DOCSLIB.ORG

Echoes of Ossian. Royal Danish John

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Echoes of Ossian. Royal Danish John son's work than the expected Scan-that my music be regarded as Europe- dinavian factors. (This is borne out byan and not as specifically Swedish." the literature on his other sympho- nies, the most recent of which reach-SAEVERUD: Peer Gynt, Suite No. es the Mahlerian length of an hour1, Op. 28. Louisville Orchestra, Ro- and a quarter.) The Mahler influencebert Whitney cond. (with Rochberg is felt in a very general way, however, Night Music).LOUISVILLE LOU and not in terms of anything resem- 623 $5.95. bling imitation; this is a vast, brood-Harald Saeverud (born 1897), like his ing, strangely exalting work, in a lan- Norwegian compatriot Fartein Valen guage very much Pettersson's own. (1887-1952),islessrecognizably Norse in his music than the younger RIISAGER: Ballets:Qarrtsiluni; Klaus Egge. Saeverud, who has nine Costa Nystmern Etude. NIELSEN: Helios Overture, symphonies to his credit, was deliber- Op. 17; Saga -Dream, Op. 39. GADE: ately more astringent than Grieg in Echoes of Ossian. Royal Danishwriting his incidental music for Ib- Orchestra; Jerzy Semkow cond. (insen's Peer Gynt, one of the very few Riisager and Nielsen Helios); modern Norwegian works to have Igor Markevitch cond. (in Nielsenbeen recorded outside Scandinavia. Saga -Dream); Johan Hye-Knudsen(A more recent recording of both of cond. (in Gade).TURNABOUTTV -S Saeverud's Peer Gynt Suites, played 34085 $3.98. by the Oslo Philharmonic under Mil- Denmark's Knudage Riisager (1897- tiades Caridis, has been issued on 1974), best known here for his saucy European Philips-but notinthe Concertino for Trumpet and Strings, U.S. or Britain.) showed great originality in his more ambitious works, and particularly inSTENHAMMAR: Symphony No. 2, hischambermusic.Qarrtsiluni in G Minor, Op. 17. Stockholm Phil- (1942), the more striking of the two harmonic, Tor Mann cond. SWEDISH ballet scores on this disc, is based DISCOFILSLT-33198 $7.50. on Eskimo themes from Greenland; This recording, vintage 1957, shows Etude is an adaptation of Czerny'sits age more readily than the earlier piano pieces. ones made byAlfven,and Tor Mann's direction is hardly the last ROSENBERG: SymphonyNo.2 (Sinfonia Grave). Stockholm Philhar- word in propulsiveness. This impres- monic,HerbertBlomstedtcond. sive work deserves more spirited WIREN: Symphony No. 4, Op. 27. treatment, but, since there is nothing SwedishRadio Orchestra,Sixten else of Stenhammar's available here Ehrlingcond.TURNABOUTTV -S now (Rafael Kubelik's recording of 34436 $3.98. the Serenade with the Stockholm Philharmonic having vanished some ROSENBERG: SymphonyNo.3 years back with the rest of the MGM ("The Four Ages of Man"). Stock- Heliodor line), this is included as the holm Philharmonic, Herbert Blom-sole illustration of his broad -stroke stedt cond.ODEONSCLP-1071 $6.98. style. Hilding Rosenberg (born 1892) has been the musical father of a whole WIREN: Serenade for String Orches- generationofimportantSwedish tra, Op. 11. GRIEG: Holberg Suite, composers,numberingSven -Erik Op. 40; The Last Spring, Op. 34, Back,Karl-BirgerBlomdahl,and No. 2. English Chamber Orchestra, Dag Wiren I ngvar Lidholm among his pupils. His Johannes Somary cond.VANGUARD/ massive Symphony No. 4, a choral CARDINALVCS -10067 $3.98. Harald Saeverud work titled The Revelation of Saint Ingratiating (or perhaps "delicious") John (he conducted the U.S. pre-is the word for the Serenade, by far miere in 1948), is no longer available Wiren's best-known work (this is the even on imported discs, but two of his third recording of it to appear here) purely orchestral symphonies can beand one of the most attractive things heard now on Turnabout (see underof its kind for string orchestra. In the Blomdahl for No. 6), and the espe- light, breezy, but deeply satisfying cially admired No. 3 is on one of themanner of Hoist's St. Paul's Suite, it few remaining Swedish Odeons. Dag is a far cry indeed from the austere Wiren (born 1905), is perhaps better intensityof Wiren's own Fourth known here for his credo than for hisSymphony (see above, under Rosen- music: "I believe in Bach, Mozart,berg) or his Fourth String Quartet. Carl Nielsen, and absolute music." An utterly delightful work, superbly He has declared further: "I prefer played and recorded. STEREO REVIEW.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Osmo Vänskä, Conductor Augustin Hadelich, Violin
    Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 2019-2020 Mellon Grand Classics Season December 6 and 8, 2019 OSMO VÄNSKÄ, CONDUCTOR AUGUSTIN HADELICH, VIOLIN CARL NIELSEN Helios Overture, Opus 17 WOLFGANG AMADEUS Concerto No. 2 in D major for Violin and Orchestra, K. 211 MOZART I. Allegro moderato II. Andante III. Rondeau: Allegro Mr. Hadelich Intermission THOMAS ADÈS Violin Concerto, “Concentric Paths,” Opus 24 I. Rings II. Paths III. Rounds Mr. Hadelich JEAN SIBELIUS Symphony No. 3 in C major, Opus 52 I. Allegro moderato II. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto III. Moderato — Allegro (ma non tanto) Dec. 6-8, 2019, page 1 PROGRAM NOTES BY DR. RICHARD E. RODDA CARL NIELSEN Helios Overture, Opus 17 (1903) Carl Nielsen was born in Odense, Denmark on June 9, 1865, and died in Copenhagen on October 3, 1931. He composed his Helios Overture in 1903, and it was premiered by the Danish Royal Orchestra conducted by Joan Svendsen on October 8, 1903. These performances mark the Pittsburgh Symphony premiere of the work. The score calls for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani and strings. Performance time: approximately 12 minutes. On September 1, 1889, three years after graduating from the Copenhagen Conservatory, Nielsen joined the second violin section of the Royal Chapel Orchestra, a post he held for the next sixteen years while continuing to foster his reputation as a leading figure in Danish music. His reputation as a composer grew with his works of the ensuing decade, most notably the Second Symphony and the opera Saul and David, but he was still financially unable to quit his job with the Chapel Orchestra to devote himself fully to composition.
    [Show full text]
  • Classical Music Listening Suggestions by Nature Topic
    Classical Music Listening Suggestions by Nature Topic FAUNA Primary Topic Secondary Topic Composer Work Period / Style Form Instrumentation Fauna Animals Rutter All Creatures of Our God and King Romantic - 20th Century Song/Lied Choral Fauna Bears Haydn Symphony #82: L'Ours The Bear - Finale Classical Symphony Orchestral Fauna Bees Bridge The Bee Romantic - 20th Century Song/Lied Male Vocalists Fauna Bees Rimsky-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee Romantic Song/Lied Balalaika Fauna Bees Rimsky-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee Romantic Solo Piano Fauna Birds Canteloube Chants D'auvergne, Series I, The Quail Romantic - 20th Century Song/Lied Soprano Fauna Birds Dvorak The Wood Dove Romantic Overture Orchestral Fauna Birds Glazunov Spring: Birds Romantic Ballet Orchestral Fauna Birds Handel Concerto for Organ & Orchestra #13 in F, Cuckoo and the Nightengale Baroque Concerto Organ Fauna Birds Handel L’allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato: “Sweet Bird” Baroque Aria Soprano Fauna Birds Hanson Birds of Paradise, Op. 34 Romantic - 20th Century Solo Piano Fauna Birds Liszt St. Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Birds Romantic Tone Poem Piano Fauna Birds Liszt St. Francis Preaching to the Birds Romantic Tone Poem Piano Fauna Birds Messiaen Illumination of the Beyond: Plusieurs Oiseaux des arbres de Vie Modern Suite Orchestral Fauna Birds Messiaen Le Reveil des oiseaux Modern Overture Piano/Concerto Fauna Birds Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time: Abime des oiseaux Modern Suite Quartet Fauna Birds Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition: Ballet of the
    [Show full text]
  • Senior Recital
    Kennesaw State University College of the Arts School of Music presents Senior Recital Alexander Sifuentes, oboe Brenda Brent, piano Thursday, May 8, 2014 8:00 p.m. Music Building Recital Hall One Hundred Forty-fourth Concert of the 2013-14 Concert Season Program RICHARD STRAUSS (1864-1949) Concerto in D Major for Oboe and Small Orchestra I. Allegro moderato II. Andante III. Vivace- Allegro CARL NIELSEN (1865-1931) Wind Quintet I. Allegro ben moderato II. Menuetto III. Praeludium: Adagio. Tema con variazioni: Un poco andantino Dirk Stanfield, flute Alex Sifuentes, oboe Tyler Eisenbarth, clarinet Kristen Arvold, French horn FRANCIS POULENC (1899-1963) Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano I. Presto II. Andante III. Rondo Jordan Alfredson, bassoon This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Performance. Mr. Sifuentes studies oboe with Elizabeth Koch Tiscione. Program Notes Concerto in D Major for Oboe and Small Orchestra RICHARD STRAUSS Richard Georg Strauss was born in Munich, Bavaria, on June 11, 1864, and died in Garmisch, Germany, on September 8, 1949. He completed his Oboe Concerto on October 25, 1945, slightly revising the end on February 1, 1948. American oboist John de Lancie was in the U.S. Army unit which secured the area round the Bavarian town of Garmisch where Strauss's was living in April 1945, following WWII. As principal oboist of the Pittsburgh Orchestra in civilian life, he knew Strauss's orchestral writing for oboe thoroughly, visited the composer in his home, and in the course of a long conversation asked him if he had ever consid- ered writing an oboe concerto.
