use limiting (i.e. truncate the tops and bottoms of the waveforms). In fact, looking at the waveform and using Soundforge's clipping detector, it turns out that all the loud passages are pushed heavily into hard clipping. Not good! They can get away with it because the audible effects of the clipping are masked by rasp of the fortissimo brass.

I really disliked the disc. I found it tiring to listen to. It was rather like being battered around the ears for 38 minutes (something Nielsen can do very well on his own, without BIS's assistance). It was a relief to turn to Blomstedt's recording which has very much more natural and believable audio perspective. (I also preferred the performance.)