Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky - Carl Nielsen: Orchestral Works (1994)

This is an album featuring shorter works by Carl Nielsen played by the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra led by Gennady Rozhdestvensky. The longest work is the 14 minute Helios Overture that begins the disc. It was written after Nielsen’s Symphony 2 and represents the sun over the course of a day in Athens on vacation: “Silence and darkness – then the sun rises with a joyous song of praise – it wanders its golden way -- it sinks quietly into the sea.” I think the overture is one of Nielsen’s most beautiful works, and Rozhdestvensky gives it an emotional performance.

The Symphonic Rhapsody was written four years before the Symphony 1 and is all that is left of an earlier symphony. It is a lively, dynamic, interesting piece conventionally organized with exposition – development – recapitulation. Dream of Gunnar depicts a dream of nature. An Evening at Giske is the incidental music to a play by the same name. Paraphrase on “Nearer My God To Me” is a piece for wind band. It is a solemn work that, frankly, is rather simple and repetitive. More than any work on the disc, this one appears to function as filler. Pan on Syrinx depicts the story of the god Pan’s persecution of the nymph Syrinx and her transformation to a reed once she was trapped at the water’s edge. This piece is also rather simple but, unlike the Paraphrase, is quite beautiful and one of the most intimate works on the album. You have to be impressed with Nielsen’s early works and their fine tapestry of sound.

The final two works were composed later in Nielsen’s life. An Imaginary Journey to the Foeroe Islands was written to welcome the Faroese delegation to Denmark. The final work, Bohemian Danish Folk Tune, was written to honor the visit of a Czech conductor. Nielsen regarded the two later pieces as insignificant “jobbery” works, but they represent anything but minor music. All of the works on this disc are, in fact, pieces that are a joy to hear. These are not major works (except perhaps the Helios Overture) but they would be just what you need after a hard day's work, a sort of emotional oasis after a hot day on the sand. I really enjoyed them!

Gennady Rozhdestvensky does not allow the brevity of these pieces to diminish their treatment, and each is given a large dose of sentiment. The orchestra plays the music as though they were as important as Nielsen’s symphonies. In fact, I would enjoy hearing their performances of those greater works. The recorded sound is superb with perfect orchestral balance and center fill. Chandos outdid themselves with this one. They are beautiful works most of which deserve far more attention than they receive. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!