    [Show full text]
  • C a R L N I E L S E N S T U D I
    CARL NIELSEN STUDIES V O L U M E V I • 2 0 2 0 CARL NIELSEN STUDIES V O L U M E V I • 2 0 2 0 Edited by Michelle Assay, David Fanning (editor-in-chief), Daniel Grimley, Niels Krabbe (consultant), and Christopher Tarrant Copenhagen 2020 The Royal Library Honorary board John Bergsagel, prof.emer., Copenhagen Jean Christensen, prof., University of Louisville, Kentucky Ludwig Finscher, prof.emer., Wolfenbüttel Jim Samson, prof., Royal Holloway, London Arnold Whittall, prof.emer., King’s College, London Editorial board Michelle Assay David Fanning (editor-in-chief) Daniel Grimley Niels Krabbe (consultant) Christopher Tarrant Translation or linguistic amendment of texts by Eskildsen, Røllum-Larsen, and Caron has been carried out by David Fanning, Marie-Louise Zervides, and Michelle Assay. Graphic design Kontrapunkt A/S, Copenhagen Layout and formatting Hans Mathiasen Text set in Swift ISSN 1603-3663 Sponsored by The Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen Foundation © 2020 The authors and Carl Nielsen Studies, The Royal Library All rights reserved 2020 Permission for the use of quotations from the Carl Nielsen Edition has been kindly given by The Royal Library. NIELSEN AND GADE Landmarks of Musical Denmarks By Karsten Eskildsen Where did it all come from? This is a fair question not only in relation to Nielsen but also to most artists. So where did Nielsen collect all his skills, ideas and ambitions? For decades, Danish musical tradition has had it that young Nielsen was a country lad who through his own will, professional musicianship at the military band in Odense, and three years at Copenhagen Conservatoire was able in his maturity to transform the folk music experience of his childhood into mastery and universal art.
    [Show full text]
  • Flute: Late Style in Carl Nielsen’S Works for Flute
    THE “ARCADIAN” FLUTE: LATE STYLE IN CARL NIELSEN’S WORKS FOR FLUTE A thesis submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS in the Performance Studies Division of the College-Conservatory of Music 2004 by Beth E. Chandler B.M., Baylor University, 1993 M.M., New England Conservatory, 1996 Committee Chair: bruce d. mcclung, Ph.D. ABSTRACT Revered as Denmark’s most celebrated musical figure and regarded as one of the finest, albeit under recognized composers, Carl Nielsen (1865–1931) holds a place as one of the most individual and creative artists of his time. Straddling the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and with consideration to the dramatically changing musical climate of that time, Nielsen’s vast output is stylistically complex. His music spans an array of styles, with elements of Romanticism in his early works, to an outright rejection of these same principles and an adoption of extensive progressivism in later works, all the while maintaining features of neoclassicism. There are six known works by Carl Nielsen that include flute in a solo or chamber role. These works date from his late, mature compositional period and include a short piece for solo flute from the incidental music to Aladdin, Op. 34 (1918–19); three pieces from the incidental music to Moderen (The mother), Op. 41 (1920): “Taagen letter” (The fog is lifting) for flute and piano or harp, “Børnene spiller” (The children are playing) for solo flute, and “Tro og håb spiller” (Faith and hope are playing) for flute and viola; the Wind Quintet, Op.
