Nielsen: Symphony No.4 "Inextinguishable" [Import]

Track Listings

1. Allegro

2. Poco Allegretto

3. Poco Adagio Quasi Andante

4. Allegro- Tempo Giusto

5. Le Poeme De L'extase Opl. 54

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4, FS 76 'The Inextinguishable': Allegro - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 4, FS 76 'The Inextinguishable': Poco allegretto - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 4, FS 76 'The Inextinguishable': Poco adagio quasi andante - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 4, FS 76 'The Inextinguishable': Con anima - Allegro - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 5, FS 97: I Tempo giusto - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 5, FS 97: Adagio non troppo - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 5, FS 97: II Allegro - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 5, FS 97: Presto - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 5, FS 97: Andante un poco tranquillo - Carl Nielsen
Symphony No. 5, FS 97: Allegro - Carl Nielsen

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6, FS 116 'Sinfonia semplice': I Tempo Giusto - C. Nielsen
Symphony No. 6, FS 116 'Sinfonia semplice': II Humoreske: Allegretto - C. Nielsen
Symphony No. 6, FS 116 'Sinfonia semplice': III Proposta seria: Adagio - C. Nielsen
Symphony No. 6, FS 116 'Sinfonia semplice': IV Tema con variazioni - C. Nielsen
Little Suite For Strings, FS 6: I Praludium - C. Nielsen
Little Suite For Strings, FS 6: II Intermezzo - C. Nielsen
Little Suite For Strings, FS 6: III Finale - C. Nielsen
Hymnus amoris, FS 21: I Amor mihi vitam donat - C. Nielsen
Hymnus amoris, FS 21: II Amor est dolor meus - C. Nielsen
Hymnus amoris, FS 21: III Amor est pax mea - C. Nielsen

Customer Reviews:

5 stars all the way!!!!!.......2005-04-17

This set has changed the way I see Scandinavian music. Nielsen is a great composer and all his symphonies are up there among the very best of their era. He is bolder than the well-known Grieg and Sibelius and his music has something fresh. The playing of the SFSO under Herbert Blomstedt (have you hear the recording of Mahler's 2nd with the same contributors? One of the very best...) and the Decca sound really add to the great experience. The other pieces are good too but don't have the excitement of the symphonies- still a welcome addition. A must for all music lovers.

One of the greatest symphonies ever.......2001-04-22

The greatest symphonies are not only peerless works of art, but they also speak profoundly and prophetically from the historical context out of which they were conceived. In this respect, I've always considered Shostakovich's Fifth and Ives's Fourth as the two greatest symphonies of the last century. Then I discovered Nielsen's Fifth...

Nielsen's Fifth, as performed by Blomstedt in this recording, is a stunning, miraculous, amazing, tragic, and ultimately life-affirming masterpiece. Written in the wake of the Great War when the scope of its horror had become fully apparent to the composer, it speaks profoundly and prophetically of the rise of nationalism, fascism, and the eternal conflict between a peaceful social discourse and the war-machine of the state.

The two other symphonies on this album are also noteable. The Fourth is a near great work, which was also written during the Great War and deals with the "Inextinguishable" spirit of mankind. The Sixt!h is enigmatic, iconoclastic, humorous.

Everyone interested in 20th Century classical music should purchase this complete set of Nielson symphonies. It will quickly become a treasured part of any music collection.

Nielsen rocks!.......2000-07-21

First off, the Blomstedt recordings are exceptional, for both symphonies 1-3 and 4-6. The music included in addition to the symphonies is great fun, especially the "Hymnus Amoris," on the 4-6 release, which is an excellent, thoroughly enjoyable choral work. The recording is demonstration quality--clear, crisp definition with great performances. Nielsen is a highly original symphonic composer. In that way, he is like Sibelius. But he also demonstrates an intriguing quirkiness in his compositional style. By quirky I mean that his symphonies go through fits of ecstasy, melancholy, joy, eeriness, and solemnity, often within the space of mere minutes of listening. It takes a few listens to get into it. I enjoy it very much, though. "The Inextinguishable" has melodic elements in the first movement such as would melt the heart, and these fine moments are given a noble return in the finale, along with great use of tympani drums. The fifth and sixth are the especially quirky ones, the sixth the quirkiest of all. But chances are, if you're looking into Nielsen, you want to embrace music that contains vitality and a rich depth of expression... if so, you will really come to love all the orchestral works on these discs for their shifting intricacies, evolving patterns, and subtle orchestrations, and I will recommend it all wholeheartedly. These are great orchestral works.

