Customer Reviews

Carl Nielsen: Complete Symphonies 1-6 - London Symphony Orchestra / Ole Schmidt

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Originally a highly praised vinyl set in the early seventies (1974), these superb takes have now been reincarnated and remastered on CD.

The legendary Nielsen conductor Thomas Jensen was Ole Schmidt's mentor. This set is a legacy of that grand interpretative tradition. But in contrast to the historic performances, these recordings are all in state of the art stereo sound. Further, London Symphony Orchestra was at its very peak at the time of the recording.

Thus it is not to surprise that Schmidt's accounts of Nielsen's masterpieces - the fourth and fifth symphonies - are resolved in tremendous power and rhythmical concentration. These interpretations are indeed seminal and deeply moving. But the set as a whole is consistently as fine. For example, Schmidt's take of the sixth is a real gem.

Comparing with other fine, more recent stereo sets (in digital recordings), for example Blomstedt (Decca) and Schonwandt (Da Capo), I do not think that the sheer vitality and superb interpretative grasp of Schmidt's accounts have been surpassed.

This is definitively the set to have (even if you already have a Nielsen set).

This decently recorded and reasonably well-played set of Nielsen's six symphonies is recommended to those of you who, like me, find the earlier mono Danish recordings by quite a margin the most compelling interpretively, but who would like to have a competent alternative in contemporary stereo sound.

My favorite performances - I regard them as the benchmarks against which all others are judged - are Jensen's #2 and Grondahl's #4 (Dutton 4001), Jensen's #1 and #5 (Dutton 2502), and Tuxen's #3 (coupled with a lesser 5th on Dutton 1207). Other fine historic performances (all "live" except for Jensen's superb studio 6th) can be found in Danacord 351-351, a 3-disc set that has Tuxen in #1 and #5, Grondahl in #2, and Jensen in #3, #4 and #6.

Among stereo alternatives, the virtuosic Martinon/Chicago 4th was on RCA LP and is overdue for a CD re-issue. [Update 12-17-09: Martinon's #4 is now available on a CD from BMG/RCA, coupled with Gould/Chicago in #2. Both are extremely well-played, but I much prefer the more expressive Schmidt in #4, while Gould's hasty and hard-boiled #2 is interpretively several leagues behind the classic mono Jensen on Dutton].

Schmidt's performances may not reach the heights of Jensen, Tuxen or Grondahl, but they are solidly inflected and generally idiomatic. I certainly prefer his #3-5 to those by Schonwandt, Leaper, Blomstedt and Bostock. The highlight here is #6, the finest stereo account I've heard. Regis has done a top-notch job in re-mastering these analog recordings (formerly on Unicorn).

Probably a "best buy" among stereo complete sets: Recommended.

It's a pleasure to reorder an old album that was damaged years ago, an I like the new cover, all was the same; from the compuser to the orcheatra; Thank you Amazon for the long awaited replacement