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Classics Carl Nielsen Chamber Works for Wind Athena Ensemble CHAN 10454 X CCHANHAN 1104540454 X CCover.inddover.indd 1 118/12/078/12/07 223:24:053:24:05 Carl Nielsen (1865 – 1931) Chamber Works for Wind Quintet, Op. 43 (FS 100) (1922) 23:59 for fl ute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn 1 I Allegro ben marcato 8:35 © Lebrecht Music & Arts Photo Library 2 II Minuet 4:25 3 III Praeludium – Tema con variazioni 10:51 4 Serenata in vano (FS 68) (1914) 6:47 for clarinet, bassoon, horn, cello and double-bass Fantasy Pieces, Op. 2 (FS 8) (1889) 5:28 for oboe and piano 5 I Romance 3:05 6 II Humoresque 2:23 7 Canto serioso (FS 132) (1913) 3:32 for horn and piano Carl Nielsen 3 CCHANHAN 1104540454 X BBooklet.inddooklet.indd 22-3-3 118/12/078/12/07 223:24:473:24:47 Nielsen: Chamber Works for Wind Incidental music from ‘Moderen’, Op. 41 Carl Nielsen had a great fondness of wind is the subtlest and fi nest ever written, that (FS 94) (1920) 3:50 instruments, which was closely related to the Flute Concerto is much the best there is, his love of nature, his fascination for living, and that the Clarinet Concerto is the greatest 8 Faith and Hope Are Playing 0:51 breathing things. In 1925, when his Sixth since Mozart. These are not extravagant for fl ute and viola Symphony was about to be played for the fi rst claims. It is perhaps a curious thing that 9 The Children Are Playing 0:58 time, he referred to the way the woodwind Nielsen, who was a violinist (though he for fl ute are treated in this work: he had sought, he played the cornet in his youth), often wrote 10 The Fog Is Lifting 2:00 said, to reveal the individual character of with greater perspicacity for wind than for for fl ute and harp the instruments. ‘Each instrument is like a strings, and he never, for instance, returned TT 44:06 person who sleeps, whom I have to wake to to the string quartet in later life – in that life.’ Further: ‘I think through the instruments medium, moreover, he achieved less than Athena Ensemble themselves, almost as if I had crept inside for the piano, which he never mastered as them.’ Nielsen was also intensely interested a performer. So a CD of his wind music is Richard McNicol fl u t e in human character, and in the Wind Quintet bound to show a good deal of his essential David Theodore oboe composed deliberately for fi ve friends; character. Roger Fallows clarinet each part is cunningly made to suit the Roger Jordan bassoon individuality of the player. He wanted to go Wind Quintet John Butterworth horn a step further in this, and intended to write This CD contains most of what Nielsen a concerto for each, but lived to complete wrote for wind. There are some other pieces, Roger Best viola only concertos for fl ute and clarinet; had he notably the unpublished incidental music to Stephen Orton cello fi nished this project we would have had a Ebbe Skammelsen, FS 117 (1925), but none John Steer double-bass unique group of works. existing independently. The most important Ian Brown piano All through his symphonies and other work by far is the Wind Quintet, FS 100, David Watkins harp orchestral works we fi nd woodwind writing composed in 1922. Some idea of Nielsen’s of exceptional beauty, originality and range may be had when we realise that this sensitivity, whether it seems to be concerned gentle and delightful work followed almost with human expression or that of nature. It immediately the mighty Fifth Symphony, is more than arguable that his Wind Quintet to which it is a perfect foil, as also is the 4 5 CCHANHAN 1104540454 X BBooklet.inddooklet.indd 44-5-5 118/12/078/12/07 223:24:513:24:51 refreshing Fynsk Foraar, FS 96 (Springtime anglais – here is something of the Fifth Fantasy Pieces The Athena Ensemble was formed as a on Fyn), written in 1921. The quintet is not Symphony, perhaps. It acts as introduction The remaining items on this CD are slighter but wind quintet in 1969 and quickly established simply entertainment music, though nothing to the fi nal set of variations on a chorale of by no means negligible. The two little Fantasy itself as the leading group of its kind in could be more attractive; it has considerable Nielsen’s own, Min Jesus, lad min Hjerte faa Pieces, FS 8 for oboe are very early (1889) but London. Its members were among the most depths and its treatment of tonality is as en saadan Smag paa dig (My Jesus, make my they already show signs of the characteristic outstanding exponents of their instruments original and subtle as may be expected heart to love Thee). Nielsen was not religious, Nielsen, especially the ‘Humoresque’. in the country and their polished and exciting of this composer. The fi rst movement