More Great Music!.......2000-07-01

The Blomstedt Nielsen cycle was originally issued on 3 cds with two symphonies each, but it has now been put onto 2 double cds, making the deal even more attractive. The fourth and fifth are among my favorite symphonies, and the SF symphony gives as fine a performance as I know of them. Just listen to the opening tuba blast in the 'Inextinguishable' and you know you're in for something special.

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Jacobs was overrated
The Great Arnold Jacobs Captured on C.D.
arnold jacobs
inspiring technician musician artist
Arnold Jacobs - Icon of education and performance

Portrait of an Artist: Arnold Jacobs

Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Orchestral Excerpts for Tuba
Legacy of an Artist
Bobissimo! The Best of Roger Bobo
The Chicago Principal: First Chair Soloist Play Famous Concertos
Tuba Tracks

ASIN: B00004UDEY
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Tracks:

Buxtehude: Fanfare - Adolph Herseth/Vincent Cichowicz/William Scarlett/Charles Geyer/Dale Clevenger/Jay Friedman...
We Are Enormously Complex
Hn Con No.1 in E flat: 1st Movt: Allegro
Hn Con No.1 in E flat: 2nd Movt: Andante
Hn Con No.1 in E flat: 3rd Movt: Allegro
The Musician Plays The Instrument
Playing For The Audience
Programming The Brain
Czardas
Carnival Of Venice
Con: 1st Movt
Etude No.24
'Czardas' With The Metronome
This Is An Art Form
We Play By Song And Wind
Canzon Per Sonare No.2 - Adolph Herseth/Vincent Cichowicz/Dale Clevenger/Jay Friedman/Arnold Jacobs
Lohengrin: King Heinrich's Call (Exc) - Jay Friedman/Arnold Jacobs
Sym Fantastique: Dies Irae
Become A Singer In Your Brain
There Must Be A Source Of Vibration
Breath As A Motor Force
Sonatine: 1st Movt: Allegro Vivo - Adolph Herseth/Vincent Cichowicz/Richard Oldberg/Frank Crisafulli/Arnold Jacobs
Sonatine: 2nd Movt: Andante Ma Non Troppo - Adolph Herseth/Vincent Cichowicz/Richard Oldberg/Frank Crisafulli/Arnold Jacobs
Sonatine: 3rd Movt: Allegro Vivo - Adolph Herseth/Vincent Cichowicz/Richard Oldberg/Frank Crisafulli/Arnold Jacobs
Sonatine: 4th Movt: Largo; Allegro - Adolph Herseth/Vincent Cichowicz/Richard Oldberg/Frank Crisafulli/Arnold Jacobs
Keeping Music As An Art Form
Breathe To Expand
F Tuba Demonstration With Berlioz
Romeo And Juliet (Exc) - Chicago SO/Carlo Maria Giulini
Con: 2nd Movt (Exc) - Chicago SO/Fritz Reiner
Petrouchka (Exc) - Chicago SO/James Levine
Sym No.4: 1st Movt (Exc) - Chicago SO/Jean Martinon
Sym No.4: 1st Movt (Exc) - Chicago SO/Daniel Barenboim
The Key For Communicating In Music
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Great Gate Of Kiev (Exc) - Chicago SO/Fritz Reiner

Customer Reviews:

Jacobs was overrated.......2005-09-28

Arnold Jacobs was a brilliant man who could have succeeded in practically any profession. He was also a fine musical pedagogue, judging from his verbal insights on this CD with respect to the human body as a musical instrument. Yet, I am amazed that he rose to the rank of tubist in a world-class orchestra such as the Chicago Symphony. Frankly, I found his tone quality uninspiring, although he had fine techinque. I have heard at least half a dozen tubists whose tone is far more pleasing musically. Among the bassmen/women of the world, Jacobs has become a semi-divine entity. I believe that he has been somewhat overrated as a result. I felt that his verbal commentaries were highly educational; I was disappointed by his playing overall.