    [Show full text]
  • Winter 2015/2016
    N N December 2015 January/February 2016 Volume 44, No. 2 Winter Orgy® Period N 95.3 FM Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Reiner, Chicago WHRB Program Guide Symphony Orchestra (RCA) Bach: Violin Concerto No. 1 in a, S. 1041; Schröder, Hogwood, Winter Orgy® Period, December, 2015 Academy of Ancient Music (Oiseau-Lyre) Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Katchen, Kertesz, London with highlights for January and February, 2016 Symphony Orchestra (London) Chopin: Waltzes, Op. 64; Alexeev (Seraphim) Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35; Staryk, Beecham, Wednesday, December 2 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (EMI) Strauss, J., Jr.: On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314; Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (DG) 6:45 pm HARVARD MEN’S BASKETBALL Tchaikovsky: Ouverture solennelle, 1812, Op. 49; Bernstein, Harvard at Northeastern. Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (DG) 6:45 pm HARVARD MEN’S HOCKEY Harvard at Union. Thursday, December 3 10:00 pm BRIAN CHIPPENDALE (cont.) 10:00 pm BRIAN CHIPPENDALE Hailing from Providence, Rhode Island, drummer Brian Saturday, December 5 Chippendale has been churning out an endless wall of noise since the late 90s. Using a hand-painted and well-beaten drum 5:00 am PERDIDO EN EL SIGLO: A MANU CHAO kit, homemade masks equipped with contact mics, and an ORGY (cont.) array of effect and synthesizer pedals, his sound is powerful, 9:00 am HILLBILLY AT HARVARD relentless, and intensely unique. Best known for his work with 12:45 pm PRELUDE TO THE MET (time approximate) Brian Gibson as one half of noise-rock duo Lightning Bolt, 1:00 pm METROPOLITAN OPERA Chippendale also works with Matt Brinkman as Mindflayer and Puccini: La Bohème; Barbara Frittoli, Ana Maria solo as Black Pus.
    [Show full text]
  • C a R L N I E L S E N S T U D I
    CARL NIELSEN STUDIES V O L U M E V I • 2 0 2 0 CARL NIELSEN STUDIES V O L U M E V I • 2 0 2 0 Edited by Michelle Assay, David Fanning (editor-in-chief), Daniel Grimley, Niels Krabbe (consultant), and Christopher Tarrant Copenhagen 2020 The Royal Library Honorary board John Bergsagel, prof.emer., Copenhagen Jean Christensen, prof., University of Louisville, Kentucky Ludwig Finscher, prof.emer., Wolfenbüttel Jim Samson, prof., Royal Holloway, London Arnold Whittall, prof.emer., King’s College, London Editorial board Michelle Assay David Fanning (editor-in-chief) Daniel Grimley Niels Krabbe (consultant) Christopher Tarrant Translation or linguistic amendment of texts by Eskildsen, Røllum-Larsen, and Caron has been carried out by David Fanning, Marie-Louise Zervides, and Michelle Assay. Graphic design Kontrapunkt A/S, Copenhagen Layout and formatting Hans Mathiasen Text set in Swift ISSN 1603-3663 Sponsored by The Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen Foundation © 2020 The authors and Carl Nielsen Studies, The Royal Library All rights reserved 2020 Permission for the use of quotations from the Carl Nielsen Edition has been kindly given by The Royal Library. N I E L S E N , SAUL AND DAVID A N D THE SYMBOLIST MOVEMENT Cultural-Historical Perspectives By Marie-Louise Zervides In his 1991 biography, Carl Nielsen – Danskeren (Carl Nielsen – The Dane), the Danish theo- logian and literary critic Jørgen I. Jensen argued the importance of symbolism in Carl Nielsen’s artistic development. He stated: ‘Carl Nielsen’s art originates in short from a symbolist culture; it is musical symbolism.’1 Nielsen never publicly associated himself with the term, however.
