[SACD-R][OF] Nielsen – Symphonies Nos 4 & 5 (Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra) - 2011 (Classical/Orchestral)

Denmark remained neutral throughout the international upheaval of the 1914–18 War; but its citizens have always been acutely sensitive to the activities of its large & powerful neighbour to the south. For Carl Nielsen there was an added dimension of philosophical crisis. It may be hard to believe now, but many European artists initially welcomed the prospect of war: here was a grand opportunity for ‘spiritual cleansing’, & a celebration of the traditional masculine virtues of courage, loyalty & devotion to one’s country. Before the hostilities Nielsen had been an enthusiastic nationalist. But as he began to realise the horrors men could inflict on each other for Kaiser – or King – & Country, his faith was rocked to the core. Nationalism, he wrote not long after the war, had been transformed into a ‘spiritual syphilis’, the justification for the expression of ‘senseless hate’. Nielsen’s faith in humanity may have suffered a setback, but rather than give in to despair he felt strongly driven to make some kind of affirmative statement: belief, if not in human beings (still less in nationhood), then perhaps in life itself. This is an important clue to the meaning of the title of the 4th Symphony (1914–16). Nielsen added an explanatory note at the beginning of the score. ‘Under this title’, he tells us, ‘the composer has tried to indicate in 1 word what music alone is capable of expressing to the full: The elemental Will of Life. Music is life, & like it, inextinguishable’.
Despite having been an admirer of the music of Danish composer Carl Nielsen for many years, Sir Colin Davis has rarely conducted any of his works. Now, at the age of 83, Sir Colin embarks on a complete cycle of the composer s symphonies. Although Nielsen is frequently compared to his near contemporary Jean Sibelius, each composer’s music is equally individual. Both were celebrated symphonists, but used the potential of an orchestra in different ways. Despite giving titles to the majority of his symphonies, Nielsen was often vague about the specific themes for each work. However his music is always direct, dynamic & lyrical. Sir Colin’s traversal of the symphonies began in concert in 2009.

AllMusic:
Colin Davis & the London Symphony Orchestra serve up a marvelous pair of recordings on this 2011 SACD that offers Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 4 (“Inextinguishable”) & the Symphony No. 5. Because of Davis’ late arrival in conducting these works, some Nielsen devotees might be skeptical about the depth of his interpretations. But anyone familiar with his great recordings of the symphonies of Jean Sibelius will be excited at the prospect of hearing him lead the LSO in Nielsen’s most popular symphonies. Davis clearly has a grasp of Nielsen’s style, & his understanding of the music seems to accord with mainstream performances in his tempos & balance choices. The playing is exceptional in these live recordings, & the clarity of the DSD reproduction allows the music to be heard in the full dynamic range. Nielsen’s 4th falls more or less in the expected range of pianissimo to fortissimo, but the 5th has a much wider range, from the extremely soft tremolos of the opening to the powerful climax of the 1st part, with the snare drum playing with demonic fury against the wall of orchestral sound. But this SACD isn’t merely a showcase for the orchestra’s sonorities, for it fills a need for 1st-rate super audio recordings of these symphonies. Not only has Davis given the state-of-the-art treatment to the 4th & the 5th, but the remaining Symphonies No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, & No. 6 will receive the same deluxe presentation from LSO Live. Highly recommended.