The Great Arnold Jacobs Captured on C.D........2005-04-02

This is a prolific set of audio that captures the historical sound of Arnold Jacobs' playing and teaching. I bought this C.D. because I wanted to explore the limits and capabilities of a tuba player so that I could see if playing music on the tuba was for me. This C.D. banished any doubt that I had about the ability of a tuba player to achieve at the utmost musical level. I have never meet Mr. Jacobs in real life, but this C.D. made me feel as if I was in a master class or recital hall listening to him myself. I would recommend this C.D. to anyone who loves music. As Arnold Jacbos said " It's not about the tuba, it's about music".

arnold jacobs.......2001-05-16

This cd tries to capture arnold jacobs: a prolific teacher, player and above all a great man. while listening, you'll discover the ideals, the methods and ideas that made arnold jacobs the best tuba player that there'll probably ever be. The more complex issues and artistry of brass playing are explained in simple words and sayings. a great deal of jacobs' lectures is also given, and you can also see the importance of understanding the functioning of other body units that help us trough our playing (the brain). a great disc, highly recommended, not only for tuba players, but for all brass players.

inspiring technician musician artist.......2000-09-01

Cannot agree more,this is a wonderful exposition of Jacobs the teacher,for he had developed working concepts any wind player could adopt.His studio in the Fine Arts Building in Chicago was like a mecca for all wind players coming to Jacobs to resolve some deep-rooted performing problem. As he says( my paraphrasing) " they get tied up in knots,worrying about all the motions of the lip. . .you can't think about all those motions for they are thousands of motions from the brain to engage in performing a brass instrument "

As a brass player myself,(trombone & tuba) I have always sensed we have little repertoire to play of any interest,but Jacobs in a lecture here reveals this problem and one way to solve it, is to consciously search for things to play,like an aria from Puccini,or a particular non-tuba passage,to duplicate it,a piano or violin solo. What this approach implies is then for the brass player to develop skills as a consummate musician/ virtuoso,for you are forever challenged then to expand your repertoire endlessly,as much as the instrument or your technique will allow. I now find myself playing Chopin Preludes(Eb-minor,B-minor melodies only) on the trombone,and contrabass orchestral excerpts or trumpet etudes on the tuba,and Jacobs encourages tuba players to learn to read treble clef to be able to read any melody.

There are wonderful examples here from all genres in music from solo etudes in his studio to Berlioz and Wagner excerpts, solo and within the context of the orchestra. It all reveals the seemless consistent sound Jacobs was able to summon from his York tuba. Every attach was uniform,every tone even and pure,at least that is what he heard in his ear. That's another Jacobs credo,you have to have the sound in your head,what do you want your listener to hear. You command that.

The Bozza Sonatine(brass quintet) is also a wonderful performance of great brass music,great use of colours and entrances,breaking down the quintet into smaller duets and trios.This all with Chicago Symphony players makes it all the more interesting,a vintage performance from 1966.I recall those days where solo brass was considered an oddity,and unaccompanied solos even more so.

Jacob's sound should remain in your mind's hearing to duplicate it. Eugene Pokorny (Jacob's Chicago Symphony successor) also provides insightful interesting notes here.

Arnold Jacobs - Icon of education and performance.......2000-08-23

Amazing! For the students who studied directly with Arnold Jacobs, "Protrait of an Artist" will take you back to his studio, sitting right next to him. This excellent collection of lectures (lessons) and demonstrations are a fantastic embodiment of Arnold Jacobs' concepts and teachings. It is certainly a must for any music performer or educator. From the samples of CSO performances at the end of this CD to the practice tapes, the music on this CD is truely inspirational.