    [Show full text]
  • Sarah Ioannides Music
    1 SARAH IOANNIDES Conductor Pages 1 -11 Works conducted in performance. Pages 11-13 Works prepared as Cover Conductor for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestral/Instrumental Bach Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 2, 3, 5 Bach, J.C. Sinfonia, Op. 18 No. 1 Bach/Respighi Three Chorale Preludes Balakirev Overture King Lear Barber Adagio for Strings Music for a Scene from Shelley Two movements from the Opera, Vanessa Bartok Concerto for Orchestra Beethoven Contradances Coriolan Overture Egmont Overture Fidelio Overture Creatures of Prometheus Overture Symphony Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (arr. Cooper) Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique Bernstein Candide Overture On The Waterfront Symphonic Suite Three Dances from On The Town West Side Story Selections (arr. Mason) Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Suite No.2 from West Side Story Bizet L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 Carmen Suites No. 1 & 2 Symphony in C Bliss Music for Strings Bloch Epic Rhapsody “America” Finale Borodin In the Steppes of Central Asia Polovtsian Dances (with choir) L Boulanger D’un matin de printemps Brahms Symphony Nos. 1, 2 & 4 Tragic Overture Haydn Variations Hungarian Dances Nos. 1 & 5 Britten Four Sea Interludes Simple Symphony Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Chabrier Espana Chadwick Euterpe Copland Appalachian Spring Suite El Salon Mexico (2015-16 season) Fanfare for the Common Man Debussy La Mer Prelude à l’apres midi d’un faune Three Nocturnes Dukas Sorcerer’s Apprentice Dvorak Symphony Nos. 7, 8 & 9 In Nature’s Realm Noon Witch www.sarahioannides.net 9/23/19 2 SARAH IOANNIDES Conductor Elgar Enigma Variations (also prepared Symphony No.
    [Show full text]
  • Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 2019-2020 Mellon Grand Classics Season
    Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 2019-2020 Mellon Grand Classics Season December 6 and 8, 2019 OSMO VÄNSKÄ, CONDUCTOR AUGUSTIN HADELICH, VIOLIN CARL NIELSEN Helios Overture, Opus 17 WOLFGANG AMADEUS Concerto No. 2 in D major for Violin and Orchestra, K. 211 MOZART I. Allegro moderato II. Andante III. Rondeau: Allegro Mr. Hadelich Intermission THOMAS ADÈS Violin Concerto, “Concentric Paths,” Opus 24 I. Rings II. Paths III. Rounds Mr. Hadelich JEAN SIBELIUS Symphony No. 3 in C major, Opus 52 I. Allegro moderato II. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto III. Moderato — Allegro (ma non tanto) Dec. 6-8, 2019, page 1 PROGRAM NOTES BY DR. RICHARD E. RODDA CARL NIELSEN Helios Overture, Opus 17 (1903) Carl Nielsen was born in Odense, Denmark on June 9, 1865, and died in Copenhagen on October 3, 1931. He composed his Helios Overture in 1903, and it was premiered by the Danish Royal Orchestra conducted by Joan Svendsen on October 8, 1903. These performances mark the Pittsburgh Symphony premiere of the work. The score calls for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani and strings. Performance time: approximately 12 minutes. On September 1, 1889, three years after graduating from the Copenhagen Conservatory, Nielsen joined the second violin section of the Royal Chapel Orchestra, a post he held for the next sixteen years while continuing to foster his reputation as a leading figure in Danish music. His reputation as a composer grew with his works of the ensuing decade, most notably the Second Symphony and the opera Saul and David, but he was still financially unable to quit his job with the Chapel Orchestra to devote himself fully to composition.
    [Show full text]
  • Nielsen the Symphonies Helios Overture Saga-Drøm Pan and Syrinx
    Osmo Vänskä NIELSEN THE SYMPHONIES HELIOS OVERTURE SAGA-DRØM PAN AND SYRINX BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LAHTI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OSMO VÄNSKÄ BIS-CD-1839/40 BIS-CD-1839-40_f-b.indd 1 10-09-10 15.21.56 Carl Nielsen (1865–1931) The Six Symphonies Helios Overture · Saga-Drøm · Pan og Syrinx Osmo Vänskä conductor BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Elizabeth Layton leader (Symphonies) Lahti Symphony Orchestra Jaakko Kuusisto leader (Helios Overture · Saga-Drøm · Pan og Syrinx) Total Playing Time: 4h 1m 23s 2 Disc 1 [81'30] Symphony No.1 in G minor 35'45 Op. 7 / FS 16 (1891–92) (Wilhelm Hansen) 1 I. Allegro orgoglioso 9'37 2 II. Andante 8'11 3 III. Allegro comodo 8'16 4 IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco 9'18 Symphony No. 2 33'41 ”De fire Temperamenter” / ‘The Four Temperaments’ Op. 16 / FS 29 (1901–02) (The Carl Nielsen Edition, Wilhelm Hansen) 5 I. Allegro collerico 8'42 6 II. Allegro comodo e flemmatico 4'08 7 III. Andante malincolico 13'01 8 IV. Allegro sanguineo 7'26 9 Helios Overture (The Carl Nielsen Edition, Wilhelm Hansen) 10'58 Op. 17 / FS 32 (1903) Andante tranquillo – Allegro ma non troppo 3 Disc 2 [80'34] Symphony No. 3 36'14 ‘Sinfonia espansiva’ Op. 27 / FS 60 (1910–11) (The Carl Nielsen Edition, Wilhelm Hansen) 1 I. Allegro espansivo 10'37 2 II. Andante pastorale Anu Komsi soprano · Christian Immler baritone 9'11 3 III. Allegretto un poco 6'27 4 IV. Finale. Allegro 9'40 Symphony No. 4 35'31 ”Det uudslukkelige” / ‘The Inextinguishable’ Op.