is in but he wrote many songs and hymns that ensemble playing won wide-ranging critical E major, with tendencies to look tonally are in wide use in Denmark; this one was Canto serioso approval. Later the members of the quintet southwards, so to speak – the result is that already well known, and he could rely on its The Canto serioso, FS 132 was written in decided to widen the repertoire open to the work ends in the key of A. familiarity accentuating the irreverence of 1913 (not in his last years as was once them and joined forces with several other In the fi rst movement we fi nd a fully the variations. The key is now fi nally A major, supposed), presumably by request (Nielsen distinguished musicians to make a larger developed sonata structure, complete with and the eleven variations are full of humour, could never refuse anyone anything!), and it is ensemble, which rapidly developed a style repeat (unique in Nielsen’s later music and sometimes blunt but always subtle even when a little work of genuine nobility, covering much and a sense of unity. proclaiming its indispensability by means seemingly obvious. musical territory in its brief duration. The Athena Ensemble played music of of ten elaborate and beautiful return bars, all periods from the eighteenth century to which omission of the repeat would cut Serenata in vano Incidental music from ‘Moderen’ the late twentieth century. It toured out). Nielsen shows great imagination and The other concerted chamber work is the The simplicity hides a good deal in Canto extensively and made numerous BBC ingenuity in conjuring a surprising variety Serenata in vano, FS 68. This was a jeu serioso, as it also does (even more so) in broadcasts; among the latter were the of sonorities and blends from the wind d’esprit written for some friends in 1914; the the music Nielsen wrote to the patriotic play fi rst broadcast performances of the quintet; few would suppose from this work combination is very unusual and again Nielsen Moderen, FS 94 (The Mother, 1920). This complete works for wind quintet by Elgar, that one of the chief diffi culties of the wind uses it with apparent naturalness. This little incidental music contains some of the melodies which the Ensemble subsequently recorded quintet is the fact that the fi ve instruments movement obviously depicts some kind of by Nielsen best loved by his compatriots, for Chandos. It commissioned works by do not blend. The themes are deceptively futile serenade; fi rst there is a slightly tipsy and the little pieces with fl ute are all gems, Bernard Rands and Simon Bainbridge, while simple and Nielsen’s mature mind is fully at warming-up, then the serenade, all moonlight especially the one for fl ute and harp, ‘Taagen such distinguished composers as Luciano work. Even more apparently simple is the and whispers, very poetic, touchingly beautiful letter’ (The Fog Is Lifting). Like Mozart, Nielsen Berio, Hans Werner Henze and Paul Patterson A major minuet that follows, with its long in a way only Nielsen can be. But it has no rather disliked the harp (he said, ‘a harp in the offered to write for it. Besides the complete stretches of impudent two-part writing and effect and the little band slouches off, trying to orchestra is like a hair in the soup’) but this works for wind quintet by Elgar the Ensemble its humorously sinuous trio. Though a minuet, keep its dignity in an absurd Tempo di marcia, combination inspired him to an exquisitely recorded works by Poulenc, Gounod, Ibert, it is far from neoclassical! Next comes a disconsolate, prosaic, and not too well in step. gentle thought, the utter simplicity of which is Nielsen and Mozart. complete contrast, a rather wild rhapsodic This Serenata is not an important piece, but it yet amazingly individual. nature study in which the harshness is is composed with great care and love and will compounded by the oboist’s change to cor stand much repetition. © Robert Simpson 6 7 CCHANHAN 1104540454 X BBooklet.inddooklet.indd 66-7-7 118/12/078/12/07 223:24:523:24:52 spezifi schen Einzelstücke für Bläser vereint. reifer Souveränität verarbeitet. Noch simpler Nielsen: Kammerwerke für Bläser Das wichtigste davon ist das Bläserquintett erscheint das A-Dur-Menuett mit seinen langen FS 100 aus dem Jahre 1922. Man gewinnt Passagen unbekümmerter Zweistimmigkeit einen Eindruck von der künstlerischen und dem humorvollen, gewundenen Trioteil Carl Nielsens Vorliebe für Blasinstrumente in den Passagen des Ausdrucks menschlicher Ausdrucksbreite dieses Komponisten, wenn (es ist keineswegs ein Menuett in der ist verbunden mit seiner Liebe zur lebenden Empfi ndungen als auch in den malerischen man sich daran erinnert, daß dieses sanfte, neoklassizistischen Manier).