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The Last of the Royal Editions

Nielsen: Symphonies 2 & 4

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Nielsen: Symphonies 3 & 5
Symphony No. 14 The Royal Edition, No. 79 Of 100: Dmitri Shostakovich
Mahler: Symphony No. 3; Rücket Lieder; Kindertotenlieder

ASIN: B0000027N5
Release Date: 1993-06-22

Tracks:

I. Allegro Collerico
II. Allegro Comodo E Flemmatico
III. Andante Malincolico
IV. Allegro Sanguineo
I. Allegro
II. Poco Allegretto
III. Poco Adagio Quasi Andante
IV. Allegro

Amazon.com

Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius are the two greatest composers to have emerged from the Scandanavian countries in the 20th century. They both have a series of successful symphonies, all of which still exist on CD in many editions. These are two classic recordings done by Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic. Bernstein's take on these works are toward a stronger dynamism, especially in the opening gestures of each work. Some critics don't like this, but the Symphony 4 , The Inextinguishable, of 1916 needs it. It requires a powerful launch for the ideas that are to follow. Highly recommended. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

The Last of the Royal Editions.......2003-07-28

Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic's recordings of Nielsen's 2nd and 4th Symphonies is one of the last titles available in the classic Sony Royal Edition series. While many of these titles have been reissued in the Bernstein Century series, this one has not, which probably accounts for its current availability. These performances from the early 1970s (and the Royal Edition CD coupling Nielsen's 3rd and 5th Symphonies) have always impressed me, and they are comparable in quality to both of the well-respected Nielsen Symphony Cycles by Herbert Blomstedt. If you are interested in this title, I would move fast as most Bernstein Royal Edition titles are now out of print, and most likely this one will suffer the same fate shortly.

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The Most Powerful Recording of Nielsen's 'Inextinguishable' Symphony

Nielsen: Symphony No4; Helios Op17

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Nielsen: Symphony No3; Symphony No6

ASIN: B0000026E9
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4, Op. 29: Allegro
Symphony No. 4, Op. 29: Poco Allegretto
Symphony No. 4, Op. 29: Poco adagio quasi andante
Symphony No. 4, Op. 29: Allegro
Helios OVerture, Op. 17

Customer Reviews:

The Most Powerful Recording of Nielsen's 'Inextinguishable' Symphony.......2006-01-25

For many, the symphonies of Carl Nielsen are best approached by hearing the Symphony No. 4 first. The work is one of such visceral power that it is nearly impossible not to fall under its spell. Written between 1914 and 1916 the symphony is one of Nielsen's most mature. It was written in response to The Great War and the effect of that grave threat on Nielsen and indeed all mankind. It is a work of violence, chaos, battle (especially between two opposing timpanists) but in the end it is about the triumph of the human spirit. Nielsen wrote "the whole world is disintegrating," when "national feeling, which hitherto was regarded as something lofty and beautiful, has become like a spiritual syphilis that has devoured the brains, and it grins out through empty eye sockets with moronic hate". Powerful words and feelings = powerful music.

Esa-Pekka Salonen made this recording in 1986 when he was a mere 26 years old. That this symphony helped to propel him to international stardom as a conductor is evident in this fine recording with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. There are many recordings of this symphony in the repertoire, but none reach the heights of this performance. The power and battle and resolution are breathtakingly rendered in Salonen's hands.

Coupled with this mighty work is the moody and atmospheric 'Helios Overture' - a moment at the end of the symphony for the listener to pause and bask in the reassurance of the sun rising out of the seascape. While it may be difficult to find this recording, it is well worth the effort. Hopefully it will be re-released as it is the finest version of this remarkable symphony. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, January 06

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From Robert Layton's Review in Gramophone
Nice sonics, bland interpretations
Essential Nielsen symphonies
Magnificent but not exactly easy listening

Nielsen: Symphonies 4 & 5

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6
Nielsen : Symphonies 2 & 3 / San Francisco Symphony / Herbert Blomstedt
Hindemith: Symphony 'Mathis der Maler'/Trauermusik/Symphonic Metamorphosis
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
Witold Lutoslawski: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 / Les Espaces du Sommeil - John Shirley-Quirk / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Esa-Pekka Salonen

