Espansiva

Danish pianists Rikke Sandberg and Kristoffer Hyldig have partnered to record dazzling versions of music by Denmark’s most famous composer Carl Nielsen for piano, four hands.  Selections include Nielsen’s own piano, four hands versions of his Third Symphony, “Sinfonia Espansiva,” and excerpts from his opera Saul and David. In addition to being promotional tools, four hand arrangements were , in their time, both a delightful social activity and a means of making large-scale works available to gifted amateurs who might not otherwise have opportunity to hear them in concert. The Saul and David excerpts and a bonus item, a march by Nielsen’s father Niels Jørgensen, receive their world premiere recordings here.