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Carl NIELSEN (1865-1931)
Complete Concertos:
Violin Concerto, Op. 33/FS61;
Clarinet Concerto Op. 57/FS129;
Flute Concerto, FS119.
Jonathan Carney (violin); Kevin Banks (clarinet); Gareth Davies (flute); Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Kees Bakels.
 Naxos 8.554189 [DDD] [78'59]
Crotchet
 Amazon UK  Amazon USA

These performances (the only such coupling at super-budget price) are guaranteed to provide pleasure. Two other discs of complete Nielsen concertos come at full price - on BIS (CD616) and on Chandos (CHAN8894). The three Naxos soloists each capture the essence of their respective concertos and the orchestra throughout is idiomatically supportive, with particularly characterful woodwind contributions.

The sweet-toned Jonathan Carney captures the wistful qualities of the Violin Concerto well, although the orchestral strings are more pedestrian. Carney brings off the cadenza brilliantly and sensitively: the ruminative slow movement is delicately shaded and the final Allegretto scherzando trips along in as rustic and spiky a fashion as one could wish.

The Clarinet Concerto shows a different side of Nielsen's persona. The opening promises the Danish answer to the Finzi Clarinet Concerto, but there is vigour as well in this performance. The active side-drum part is enjoyed to the full. Banks is an intensely musical soloist who will not disappoint.

The shrillness in the upper frequencies of this recording is bot enough to distract from that Nordic pastoral, the Flute Concerto. Gareth Davies is appropriately warm-toned, and the orchestra relishes the occasionally complex writing. The amiable flute answer to the incisive string opening to the Allegretto serves as an ideal example of the chamber music feel to this performance.

Although the two alternatives mentioned above both use scandic soloists, this release still feels as if it at least touches the heart of this most approachable music.

Reviewer

Colin Clarke

Performance

Recording


Reviewer

Colin Clarke

Performance

Recording


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