ASIN: B0000041UI
Release Date: 1988-06-13

Tracks:

Sym No.4 'The Inextinguishable': Allegro
Sym No.4 'The Inextinguishable': Poco Allegretto
Sym No.4 'The Inextinguishable': Poco Adagio Quasi Andante
Sym No.4 'The Inextinguishable': Con Anima - Allegro
Sym No.5: I. Tempo Giusto -
Sym No.5: Adagio Non Troppo
Sym No.5: II. Allegro -
Sym No.5: Presto -
Sym No.5: Andante Un Poco Tranquillo -
Sym No.5: Allegro

Amazon.com

The composer that Nielsen resembles more than any other as a symphonist is Beethoven. Naturally the idiom is a bit more modern (though firmly tonal and melodic), but there's the same sense of drama, energy, and musical concentration that you find in Beethoven's symphonies. When you listen to Nielsen's music, you can't miss the sense of purpose--the music has a goal and will literally overcome any hurdle to get there. That's exactly what happens in these two splendid symphonies. Herbert Blomstedt has been a forceful proponent of Nielsen's music for his entire career, and he plays with total commitment. -- David Hurwitz

Amazon.com

Herbert Blomstedt has the full measure of Nielsen's music, and this 1987 coupling of the Fourth and Fifth Symphonies, impossible before the advent of CD, is the ideal one. These are excellent performances, knowingly shaped and magnificently played. London provides a state-of-the-art recording, in a living, breathing, spacious ambience. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

From Robert Layton's Review in Gramophone.......2006-04-19

Blomstedt recorded Nielsen's complete orchestral works with the Danish Radio orchestra in the mid 1970s on an eight-LP set for EMI, so he is no stranger to this repertoire. But his later records of Strauss's Ein Heldenleben and Bruckner's Fourth and Seventh with the Staatskapelle, Dresden (all on Denon) show him to have grown in depth and stature. I can recall his debut in Stockholm in the mid-1950s when he conducted. a very well prepared if rather cool account of Hindemith's Mathis Symphony.

Blomstedt's new opening has splendid fire: this must sound as if galaxies are forming, in tempo and character it is close to the inspiring 1952 Jensen broadcast on a Danacord LP and to Grondahl's LP. Generally speaking Blomstedt is less circumspect than he was in his earlier set and less frightened of letting things rip. You may remember the composer's oft-quoted simile concerning the soaring string lines in the slow movement ('like the eagle riding on the wind'). Simon Rattle (EMI) is tremendously intense, almost pesante here, and does not follow the change of metronome marking between the opening (crotchet= 52-56) and at fig. 32 (crotchet=68) to such striking effect. Blomstedt conveys Nielsen's image most strikingly and there is much in this movement that is sensitive and atmospheric. The finale is exhilarating yet held on a firm rein.

Blomstedt's Fifth Symphony, too, is impressive: it starts perfectly and is almost as icy in atmosphere as Jensen (Decca LP) or Tuxen (EMI LP), and the climax is well handled. The desolate clarinet peroration comes offmost successfully too. He brings one closer to the music than he did in his 1975 recording and I prefer his finale to Chung (both the fugal episodes come off better) and to Salonen who broadens the closing bars to the point of bombast (forgivable youthful impetuosity no doubt but tiresome on repetition). Nielsen's Fifth is probably better than it can be played but this new account is certainly among the finest now on the market. Ole Schmidt's performances (Unicorn-Kanchana) of both symphonies still strike me as having something special to say even if neither the orchestral playing nor the recording is the equal of the newcomer.

Blomstedt's recording balance could not be improved upon: the woodwind are decently recessed (though clarinet keys are audible at times) and there is an almost ideal relationship between the various orchestra sections as well as a thoroughly realistic overall perspective. He obviously has a good rapport with the orchestra, who sound in excellent shape and respond to these scores as to the manner born. I hope he is introducing his fellow musicians to the Stenhammar and Berwald symphonies and that he will persuade Decca to give us a new version of Hilding Rosenberg's Third and better still what would be a premiere recording of Hortulanus, his Fifth (and to my mind greatest) symphony.

