Nielsen: Complete Symphonies BBC Philharmonic Orchestra & John Storgårds

• Carl Nielsen (1865 - 1931): Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 7, FS 16:
• 1 Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 7, FS 16: I. Allegro orgoglioso 09:35
• 2 Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 7, FS 16: II. Andante 06:28
• 3 Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 7, FS 16: III. Allegro comodo 08:00
• 4 Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 7, FS 16: IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco 09:01
• Symphony No. 2, Op. 16, FS 29 "The 4 Temperaments":
• 5 Symphony No. 2, Op. 16, FS 29 "The 4 Temperaments": I. Allegro collerico 09:47
• 6 Symphony No. 2, Op. 16, FS 29 "The 4 Temperaments": II. Allegro comodo e flemmatico 04:12
• 7 Symphony No. 2, Op. 16, FS 29 "The 4 Temperaments": III. Andante malincolico 11:56
• 8 Symphony No. 2, Op. 16, FS 29 "The 4 Temperaments": IV. Allegro sanguineo 06:58
• Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, FS 60 "Sinfonia espansiva":
• 9 Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, FS 60 "Sinfonia espansiva": I. Allegro espansivo 12:31
• 10 Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, FS 60 "Sinfonia espansiva": II. Andante pastorale 09:05
• 11 Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, FS 60 "Sinfonia espansiva": III. Allegretto un poco 06:31
• 12 Symphony No. 3, Op. 27, FS 60 "Sinfonia espansiva": IV. Finale. Allegro 09:34
• Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, FS 76 "The Inextinguishable":
• 13 Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, FS 76 "The Inextinguishable": I. Allegro - 11:31
• 14 Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, FS 76 "The Inextinguishable": II. Poco allegretto - 04:27
• 15 Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, FS 76 "The Inextinguishable": III. Poco adagio quasi andante - 10:27
• 16 Symphony No. 4, Op. 29, FS 76 "The Inextinguishable": IV. Allegro 08:42
• Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, FS 97:
• 17 Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, FS 97: Ia. Tempo giusto - 10:11
• 18 Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, FS 97: Ib. Adagio - 09:29
• 19 Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, FS 97: IIa. Allegro - 06:14
• 20 Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, FS 97: IIb. Presto - 03:04
• 21 Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, FS 97: IIc. Andante un poco tranquillo - 03:57
• 22 Symphony No. 5, Op. 50, FS 97: IId. Allegro 02:55
• Symphony No. 6, FS 116 "Sinfonia semplice":
• 23 Symphony No. 6, FS 116 "Sinfonia semplice": I. Tempo giusto 13:45
• 24 Symphony No. 6, FS 116 "Sinfonia semplice": II. Humoreske 04:07
• 25 Symphony No. 6, FS 116 "Sinfonia semplice": III. Proposta seria 06:22
• 26 Symphony No. 6, FS 116 "Sinfonia semplice": IV. Tema con variazioni 10:49
• Total Runtime 03:29:38

Info for Nielsen: Complete Symphonies

John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic here present a complete set of Nielsen’s symphonies, following on from the successful release a year ago of Sibelius’ complete symphonies. The two sets together celebrate the 150th anniversary this year of the birth of both composers. Several concerts devoted to Nielsen’s symphonies, played by the same forces, coincide with this release: on BBC 3 in February, at the Nielsen and Sibelius festival in Stockholm in April, during a week of celebrations at the Bridgewater Hall in June, etc.

Among the most performed works by Nielsen, these symphonies also reflect the composer’s musical emancipation from his early influences of folk music, Bach, Mozart, and even Brahms, Schumann, and Grieg, and his experimentation with progressive tonality and, later, radical departures from traditional compositional styles.

‘Carl Nielsen looked life straight in the face, and he never blinked: how many composers put their own heart attack into music? But no matter how startling, how vivid, or how outright eccentric Nielsen’s Sixth Symphony gets, it’s never depressing: this is music of life, not death. Everyone needs to hear it, and there’s no better guide than our principal guest conductor John Storgårds’ BBC PO concert programme.’ BBC Philharmonic programme notes

“… a masterly reading of the Fifth … The BBC Philharmonic players respond to their principal guest conductor superbly: the woodwind with well-characterised phrasing, notably clarinettist John Bradbury in the fifth; the strings with perfect discipline in Nielsen’s challenging outbursts. The Chandos recording maintains clear internal balance throughout … “ (Anthony Burton, BBC Music Magazine)

"...Throughout this Nielsen cycle the excellent woodwind section is a match for the finest and much the same goes for the brilliantly played brass. As for the gloriously full-bodied unified strings they are becoming a force to be reckoned with on the world stage. From start to finish Storgårds, with steely assurance, reliable pulse, and bold determination, demonstrates his particular affinity for these immediate and dramatic scores. In constantly impressive performances this captivating Nielsen set is a triumph for conductor and orchestra." (Michael Cookson, MusicWeb-International)

Gillian Keith, soprano
Mark Stone, baritone
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
John Storgards, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Nielsen: Complete Symphonies