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Nielsen: Symphonies 4 & 5 - Davis

Nielsen: Symphonies 4 & 5 - Davis

LSO Live  LSO0694

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Orchestral


Nielsen: Symphony No. 4, Symphony No. 5

London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis (conductor)


Despite giving titles to the majority of his symphonies, Danish composer Carl Nielsen was often vague about what influenced each work. Nevertheless he was a master symphonist and his music is mesmerising, combining propulsive energy with lyrical invention.

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Review by Graham Williams - January 10, 2011

Sir Colin Davis has, over many years, acquired an enviable and well-deserved reputation for his superb interpretations of the music of Sibelius. However, the music of that other major Scandinavian
Symphonist also born in 1865, Carl Nielsen, has hardly ever appeared on his concert programmes, but now at the age of 83 Sir Colin has embarked on a complete cycle of Nielsen symphonies that will be recorded and issued by LSO Live over the next two years. Judging by the quality of the performances on this first volume, that presents two of the most dramatic of the six, it will be worth the wait.

Many years ago during a rehearsal of a Berlioz overture with the RLPO, at which I was present, Sir Colin stopped the orchestra and said to them “Gentlemen, you don’t play Berlioz – you attack him!” This remark could equally apply to Nielsen and the opening movement of Symphony No. 4 ‘The Inextinguishable’ which is unleashed with almost terrifying force by Davis and the LSO. Somewhat surprisingly the Barbican acoustic seems well suited to convey the boundless energy and drive of this performance. Timpani are very clear at all dynamic levels throughout the symphony, and the fairly close recording allows the marvellously incisive brass of the LSO to be appreciated to the full, though it must be admitted that the strings lack some of the allure they would have had in a more resonant and ‘friendly’ acoustic.

Davis relaxes to just the right degree in the ‘Poco allegretto’ where he elicits playing of great delicacy from both the winds and pizzicato strings, yet he ensures that the movement’s forward momentum is not dissipated. This is also true of the ruminative slow movement whose many changes of mood benefit from the conductor’s control of internal balances and fine playing from individual members of the orchestra.

The explosive opening of the finale finds Davis once more driving purposefully forward. The two sets of timpani, placed left and right, really make an impact here as they usually do in the concert hall, but not always, in my experience, on recordings of this symphony. The build up to the movement’s affirmative and life-enhancing conclusion is thrillingly direct, yet it still retains a heroic nobility and dignity. Judged by any standards this is a marvellous account of this symphony.

Nielsen’s 5th Symphony, arguably his greatest masterpiece, receives an equally compelling performance on this SACD. As in the earlier work Davis’s tempi are on the swift side but he has no difficulty conveying the obsessive quality of the intellectually theatrical first movement (here allotted two tracks), and its conflict between the forces of good and evil. All the percussion instruments, cymbal, tambourine, triangle, glockenspiel and most importantly side drum, are reproduced with a vivid presence, and the engineers convincingly capture the retreat of the latter towards the end of the movement.

The second movement can, in lesser hands, be something of an anti-climax, but not here, thanks to the wonderfully exuberant playing from the LSO. Davis handles the more tranquil and mysterious sections of this movement with great sensitivity while also ensuring that the more energetic music such as the F minor scherzo section is suitably rumbustuous. Tension never flags for an instant as Davis and his players confidently stride to the symphony’s triumphant E flat ending.

One fervently hopes that when the remaining four Nielsen symphonies are recorded by Sir Colin and issued on SACD they will attain the standard set by this splendid release.

Copyright © 2011 Graham Williams and HRAudio.net

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