Nice sonics, bland interpretations.......2005-09-18

You would never know from Blomstedt's steady and controlled Sym 5 that Nielsen was horrified by, and wanted to portray, the traumatic battlefields of World War I. Similarly, you would never guess at the indomitable strength behind the Fourth Sym, the Inextinguishable. These are expert, straight-ahead readings in fine soud, but there is no magic of the kind transmitted in both works by Bernstein or in the Fourth by Karajan, among others.

Essential Nielsen symphonies.......2003-11-21

When Herbert Blomstedt first became music director of the San Francisco Symphony in the fall of 1985, there was little doubt that the orchestra would finally play the symphonies of Carl Nielsen. I had first discovered Nielsen's music through Vanguard imports of recordings by Sir John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra, recorded in the mid 1960's. From listening to those milestone recordings, it was immediately clear that Nielsen, who lived from 1865 to 1931, was highly original and imaginative.

Among the first Nielsen symphonies I heard was the fourth, which he subtitled "Inextinguishable." The recording almost sounded as if was had joined the music in progress. Perhaps Nielsen intended to convery that the music HAD been going on for some time. The symphony certainly doesn't stop, once it begins.

As much as I enjoyed Barbirolli's wonderful recording (originally issued in England on the Pye label), Blomstedt's 1987 performance with the San Francisco Symphony is even better. It is absolutely unbelievable in its intensity, even when we come to the intriguing second movement. After some absolute bombast and turbulence, with brass scorings that reminded me of Anton Bruckner, the music subsides to something quiet, light, and rather humorous. It is not as satirical or sarcastic as Nielsen's last symphony (the sixth), but the second movement is definitely a great contrast to the tragic intensity of the other movements.

Blomstedt succeeds in getting the San Francisco musicians to play with their hearts and clearly shows that things have changed the occasional inconsistency that emerged under Jorda, Krips, Ozawa, and DeWaart. The orchestra had actually steadily improved once Josef Krips took over in 1963, after a terrible decline during Enrique Jorda's tenure (1954 to 1963). Yet there were problems even after that, particularly with sloppy playing by the brass; none of that is the case in the Nielsen symphonies recorded here.

Blomstedt was born in the U.S. to Danish parents and spent most of his life in Europe before coming to San Francisco. Not surprisingly, he developed a great love for the music of Carl Nielsen, who was born the same year as the Finnish master Jean Sibelius but went in a much different musical direction.

Nielsen's fifth symphony is almost agonizing at times. It uses a snare drum and other percussion to create a musical impression of an advancing army. Was Nielsen reacting to the events of World War I? Typically, Nielsen would have resisted calling this a "war" symphony, but it definitely belongs to a turbulent period of European history. The program notes say that Nielsen led a "quiet" life, but he clearly expressed himself in his music and this is one of his most powerful musical expressions. The San Francisco orchestra plays with great passion and precision at the same time.

The fourth and fifth symphonies were the first works the San Francisco Symphony recorded for London/Decca, after making a number of recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and Phillips under Seiji Ozawa and Edo DeWaart. The recording was the beginning of a very fine association with the British recording company.

Magnificent but not exactly easy listening.......2003-10-09

Carl Nielsen really cannot be lumped into any category; he is what he is, and the listener must take him on his terms, which is sometimes easier said than done. His symphonies are challenging to listen to; I usually listen to them on headphones so that I can fully appreciate the full complexity of his harmonies and thematic development.

The 5th symphony is particularly challenging. Sometimes it can be just plain weird...it is almost always unsettling. Set in two movements, it seems always to be dealing with a threatening unknown, just looming over the horizon. In the first movement, this manifests itself with a creepy military drumbeat which comes & goes throughout the movement. Instability permeates the movement...it finally ends on a calm but hardly settling note. The second movement is still settled although not as creepy. There is a slower interlude --- calm but anguished at points --- which leads to one last burst of manic energy before ending grandly on an E flat major chord, which really seems to come out of nowhere. Even the triumphant conclusion contributes to overall unsettling nature of the work.

