Carl Nielsen
Although Finland's extraordinary Jean Sibelius may be foremost among Nordic composers, his contemporary, Carl Nielsen -- best known for six highly original symphonies and simple popular songs -- holds an honored place as Denmark's foremost post-Romantic musical ambassador, and has found considerable acclaim among musicians and audiences alike.
A painter by profession, Nielsen's father spent as much or more energy on his secondary activities as a violinist, and it was in this way that young Carl received his first musical instruction. At 14 he auditioned for a position with a military wind ensemble at Odense (he was hired as a bugler, despite his lack of formal training on the instrument). During a visit to Copenhagen in 1883, Nielsen was introduced to composer Niels W. Gade, who suggested that the young musician enroll at the Conservatory for serious studies. During Nielsen's three years at the Conservatory (1884-1886) his primary subjects were violin and theory, and he never received formal instruction in composition. Nevertheless, in 1888 his Suite for Strings, Op.1 received a successful debut in Copenhagen.
In 1889 Nielsen was hired as a violinist at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, a position he retained until 1905 (though in 1891 he journeyed to Paris, where he met and married Danish sculptress Anne Marie Brodersen). During the 1890s Nielsen composed prolifically, and much of his output was put into print. By 1903 he had signed a contract with the Wilhelm Hansen publishing firm in Copenhagen, effectively ending his tenure with the Royal Theatre (though he would not officially resign for two more years). His career as a conductor began in 1908 when he accepted a staff position with the Royal Theatre Orchestra. From 1916 until his death in 1931 (of heart disease), he taught at the Royal Danish Conservatory.
Nielsen's music is highly individual in both content and construction, although only the symphonies and the three concertos (violin, flute, and clarinet) have earned places in the repertory outside Denmark (where many of his choral pieces have become part of the national heritage). Each of the three concertos is a worthy contribution to its instrument's literature, though perhaps the Clarinet Concerto deserves the most attention. While starting out from the perspective of classical form and harmony, he later developed an "extended" tonal and even atonal language for his music, born of his highly expressive melodic style.
Like his colleague Sibelius, Nielsen poured his finest material into the symphonic mold. From the early First Symphony of 1892 (which is one of the first such works to begin and end in different keys), to the famous Fourth Symphony ("The Inextinguishable," a reference to the enduring power of both life and music), each is a noble testament to a remarkable man's view of the world around him.
© Blair Johnston /TiVo
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Nielsen & Szymanowski, Violin Concertos
Anna Agafia, Sinfonia Varsovia, Aleksandar Markovic
Concertos - Lançado por Claves Records em 10/03/2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Violin Concerto, Op. 33, FS 61, CNW 41: I. Praeludium - Largo. Allegro cavallerésco
Anna Agafia, Sinfonia Varsovia, Aleksandar Markovic
Concertos - Lançado por Claves Records em 17/02/2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Nordic Lights
Edvard Grieg, Carl Nielsen, Jean Sibelius
Classical - Lançado por UME - Global Clearing House em 18/07/2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nielsen: Orchestral Pieces
Concertos - Lançado por Big Ben Phonogram em 16/12/2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Underlige Aftenlufte
Nicolai Kornerup, LiveStrings, Carl Nielsen
Miscellaneous - Lançado por Lydian Sound em 22/02/2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen Concertos
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Lançado por Naxos Sweden - Daphne em 18/01/2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: Works for Violin Vol. 1
Cecilia Zilliacus, Bengt Forsberg
Classical - Lançado por Naxos Sweden - dB em 08/04/2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen
Classical - Lançado por CDklassisk em 25/04/2013
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: Complete Works For A Capella Choir
Classical - Lançado por Danacord Records em 30/04/2007
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 3 / Clarinet Concerto / Orchestral Works
Classical - Lançado por Danacord Records em 21/10/2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 5 / Orchestral Works
The Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Lançado por Danacord Records em 21/10/2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: String Quartets No. 1, 2 & 4
Chamber Music - Lançado por Danacord Records em 21/10/2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: Violin Concerto / Flute Concerto / Clarinet Concerto
Classical - Lançado por Danacord Records em 21/10/2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen Suite
Classical - Lançado por Akademisk Kor Århus em 09/06/2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Carls Bedste
Classical - Lançado por Sony Classical em 10/01/2024
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: Aladdin Suite / Flute Music / Vocal Works
Classical - Lançado por Danacord Records em 21/10/2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dejlige Danmark Vol. 4
Alternative & Indie - Lançado por WildCard em 21/05/2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
In Concert with the University of Illinois Symphonic Band - The Begian Years, Vol. XIV
The University of Illinois Symphonic Band
Classical - Lançado por Tresona em 01/01/2000
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen - Complete Works for Organ
Classical - Lançado por CDklassisk em 18/05/2016
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carl Nielsen: Songs
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Lançado por Danacord Records em 21/10/2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Historic Carl Nielsen Collection Vol 5
Classical - Lançado por Danacord Records em 01/01/1996
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo