Carl Nielsen - Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5 (Leonard Bernstein)

Information

Composer: Carl Nielsen

1. Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 "Sinfonia espansiva": I. Allegro Espansivo
2. Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 "Sinfonia espansiva": II. Andante Pastorale
3. Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 "Sinfonia espansiva": III. Allegretto Un Poco
4. Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 "Sinfonia espansiva": IV. Finale. Allegro
5. Symphony No. 5, Op. 50: I. Tempo Giusto - Adagio Non Troppo
6. Symphony No. 5, Op. 50: II. Allegro - Andante Un Poco Tranquillo

Ruth Guldbaek, soprano (1-4)
Niels Moller, tenor (1-4)
Royal Danish Orchestra (1-4)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra (5-6)
Leonard Bernstein, conductor

Date: 1962 (5-6), 1965 (1-4)
Label: Sony Classical

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 10 / SOUND QUALITY: 7

They're still talking about Bernstein's "Espansiva" in Denmark, and with good reason. While better known for his Mahler, Bernstein's advocacy of Nielsen arguably achieved just as much, alerting music lovers beyond Denmark of a composer of international stature. Not all of Bernstein's Nielsen was equally good. His Second and Fourth symphonies are nowhere near as fine as these two, which are stunning. The "Espansiva" has all of the openhearted warmth that Nielsen requires. Bernstein's tempo in the finale is a touch slow, but grand and celebratory. The sonics were good for their day, and they still sound well.

Bernstein's reading of the Fifth is also magnificent. For sheer excitement it has never been surpassed, particularly in the second movement, which is wildly uninhibited and urgent. In the first movement, outstanding work from the solo clarinet meets a pretty terrifying snare drum cadenza at the climax. Only the sonics, which relegate the timpani to the rear of--somewhere--let the show down a bit, but the drive and communicativeness of the music-making ultimately win the day. This is a great recording, plain and simple, now available "on demand" from Arkivmusic.com.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

More reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/Nielsen-Symphonies-Nos-Royal-No/dp/B0000027N6

http://www.amazon.com/Nielsen-Symphonies-Nos-3-5/dp/B00000DSAX

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Carl Nielsen (9 June 1865 – 3 October 1931) was a Danish musician, conductor and violinist, widely recognized as his country's most prominent composer. Although his symphonies, concertos and choral music are now internationally acclaimed, Nielsen's career and personal life were marked by many difficulties, often reflected in his music. Nielsen maintained the reputation of an outsider during his lifetime, both in his own country and internationally. It was only later that his works firmly entered the international repertoire, accelerating in popularity from the 1960s through Leonard Bernstein and others.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Nielsen

***

Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the US to receive worldwide acclaim. His fame derived from his tenure as the music director of the New York Philharmonic, his concerts with most of the world's leading orchestras, and his composition. As a composer he wrote in many styles encompassing symphonic and orchestral music, ballet, film and theatre music, choral works, opera, chamber music and piano pieces. He also gave numerous television lectures on classical music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernstein

-------------------------------------------------------------------

FLAC, tracks

Links in comment

Enjoy!