The 4th Symphony, "The Inextinguishable," typcially displays Nielsen's tendency of hovering around a tonal base, but never quite giving the listener that which he yearns for. The symphony is struggling towards a final triumphant conclusion, and finally achieves it, but not before a rough musical road has been travelled.

Tracks:

Allegro - City Of London Sinfonia
Allegro Di Molto - Yoon K. Lee
Allegro - New Zealand Chamber Orchestra
Menuetto: Allegretto - Capella Istropolitana
Molto Allegro - Capella Istropolitana
Finale: Allegro Assai Vivace: Alla Marcia - Claudio Otelli
Allegretto - Michael Halasz
Saltarello: Presto - National Symphony Orchestra Of Ireland
Poco Allegretto - Alexander Rahbari
March To The Scaffold - Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra
Scherzo: Bewegt - Royal Flanders Philharmonic Orchestra
Allegro Con Grazia - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

Allegretto Grazioso - Molto Vivace - Stephen Gunzenhauser
Presto - Imrich Szabo
Kraftig Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Schnell - Michael Halasz
Allegro Molto - BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Epilogue - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Scherzo - Adrian Leaper
Adagio - Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra
Allegro Sanguinoso - National Symphony Orchestra Of Ireland
Molto Vivace - Stephen Gunzenhauser
Allegretto - New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Allegro - Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra

Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites; Nielsen: Aladdin

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Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites; Nielsen: Aladdin

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000041WL
Release Date: 1991-08-09

Tracks:

Maskarade- Ov
Peer Gynt: Ste No.1 Op.46: I. Morning Mood
Peer Gynt: Ste No.1 Op.46: II. Ase's Death
Peer Gynt: Ste No.1 Op.46: III. Anitra's Dance
Peer Gynt: Ste No.1 Op.46: IV. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Peer Gynt: Ste No.2 Op.55: I. Ingrid's Lament
Peer Gynt: Ste No.2 Op.55: II. Arabian Dance
Peer Gynt: Ste No.2 Op.55: III. Peer Gynt's Homecoming (Stormy evening)
Peer Gynt: Ste No.2 Op.55: IV. Solveig's Song
Aladdin: Ste: I. Oriental Festive March
Aladdin: Ste: II. Aladdin's Dream & Dance of the Morning Mist
Aladdin: Ste: III. Hindu Dance
Aladdin: Ste: IV. Chinese Dance
Aladdin: Ste: V. The Marketplace in Ishapan
Aladdin: Ste: VI. Dance Of The Prisoners
Aladdin: Ste: VII. Negro Dance

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The Music of Scandinavia

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Scandinavian Languages | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B00000DSF4
Release Date: 1992-07-14

Nielsen: Symphony No4; Vaughan Williams: Symphony No5

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Nielsen: Symphony No4; Vaughan Williams: Symphony No5

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005A9NV
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

Con, Op.33: I. Praeludium: Largo - Arve Tellefsen
Con, Op.33: II. Allegro Cavallersco - Arve Tellefsen
Con, Op.33: III. Poco Adagio - Arve Tellefsen
Con, Op.33: IV. Rondo: Allegretto Scherzando - Arve Tellefsen
Sym No.4, Op.29 'The Inextinguishable': I. Allegro - Poco Allegretto - Arve Tellefsen
Sym No.4, Op.29 'The Inextinguishable': II. Poco Adagio Quasi Andante - Allegro - Arve Tellefsen

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in D: Prld: Moderato - Ralph Markham/Kenneth Broadway
Sym No.5 in D: Scherzo: Presto - Ralph Markham/Kenneth Broadway
Sym No.5 in D: Romanza: Lento - Ralph Markham/Kenneth Broadway
Sym No.5 in D: Passacaglia: Moderato - Ralph Markham/Kenneth Broadway
Con: Toccata: Allegro Moderato - Ralph Markham/Kenneth Broadway
Con: Romanza: Lento - Ralph Markham/Kenneth Broadway
Con: Fuga Chromatica Con Finale Alla Tedesca: Allegro - Ralph Markham/Kenneth Broadway

Track Listings: