Bill welcomes us to a weeklong look at the life and music of Carl Nielsen, who rose from humble beginnings to one of Denmark’s most prominent composers. A remarkably original and appealing composer, he wrote in every genre – chamber music, concerti, operas, piano music, and composed six symphonies. We will hear Nielsen’s orchestration of Danish folk tunes, his popular woodwind quintet, and Danny Kaye singing “Wonderful Copenhagen!”
Nielsen, Carl
Playlist
Episode 1
Nielsen, Carl: Five Pieces, Op. 3
“Folketone” Andante (excerpt)
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Klaverstykker – Piano Pieces
Virgin 45129
1:35
Loesser, Frank: “Wonderful Copenhagen”
Danny Kaye with Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra and Chorus
Wonderful Copenhagen / Anywhere I Wander
Hallmark 1313852
:41
Gade, Niels: Symphony No. 1, I (excerpt)
Stockholm Sinfonietta/Neeme Järvi
The Complete Symphonies, Volume 2 – No.1 In C Minor, No.8 In B Minor
BIS 339
:54
Nielsen, Carl: Fantasy Piece in G Minor
Søren Elbo, clarinet; Jens Elvekjaer, piano
NIELSEN: Chamber Music, Vol. 1
Dacapo 8.226064
4:02
Nielsen, Carl: String Quartet in G minor, Op. 13, II
Carl Nielsen String Quartet
Nielsen: 4 String Quartets, String Quintet
DG 431156
5:30
Nielsen, Carl: Petite Suite Pour Cordes
I. Prealudium
II. Intermezzo
Norwegian Chamber Orchestra/Iona Brown
Grieg: Holberg Suite; Nielsen: Music For Strings
Virgin 45224
8:59
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 1; I. Allegro Orgoglioso
II. Andante (excerpt)
London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
Symphony No 1 and No 4 “Inextinguishable”
RCA 21296
:36
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No.1, I. Allegro Orgoglioso
II. Andante
London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
Symphony No 1 & No 4 “Inextinguishable”
RCA 21296
18:18
Nielsen, Carl: Two Fantasy Pieces, Op. 2;
Humoresque
Max Artved, oboe; Jens Elvekjaer, piano
NIELSEN: Chamber Music, Vol. 1
Dacapo 8.226064
1:23
Nielsen, Carl: Saul and David: Prelude to Act II
Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Thomas Dausgaard
Carl Nielsen Orchestral Music
Da Capo 6.220518
5:08
Nielsen, Carl: Five Pieces, Op. 3 “Folketone” II. Humoresque
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Klaverstykker – Piano Pieces
Virgin 45129
1:21
Episode 2
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 2, The Four Temperaments
I. Allegro Collerico
II. Andante comodo e flammatico
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Morton Gould
Symphony No. 2 / Clarinet Concerto
RCA 29255
12:54
Nielsen, Carl: Helios Overture, Op. 17
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Jean Martinon
Symphony No. 2 / Clarinet Concerto
RCA 29255
12:22
Nielsen, Carl: Humoresque-Bagatelles, Op. 11, FS 22
I. Goddag! Goddag!
II. Snurretoppen
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Klaverstykker – Piano Pieces
Virgin 45129
1:31
Nielsen, Carl: Maskarade: Overture
Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Thomas Dausgaard
Carl Nielsen Orchestral Music
Da Capo 6.220518
4:20
Nielsen, Carl: Violin Concerto, Op. 33, FS 61, III & IV
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Yehudi Menuhin; Arve Tellefsen, violin
Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 4
Virgin 91111
16:41
Nielsen, Carl: Humoresque-Bagatelle #2, Op. 11, The Spinning Top (excerpt)
London Philharmonic Orchestra/James Judd; Michala Petri, recorder
Nielsen: Symphony No. 2, Op. 16 (“The Four Temperaments”); Symphony No. 5, Op. 50
RCA 67950
1:49
Episode 3
Sibelius, Jean: Symphony No. 5 in E-Flat, Op. 82, III (excerpt)
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Paavo Berglund
Sibelius: Symphonies 5 & 7
Finlandia 17278
:57
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, Sinfonia espansiva
1. Allegro Espansivo (excerpt)
Royal Danish Orchestra/Paavo Berglund
Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 6
RCA 60427
:26
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, Sinfonia espansiva
1. Allegro Espansivo
2. Andante Pastorale
Royal Danish Orchestra/Paavo Berglund
Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 6
RCA 60427
19:24
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, The Inextinguishable, I, II (excerpt)
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Davis
Symphony No 4 ‘The inextinguishable’, Op 29
Virgin 91210
12:25
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, The Inextinguishable, III, IV
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Davis
Symphony No 4 ‘The inextinguishable’, Op 29
Virgin 91210
18:16
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, Sinfonia espansiva
2. Andante Pastorale (excerpt)
Royal Danish Orchestra/Paavo Berglund
Nielsen: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 6
RCA 60427
1:34
Episode 4
Nielsen, Carl: Wind Quintet, Op. 43, III (excerpt)
Chamber Music Northwest
Nielsen: Wind Quintet, Op. 43 (FS 100)
Delos 3136
2:01
Nielsen, Carl: Wind Quintet, Op. 43, I and II
Chamber Music Northwest
Nielsen: Wind Quintet, Op. 43 (FS 100)
Delos 3136
14:18
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, I & II
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein
Symphony No. 3 “Sinfonia Espansiva” / Symphony No. 5
CBS 44708
33:13
Nielsen, Carl: Wind Quintet, Op. 43 IV (excerpt)
Chamber Music Northwest
Nielsen: Wind Quintet, Op. 43 (FS 100)
Delos 3136
3:55
Episode 5
Nielsen, Carl: Five Pieces Op. 3,
4. Mignon
5. Alfedans
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Klaverstykker – Piano Pieces
Virgin 45129
2:15
Nielsen, Carl: Clarinet Concerto, Op. 57
1. Allegretto Un Poco
4. Allegro Vivace
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Simon Rattle; Sabine Meyer, clarinet
Nielsen – Clarinet and Flute Concertos – Wind Quintet
EMI 94421
11:57
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 6, Sinfonia semplice, I. II
Royal Danish Orchestra/Paavo Berglund
Mendelssohn: String Symphonies
RCA 60427
16:15
Nielsen, Carl: Symphony No. 6, Sinfonia semplice, III and IV
Royal Danish Orchestra/ Paavo Berglund
Mendelssohn: String Symphonies
RCA 60427
16:09
Nielsen, Carl: The Mother, “The Fog is Lifting”
James Galway, flute; Sioned Williams, harpsichord
Symphony No 1 & No 4 “Inextinguishable”
RCA 21296
2:05
Nielsen, Carl: Bohmisk-danks folktune (excerpt)
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Blomstedt
Matrix 14 – Nielsen: Symphonies No 1 & 2
EMI 65306
3:38