Mighty Percussion Parts

I've earlier consodered the double cd containing the first three symphonies in the San Fransisco Symphony's outstanding cycle of Nielsen symphonies conducted by Herbert Blomstedt. That cycle is completed on this double cd with Symphonies Nos 4, 5 and 6. Nielsen was a discovery for me when I first began classical collecting, in that I was at least familiar with the names of the major composers and often had a good idea about their sound worlds but Nielsen I had literally never heard of. Blomstedt's is still regarded as one of, if not the, best surveys available of the symphonies. No 4 is subtitled "The Inextinguishable", depicting the elementary will of life to exist and survive. The completion date of 1916 adds another layer of meaning and the as well as containing Nielsen's best known tune, the symphony famously closes with the battle betwen two timpanists placed on either side of the stage. Percussion plays a large role also in No 5, with the violent attempts of the side drum in the first movement to totally undermine the musical progress of the rest of the orchestra. This is most definitely a war symphonyand the side drum is never completely silenced, recurring as a distant motive right through to the close of the entire work. Nielsen's final symphony, No 6, is another subtitled one "Sinfonia Semplice". His stated intention was to compose a sunnier work but there are many ambiguities and also notably more modernist and dissonant influences at times. The second disk also has two fillers played by the Danish National radio Symphony Orchestra under Ulf Schirmer. Little Suite is an early piece for strings that is almost neo-classical in feel while Hymnus Amoris is a cantata with the participation of the Danish National Radio Choir, Copenhagen Boy's Choir and soloists Barbara Bonney soprano, John Mark Ainsley tenor, Lars Pederson tenor, Michael W. Hansen baritone and Bo Anker Hansen bass. A bit too much early 20th century bombast in this work for my tastes but not to take anything away from the essential nature of this release as a whole.