The Nielsen Nexus

[Roasted Swan]

What do they do about the wordless voices in the slow movement, wouldn't two soloists get drowned out by the brass?

Voices are not used (a bit like the composer-sanctioned instrumental alternative).  This is already quite a big step away from the original so I guess getting concerned about preserving the voices would be a little odd.  As I say its a massive re-imagining but one I think works rather well (but then Bo Holten's Commotio doesn't offend me either!)

[prémont]

Voices are not used (a bit like the composer-sanctioned instrumental alternative).  This is already quite a big step away from the original so I guess getting concerned about preserving the voices would be a little odd.  As I say its a massive re-imagining but one I think works rather well (but then Bo Holten's Commotio doesn't offend me either!)

Well, the voices are a special and a distinctive feature of this symphony and can't be omitted without violating the work.

Concerning arrangements I'm never offended but often surprised. What's the purpose of these arrangements which are never up to the original work?

[Roasted Swan]

Well, the voices are a special and a distinctive feature of this symphony and can't be omitted without violating the work.

Concerning arrangements I'm never offended but often surprised. What's the purpose of these arrangements which are never up to the original work?

"violating" now there's a provocative (inappropriate?) word!  Nielsen himself offered the alternative of a clarinet and bassoon if the (obviously preferable) voices were not available.

Arrangements have many purposes; pragmatism - allowing music to be performed in places and by ensembles that would not be possible in the original form.  Arrangements can be enlightening - often they can throw light and give insights into works not always apparent in their original form.  Arrangements are never intended to replace original works - they supplement and extend our knowledge and appreciation of the original.  My feeling is that folk who dismiss arrangements are simply putting the original work on an inviolable pedestal. 

[Symphonic Addict]

I thoroughly endorse what RS said!

[Roasted Swan]

This week's/month's free download if you are subscribed to the Naxos newsletter is this;



Now the 1st LP I had of "The Inextinguishable" was this DG Heliodor performance;



which I assume is the same performance?  Not yet listened but my memory - decades old! - is that it was rather good.  Of course as my 1st encounter with this astonsihing work perhaps it was the piece that made the major impact.  But I think Markevitch would be good in this piece.  Anyway it was a free FLAC download so literally nothing to loose.......

[Scion7]

full LP artwork for the ^ above Sym Four:

https://ia802308.us.archive.org/20/items/lp_symphony-no-4-the-inextinguishable-op-29_carl-nielsen-det-kongelige-kapel-igor-mark_0/lp_symphony-no-4-the-inextinguishable-op-29_carl-nielsen-det-kongelige-kapel-igor-mark_0.pdf

Quality has always seemed to shrill for me,
even the DG issue of this recording.

[Atriod]

This week's/month's free download if you are subscribed to the Naxos newsletter is this;



Now the 1st LP I had of "The Inextinguishable" was this DG Heliodor performance;



which I assume is the same performance?  Not yet listened but my memory - decades old! - is that it was rather good.  Of course as my 1st encounter with this astonsihing work perhaps it was the piece that made the major impact.  But I think Markevitch would be good in this piece.  Anyway it was a free FLAC download so literally nothing to loose.......

It appears that Vox (now owned by Naxos) owns this recording because it was not in the DG Markevitch box. Naxos have been reissuing some of those Vox owned recordings, hopefully this will make its way to CD.

[Scion7]

Has anyone here picked these up?  I could have back in the day, but didn't.  No re-issue on CD.

[Jo498]

Never seen them; I had the woodwind quintet + fillers in a similar design and also with a Danish ensemble on CD!  but I didn't keep it, having ~3 other recordings of the wind quintet I preferred.