# SS 04.01.14 - Nielsen #5



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to the first Saturday Symphony of 2014.

*Carl Nielsen (1865 - 1931)*

Symphony #5, Op. 50, FS 97 

1. Tempo Giusto-Adagio Non Troppo
2. Allegro-Andante Un Poco Tranquillo
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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

This weekend I will listen to:

View attachment 31786


Herbert Blomstedt & The San Francisco Symphony


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

Danish National SO/Schonwandt


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Bernstein/NYPO. A classic recording, always a pleasure.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

I'll take a listen to Kirill Kondrashin's 1980 Live version with Concertgebouw Orkest on Philips!









/ptr


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

I'll go for the recent Colin Davis/LSO recording.


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## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

Well as a total coincidence I listened to 3 and 4 today. Hopefully will be able to make time for 5 tomorrow. 
I'll listen to the copy I got with BBC music magazine which I have yet to give my full attention.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Thomas Sondergard


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

I'll go with my favorite cycle's 5.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

I'll savor the Ole Schmidt/London Symphony Orchestra traversal of this stormy work.
What a great symphony to match the biting, bitter cold outside!


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Blomstedt & Danish Radio SO


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

Mika said:


> View attachment 31822
> 
> 
> Blomstedt & Danish Radio SO


I'll be listening to this recording too


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Lejf Marcussen (1936 - 2013) made a fascinating animated film, based on the last part of the finale of the symphony, entitled "Tonespor" (from 1984). Moving, coloured lines illustrate the orchestral ongoings in a very precise manner, like seen in this still photo:









The movie is based on the Bernstein recording and was made by hand, before the advancement of digital techniques.

http://www.lejfmarcussen.dk/sider/indhold.htm

Unfortunately, the short film does not seem to be widely available, but at least it is shown now and then on festivals etc.


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## CyrilWashbrook (Feb 6, 2013)

Coincidentally, I got the Bernstein/NYPO recording earlier this week. Now might be a good opportunity to have a listen to it.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

As ever, I'll take a slightly different stance and go for the 1992 NSO of Ireland/Adrian Leaper recording on Naxos (I still haven't bought the later (1999) ex-DaCapo recording with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Michael Schønwand). I'll also take a listen to the Bournemouth SO/Paaco Berglund recording which I have on vinyl and is a very VERY good performance. However, I won't be able to comment on either until into next week - hope that's okay.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

Really fascinating work, in a symphony cycle that got more adventurous as it progressed. It's structure is unusual, with just two movements, but each is around 20 minutes long. First movement has quite a lot of repetitive sections that you can lose yourself in, along with probably the most dominant role for snare drum in an orchestral work. It is like the "rebel", especially at the climax when it is asked to play independently of the rest of the orchestra. The 2nd movement is almost a symphony in its own right (much like the finale of Beethoven 9), with an Allegro first "movement", a scherzo (Presto), a slow movement (Andante poco tranquillo), before returning to the Allegro for its finale.


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## contra7 (Oct 26, 2010)

A great video to watch before listening to the symphony:


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

I just finished listening to the Schmidt/LSO traversal of Nielsen 5. I have to say that--at least from what I remember of it--this reading is much livelier and "cleaner" than that of Blomstedt and the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra; I could practically feel the icy landscape and the formidable mountains in this traversal. However, I do intend to give both the Blomstedt and the Kuchar/Janacek Philharmonic another couple of listens, as well as Bernstein's take with the NYP--the latter on *Spotify.*
Again, a simply magnificent listening choice for a frigid weekend! :tiphat:


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## Llyranor (Dec 20, 2010)

I just listened to this symphony for the first time today (the Bernstein version on youtube). I'm not sure what to say about it yet, other than that I like it! The ending of the first movement was marvelous.

Now I want to explore more Nielsen. Can anyone recommend a set?


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## CyrilWashbrook (Feb 6, 2013)

I really enjoyed it, especially the first movement. An inventive work with some lovely motifs. The only Nielsen piece I'd previously heard was the Aladdin Suite, but I'll certainly try to explore some of his other works, probably starting with the third symphony.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

CyrilWashbrook said:


> I really enjoyed it, especially the first movement. An inventive work with some lovely motifs. The only Nielsen piece I'd previously heard was the Aladdin Suite, but I'll certainly try to explore some of his other works, probably starting with the third symphony.


 That's a wonderful entry point; it is a very haunting, elegiac work.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

CyrilWashbrook said:


> I really enjoyed it, especially the first movement. An inventive work with some lovely motifs. The only Nielsen piece I'd previously heard was the Aladdin Suite, but I'll certainly try to explore some of his other works, probably starting with the third symphony.


I have the Blomstedt/Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kuchar/Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra and Schmidt/LSO Box Sets of *Nielsen's Complete Symphonies. * I would highly recommend the latter two sets for their very crisp and clean renditions of these marvelous works.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Like several people here have stated, the Bernstein/NY Philharmonic is a classic performance. Others I enjoy: Blomstedt/SFSO, Chung/Gothenburg SO, and Schonwandt/Danish NSO.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

CyrilWashbrook said:


> I really enjoyed it, especially the first movement. An inventive work with some lovely motifs. The only Nielsen piece I'd previously heard was the Aladdin Suite, but I'll certainly try to explore some of his other works, probably starting with the third symphony.