    [Show full text]
  • CARL NIELSEN and the GOTHENBURG ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY 1914-31 Contact, Programming, and Repertoire
    CARL NIELSEN AND THE GOTHENBURG ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY 1914-31 Contact, programming, and repertoire By Peter Hauge Carl Nielsen’s time in Gothenburg may be regarded as one of his most successful peri- ods as conductor. Mutual respect prevailed between Nielsen the conductor, the Or- chestral Society’s management and the musicians. Among ‘Europe’s finest orchestras’ which Carl Nielsen had conducted up until 1918 – such as the orchestras in Stuttgart, Berlin, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Helsinki and Kristiania (Oslo) – he included the Gothen- burg Symphony Orchestra, and said that it was ‘better than the Royal Chapel in Copen- hagen when taken in its entirety’.1 This claim should also be seen in the light of the considerable disagreement between the composer and the Royal Theatre leading to his resignation in 1914. When one reads contemporary reviews of the concerts which Nielsen conducted in Gothenburg, it is apparent that he was extremely popular among the musicians and especially among the audience. It was also in Gothenburg that Nielsen composed some of his greatest works, including the Fifth Symphony at the start of the 1920s and not least the Wind Quintet, which he completed and had played through while he was in Gothenburg in Spring 1922.2 Nevertheless, this pe- riod is only superficially discussed in the recent literature on the composer, which most often relies on the first Carl Nielsen biography by Meyer and Schandorf Petersen (1947-48).3 Their material is often based on anecdotes and the relatively few pub- 1 bedre end det Kgl. Kapel i Kjøbenhavn hvad Helheden angaar. DK-Kk, CNA I.A.c., Carl Nielsen to Johannes Nielsen, 12.12.1918; in 1930 Nielsen wrote a short article for the orchestra’s 25th anniversary, reproduced in John Fellow (ed.), Carl Nielsen til sin samtid, Copenhagen 1999, 552-53.
    [Show full text]
  • Booklet DACOCD351-353 . Kopi
    CARL NIELSEN ON RECORD VINTAGE AND HISTORIC RECORDINGS DACOCD 801-830 30 CD Thomas Jensen Launy Grøndahl Erik Tuxen Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) is the central figure in Wagner’s operas. Danish music after the Romantic period. Through Similarly, his approach to thematic development his music, his writings and his strong personality and to structure seems to have been strongly he exerted a decisive influence on 20th-century influenced by his admiration for Beethoven’s and Danish music and musical aesthetics, and he was, Franck’s chamber music and symphonies. Fairly moreover, a source of inspiration for composers early on, however, he discovered his own in the other Scandinavian countries. He absorbed personal and unmistakable style, which he later and reformulated the best features of the musical developed relatively undisturbed within its own heritage, and he composed in nearly all genres. premises. His six symphonies are milestones in his Nielsen started out from the Classical harmony of compositorial output. the 18th and early 19th centuries, with its In the 20th-century Nielsen’s music has often preference for triads in the tonic and related keys been described as a reaction against the high and and for a relatively fast harmonic rhythm, and late Romantic style; but this description is these elements clearly marked his entire output. incorrect, since it throws less light on the music But during the 1890s he developed his harmony, than on the fact that later generations adopted the apparently independently, to what might be called stylistic ideals of Nielsen, and since Nielsen “extended tonality”, where all 12 semitones could himself denied the possibility of revolution in art.
    [Show full text]