Biography of Carl Nielsen (1865-1931)

A young Carl Nielsen
Thanks for providing the picture to The Royal Library, Copenhagen, Department of Maps, Prints and Photograph
Carl Nielsen at his working desk
Thanks for providing the picture to The Royal Library, Copenhagen, Department of Maps, Prints and Photograph
Carl Nielsen
Thanks for providing the picture to The Royal Library, Copenhagen, Department of Maps, Prints and Photograph
09.06.1865
Born in Sortelung on Fünen
1874
First compositions for the local orchestra of his father
1879
Member of the military band in Odense (horn and trumpet)
1884
Studies at the royal conservatory in Copenhagen amongst others with Niels Wilhelm Gade
1887
Violinist of the royal court orchestra, later on conductor of this orchestra
1890
Stay in Germany and intensive preoccupation with Richard Wagner.
1908
Conductor of the Royal Danish Orchestra
1916
Lectorship for theory and composition ant the Royal Danish music academy
26.04.1922
Completion of the work on his woodwind quintet for the Københavns Blæserkvintet with Paul Hagemann
21.10.1926
Premiere of the flute concerto, played by Gilbert-Jespersen at the Salle Gaveau in Paris
25.01.1927
First performance of the revised version of the flute concerto, again played by Gilbert-Jespersen
1931
Head of the Academy
03.10.1931
Dies in Copenhagen due to a heart insuffiency
1988
Opening of a Nielsen museum in Odense

Sheet music for flute:

Fantasy Pieces op. 2 (Bearbeitung)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, piano)
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, 29886
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Romanze
  2. Humoresque
Originally for oboe and piano, here in a flute edition by Galway and Christiansen. Both pieces were transposed up a minor third.
Quintett op. 43 (E-Dur)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, oboe/english horn, clarinet, bassoon, horn)
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, WH 30739
Rating: difficult
  1. Allegro ben moderato
  2. Menuet
  3. Präludium - Adagio
  4. Thema mit Variationen - Un poco andantino
Score and parts in the same edition separately available.
Written in 1922
Quintett op. 43 (E-Dur)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, oboe/english horn, clarinet, bassoon, horn)
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, WH 48204
Rating: difficult
  1. Allegro ben moderato
  2. Menuet
  3. Präludium - Adagio
  4. Thema mit Variationen - Un poco andantino
Parts. A score is available separately.