A quite lush and lovely piece also of interest, (written between symphony no. 2 & 3) and with a lot of his hallmark harmonic and orchestral procedures / traits quite present, 
Helios Overture Op. 17 
(the link repeats the piece, the timing is but half the length you will read in the window)


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## CyrilWashbrook (Feb 6, 2013)

PetrB said:


> A quite lush and lovely piece also of nterest, (written between symphony no. 2 & 3) and with a lot of his hallmark harmonic and orchestral procedures / traits quite present,
> Helios Overture Op. 17
> (the link repeats the piece, the timing is but half the length you will read in the window)


Thanks, a great recommendation.

I lack the vocabulary to describe my first impressions of his works with much precision, but I really enjoy the blending of styles, his liberal use of modulation to unfurl the music and the unique sound that he thereby creates.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

CyrilWashbrook said:


> Thanks, a great recommendation.
> 
> I lack the vocabulary to describe my first impressions of his works with much precision, but I really enjoy the blending of styles, his liberal use of modulation to unfurl the music and the unique sound that he thereby creates.


Well there is some on the edge of bi-tonality, and to be sweepingly general, a lot of romantic era traits with a much more distinctly modern approach to use of harmony ("progressive harmony," which does not necessarily end up back home), great "old-school" orchestration as per large symphonic forces without its being at all stale, and the real 'tipper' for me is his extreme skill and frequent use of counterpoint in a fresh enough way -- that last almost always has for me some strong appeal.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Also a particularly lively, individual writing for the winds can be found in his works, the "Wind Quintet" and "Serenata in Vano" being chamber music examples, or of course in the Flute Concerto and the Clarinet Concerto. In this respect he can have similarities with the likewise fresh-sounding Janacek, on a superficial level at least.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

contra7 said:


> A great video to watch before listening to the symphony:


@ contra7, Excellent video; thanks for posting/sharing with us!


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Bournemouth SO/Berglund on EMI (vinyl). This album was released in 1975 and is, for my money, still the best Nielsen 5th recording. The opening basson duet sets the scene from the offset: it's cold, it's foreboding. When the snare drum enters it is initially very, very quiet but turns into a meaty, very 'snarey' menace when the rest of the orchestra joins in - I don't know if Berglund has more than 1 drum here, but it wouldn't surprise me. A really superb solo clarinet in this section too. The two-note dum-dum, dum-dum accompaniment is more than just an accompaniment too, it also manages to be menacing, and the stand cymbal hisses like an orchestral cobra, while (to continue the analogy) the tambourine sounds like a rattlesnake in a cave! This part is far slower than Bernstein; this is a steady unrelenting onslaught, not a hurried dash.
The central section announced by the 4-note descent in the major, builds showing the Bournemouth strings and French horns to their best. So we eventually build through to a loud timpani roll which announces the orchestra/snare drum battle and you'd have to search a long way to find better from either the drummer or the orchestra - this is one heck of a climax. After it all dies down, the drum - now off stage - disappears over meandering, yearning clarinet.

The sencond movement - a very different affair altogether, opens in a flurry of orchestral sounds somewhat reminiscent to Vaughan Williams initially until it quietens down to become unmistakeable Nielsen. Agitated, hurried strings and woodwind calls develop into a dissonant and almost 12-note feeling for a moment when the brass and lower strings enter the fray.
All this finally subsides to a fugue style on winds, then strings with more flurries going on until this whole quickly becomes a full orchestral blast suddenly ending on a bassoon 'parp' before the initial 4-note theme is brought back, much slower this time in high strings, and this travels around the orchestra in a quiet round until divided strings introduce a new variation which feels much more human and less detached in it's emotional content.
The movement then comes back to it's opening rush and thematic material to bring the symphony to a loud, coda with whooping horns, racing strings and big timpani, the very final chord reminding me of the opening chord of Rachmaninov's 1st, but in a major key.

I don't know if this recording was ever released on CD; if it is, then I have to track it down - and so should you


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## mwd (Apr 7, 2012)

Hooray for the BSO. I have followed them since the Rudolph Schwarz era and now hear them in the Great hall of Exeter University.
MWD.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

National SO of Ireland / Adrian Leaper, Naxos 1992. In comparison to the Berglund recording, this one really has nothing going for it at all. Recorded rather quietly, it kind of goes through the motions with no feeling, no sense of menace and - to be frank as it sounds to me - no real effort. In the first movement, I think there's a mistake in the strings not long into the marching bit. Everything that makes the Berglund recording so superb in this movement is missing in this recording with the major exception of a great snare drum solo, complete with rim-shots and a feeling that the drummer knew this was his moment to shine! If only the orchestra had the same degree of commitment.
The second movement is a bit of an improvement overall. It has an oddly pedestrian fugue section, but I quite like it; and when this part ends with the bassoon parp, the high winds over the bassoon sound squealy and exhausted (not in bad playing, but in how it is interpreted), and I like that too. But that's about it. I've had this recording for a very long time, but now - thanks to Saturday Symphony - it's off to the charity shop with it.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I ended up listening to Blomstedt with the San Francisco Symphony and then Schonwandt with the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.

It is indeed an interesting symphony. It's a hard one to explain and although some people seem to find it odd or a little out there, it just sounds like it goes together correctly to me so I don't find it all that strange. Both recordings were good, although I think Blomstedt seemed like he had a bit more energy and excitement. The only other recording I've heard is Bernstein whom I love. I may have to check out some of these other suggestions at some point as this is one symphony after listen to back to back performances of, I might like to hear a few more.


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