Encores Cury 15046
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the early 189os ... openly criticized the Beethoven- Wagner while his strong personal style is unmistakably apparent in era and then expounded the spiritual purity and artistic su- many of his works, some are almost devoid of it, and seem periority of the music of a Palestrina, a Bach, a Mozart, was tame and ordinary. This is partly due to the fact that Niel- bound thereby to isolate himself." sen composed a great deal of music for specific occasions. In looking over Carl Nielsen's total output, we find that Although he wrote always with the greatest sincerity and integrity, there were projects such as compiling, harmoniz- ing, and, in part, composing the music for a new series of The Music of Nielsen song books and hymnals for school use ( which Nielsen car- ried out in collaboration with the Danish musicologist on long playing records Thomas Laub), or the composition of a new national an- Note: The most impressive works here listed are, in this order, them ("Der er et yndigt Land"). In such projects the em- the Symphonies 5, 4, 3, Cornmotio, and the Clarinet Concerto. phasis was on doing a practical, serviceable, professional This does not mean, however, that "impressiveness" equals job; they did not afford an opportunity for being an avant- "higher quality" than the rest. Thus the Chaconne is a fine introductory work; the Wind Quintet has an outstanding first gardiste. movement; the Sixth Symphony is a work imbued with a pe- It is only rather recently that Nielsen's music has been culiar mixture of serenity and sarcasm; the Motets are of par- recorded in any quantity, but no sooner did the records ticular interest to those who already know their Carl Nielsen well; the Flute Concerto is a characteristic work although per- reach the public than his popularity began to grow steadily. haps not quite as consistent, stylistically, as the Clarinet Con- Nielsen wrote two operas and over a dozen pieces of in- certo; the Violin Concerto and the First Symphony, finally, are cidental music to various plays, six symphonies and many both altogether charming and vibrant pieces, but the Symphony, of course, is not yet particularly representative of the stylistic other orchestral works, three concertos ( violin, flute, and uniqueness of the later works. clarinet ), a great many chamber and solo works for different instruments, and an impressive number of songs and other 1892- Symphony No. r, G Minor, Op. 7. Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Jensen, cond. vocal works, both solo and ensemble, but his complete LP LONDON LI. 635. 12 -in. discography, is still very small, although it is growing. 1903 Helios Overture, Op. 17. Danish State Radio Sym- - THERE ARE many latter -day composers whose urge toward phony Orchestra, Erik Tuxen, cond. LONDON LS 653. to-in. stylistic originality causes them to become utterly cerebral - 1906- Maskarade, Overture to the Comic Opera. Danish their music loses all true spontaneity and elemental drive. State Radio Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Jensen, There are others who in their anxiety to please forsake cond. LONDON LL 1143. 12 -in. - Maskarade, excerpts. Danish State Radio Symphony artistic integrity and mix into their works of approved Orchestra, Thomas Jensen, cond. LONDON LD 9156. and "audience tested" musical devices to achieve success. I o -in. Lasting art generally lies between extremes. It is less 191t- Symphony No. 3: Sinfonia espousing, Op. 27. Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra, Erik Tuxen, spectacular and obvious than the originality -at- any -price cond. LONDON LL coo. 12 -in. school and not as smooth and bland as the music with built - Op. 33 *. Yehudi - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, in appeal. Carl Nielsen chose the middle road: he Menuhin; Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra, audience Mogens Wöldike, cond. RCA VICTOR LHMV 22. did not need to strain toward originality. It developed I 2-in. naturally because he was a great, sensitive, sincere musician Symphony No. 4: Det Uudslukkelige (The Inextin- 1916- with a sound creative imagination, and he retained a guishable), Op. 29. Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra, Launy Grpndahl, cond. RCA VICTOR LHMV humble and unpretentious attitude toward his art through- 1 006. 12 -in. out his life. - Chaconne for Piano, Op. 32. Ellegaard, piano. LON- DON LD 9065. 10 -in. 1922-Symphony No. 5, Op. 50 *. Danish State Radio Sym- s . phony Orchestra, Thomas Jensen, cond. LONDON LL 1143. 12 -in. - Quintet for Wind Instruments, Op. 54 (three re- cordings). Copenhagen Chamber Wind Quintet, MER- ENCORES CURY 15046. 12 -in. Copenhagen Wind Quintet, LONDON LL 734. 12 -in. New Art Wind Quintet, lit 'r THE SrouY of Lriens Dlusitian, passes all, CLASSIC ED. 2001. 12 -in. who had given forth that by his Musick he could t 925 - Symphony No. 6: Sinfonia semplice. Danish State drive men into what affections he listed, being Radio Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Jensen, cond. required by llwuus King of Uenmarke to put his MERCURY 10137. 12 -in. skill in practice. lee with his harp or l'olyeord 1 926 -Concerto for Flute and Orchestra. Jespersen; Danish L!lra expressed such elfectuall melody and har- Thomas Jensen, State Radio Symphony Orchestra, mony in t he variety of changes in severall Keyes, cond. LONDON LL 1124. I2 -in. and in such excellent Fugg'n and sprightly :lyres, 1928-Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, in F, Op. 37* that his Auditors began first to ht- moved with (two recordings) . Cahuzac; Copenhagen Royal Opera some strange passions; hut ending his excellent Orchestra, J. Frandsen, cond. COLUMBIA ML 2219. voluntary with some choice Fancy upon this to -in. Erikson; Danish State Radio Symphony Orches- Phrygian Moot. the Kings passions were altred tra, Mogens Wöldike, cond. LONDON LL 1124. 12 -in. and excited to that height, that he fell upon his 1929 -Three Motets for Mixed Chorus a cappella, Op. 55. most trusty friends which were scare him, and Danish State Radio Madrigal Choir, Mogens Wöldike, slew some of theta with his fist for lackt- of another cond. LONDON LL 1030. 12 -in. wclgxm, which our Jlttsitian perceiving ended with 1931 - Commotio, for Organ, Op. 58. Georg Fjelrad, organ. the sober 1)orick: the King came to himselfe and LONDON LL 1030. 12 -in. nu ch lamented what he had done. 'The opus numbers do not always follow the chronological John Hayford: _-i Ilreefe Introduction to the order of composition. From ,Skill of 3luxiek for Song and 1-ioll, London, 1654. 30 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE www.americanradiohistory.com.