Search - Nielsen, Danish State Radio Sym Orch, Erik Tuxen :: Symphonies 3 & 5 / Saul & David, Act II Prelude

	Nielsen, Danish State Radio Sym Orch, Erik Tuxen Symphonies 3 & 5 / Saul & David, Act II Prelude Genre: Classical The music of Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) did not receive wide currency outside his native Denmark until after World War II. At the time, Jean Sibelius was the most famous and oft-performed Scandinavian composer, particularly ... more » « less
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CD Details

All Artists: Nielsen, Danish State Radio Sym Orch, Erik Tuxen
Title: Symphonies 3 & 5 / Saul & David, Act II Prelude
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Dutton Labs UK
Release Date: 2/8/2000
Album Type: Import
Genre: Classical
Styles: Opera & Classical Vocal, Historical Periods, Modern, 20th, & 21st Century, Symphonies
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 765387120726

Synopsis

Amazon.com

The music of Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) did not receive wide currency outside his native Denmark until after World War II. At the time, Jean Sibelius was the most famous and oft-performed Scandinavian composer, particularly in Britain. However, the appearance of Nielsen's Third Symphony on 13 78-rpm vinyl discs in England in 1949 changed all that, propelling Nielsen to the status of a world-class composer. Dutton Laboratories has given us here the original '40s recordings of the Third and Fifth Symphonies performed by the Danish State Radio Symphony, brilliantly remastered for the digital age. The overall sound has a muted quality, but nothing detracts from these poignant performances. This is the way Nielsen was meant to be played. Highly recommended for absolutely everybody. --Paul Cook

CD Reviews

An Un-Matched 3rd And A Great 5th

Jeffrey Lipscomb | Sacramento, CA United States | 07/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't say enough good things about Dutton's transfers here. My first encounter with the "Espansiva" was the fine Bernstein account on Columbia LP, which was a trifle mannered and a bit ponderous in the last movement, but nonetheless one of that conductor's very finest efforts. Around 1972 I found a battered old London LP of this Tuxen 3rd (recorded 1946) in a Boston flea market. Underneath all the grungy noise and crackle I could detect a noble and powerful performance. In this magical Dutton transfer, Tuxen's unmatched mastery now bursts forth in all its glory - it sounds like excellent mid-1950's mono. No matter what other versions you may have, this exultant Tuxen reading deserves a place in your collection - it is simply superb!The 5th symphony under Tuxen exists in two different versions, both with the Danish State Radio Symphony: this studio account (1950) and a "live" 1955 concert reading from Paris. The latter can be heard on "Carl Nielsen Collection: Volume I" (Danacord 351-353, an absolutely indispensible 3-disc set of all six symphonies in historic performances by Danish conductors). Both are magnificent readings, but the sound of the "live" Paris account suffers from a noisy audience, rather diffuse sound, and a deficiency of bass response. However, neither of these quite matches my benchmark performance: Thomas Jensen's thrilling studio 5th from 1954, now available in a top-notch transfer on Dutton 2502 (coupled with Jensen's commanding Symphony #1 and an excellent "Helios" Overture with Tuxen). Nothing recorded since comes anywhere near Jensen's impassioned 5th.Dutton is to be congratulated here for providing us with one of the finest-ever CD transfers of priceless historic performances. Anyone who loves Nielsen's music should pounce on this issue before it disappears."