CDs with/from Carl Nielsen

The Scandinavian Wind Quintet
Carl Nielsen - Vagn Holmboe - Per Norgard - Hans Abrahamsen (1994)
jpc
dacapo
    Carl Nielsen: Wind Quintet Op. 43 (1923):
  1. Allegro ben moderato (09:05:00)
  2. Menuetto (04:44:00)
  3. Praeludium - Tema con variazioni (12:25:00)
    4. Vagn Holmboe: Notturno op. 19 (1940):
  4. Tranquillo (03:49:00)
  5. Scherzando (01:57:00)
  6. Improvisazione (04:26:00)
  7. Con moto (02:43:00)
  8. Per Nørgard: Whirl's Wordl (1970) (14:42:00)
    9. Hans Abrahamsen: Walden (1978):
  9. I (02:57:00)
  10. II (02:52:00)
  11. III (02:33:00)
  12. IV (01:04:00)
Danish National Symphony Orchestra Wind Quintet, Charles Dutoit, James Galway, Hiroyuki Iwaki, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
James Galway plays Flute Concertos (CD 12/12) (2011)
Ibert - NIelsen - Mayer
jpc
RCA
    Jacques Ibert: Concerto for Flute & Orchestra:
  1. Allegro (04:20:00)
  2. Andante (07:13:00)
  3. Allegro scherzando (07:32:00)
    4. Carl Nielsen: Concerto for Flute & Orchestra FS119:
  4. Allegro moderato (10:46:00)
  5. Allegretto - Adagio ma non troppo - Allegretto (07:13:00)
    6. John Mayer: Concerto for Flute & Orchestra "Mandala ki Råga Sangeet":
  6. I (07:01:00)
  7. II (06:20:00)
  8. III (03:19:00)
  9. IV (02:32:00)
  10. V (04:36:00)
Les Vents Français
Moderniste (2 CD) (2019)
jpc
Warner Classics
    Darius Milhaud: Sonata op. 47:
  1. Tranquille (06:39:00)
  2. Joyeux (03:11:00)
  3. Emporté (01:47:00)
  4. Douloureux (05:35:00)
    5. André Jolivet: Serenade:
  5. Cantilène (04:14:00)
  6. Caprice (03:38:00)
  7. Intermède (03:49:00)
  8. Marche burlesque (05:05:00)
    9. Albéric Magnard: Quintet op. 8:
  9. Sombre (08:14:00)
  10. Tendre (07:37:00)
  11. Léger (05:12:00)
  12. Joyeux (10:45:00)
  13. Philippe Hersant: Osterlied (13:36:00)
    14. Carl Nielsen: Wind quintet op. 43:
  14. Allegro ben moderato (08:07:00)
  15. Menuetto (04:27:00)
  16. Praeludium - Adagio (01:47:00)
  17. Tema con variazioni - Un poco andantino (09:03:00)
  18. Thierry Escaich: Mecanic Song (11:38:00)
Radek Baborák, Berliner Philharmoniker, Jonathan Kelly, Sabine Meyer, Emmanuel Pahud, Simon Rattle, Stefan Schweigert
Nielsen (2007)
Clarinet & Flute Concertos - Wind Quintet
jpc
EMI Classics
    Flute Concerto FS119:
  1. Allegro moderato (11:57:00)
  2. Allegretto - Adagio ma non troppo - Allegretto - Tempo di marcia (07:35:00)
    3. Clarinet Concerto op. 57 FS129:
  3. Allegretto un poco (07:45:00)
  4. Poco adagio (05:01:00)
  5. Allegro non troppo (06:39:00)
  6. Allegro vivace (04:03:00)
    7. Wind Quintet Op. 43 FS100:
  7. Allegro ben moderato (08:34:00)
  8. Menuet (04:51:00)
  9. Praeludium - Adagio (02:14:00)
  10. Tema con variazioni - Un poco andantino (10:21:00)
Oslo Wind Ensemble
Scandinavian Wind Quintets (1993)
jpc
Naxos
    John Fernström: Wind Quintet Op. 59:
  1. Allegro molto (05:11:00)
  2. Adagio (05:37:00)
  3. Scherzo (02:49:00)
  4. Finale - Rondo Vivace (04:28:00)
    5. Johan Kvandal: Wind Quintet Op. 34:
  5. Preludium Largo (04:53:00)
  6. Presto (03:35:00)
  7. Adagio ma non troppo (04:24:00)
  8. Allegro assai (05:05:00)
    9. Johan Kvandal: Three Hymn Tunes Op. 23b:
  9. Vor Gud er tro i liv og dod - Con moto (02:12:00)
  10. Lover nu Herren - Maestoso (02:05:00)
  11. Det koster mer end man først betenker - Langsomt - poco lento (02:22:00)
    12. Carl Nielsen: Wind Quintet Op. 43:
  12. Allegro ben moderato (09:02:00)
  13. Menuett (04:55:00)
  14. Præludium - Adagio (02:00:00)
  15. Tema con variazioni (10:45:00)
Außer dem Nielsen-Quintett sind die anderen Werke hierzulande weitgehend unbekannt. Ich habe das Quintett von Kvandal lieben gelernt. Es hat einen fast symphonischen Klang, vergleichbar mit Werken der Böhmen Pilss oder Foerster, dabei aber eine etwas finsterere, weniger optimistische Grundfärbung. Die relativ günstigen Naxos-Ausgaben nutze ich schon mal gerne, um neue Literatur kennenzulernen.

Literature von/über Carl Nielsen

Last edit 07.05.2020