Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 4

[imsleepyanddead]

I didn't know Jerry Springer was such a great musician!

[TripMyWire3]

Is this performance available on DVD?

[ai4i]

Let me suggest a book of the same name, by Martin Goldsmith. It tells the story of his Jewish parents, classical musicians living and loving in Nazi era Germany and how a pinnacle of their carreers was when the orchestra in which they played, the Judische Kulturbund, performed this piece.

[Trishanelle]

A privilege and an honour to have performed this. Swept away and totally one with the final minutes, it was truly heart-breaking-and remained so, beyond all the applause and flowers. But then that's the beauty and power of music. Thank you for sharing Nielsen with others.

[mrotwist]

(Continued from last post) YOu will find MANY great composers/compositions in this exciting world, but you will also find that the music that does not quite achieve the level of greatness you seek will add hours - yea, years - of pleasure and balance to your life.

[mrotwist]

I have a question for all of you who have indicated on this forum that you are looking for the greatest composer, the greatest symphony, the greatest concerto, etc. Do you every think you will find him? If you do, please let me know. Meanwhile, the whole world of classical awaits you to take you to new vistas of enjoyment. Let me politely and kindly suggest to you that you just explore every avenue of this exciting world and stop looking for the "greatest." anything! (continued).

[mrotwist]

Schnozz87, many thanks for the info. I shall act upon it., since this is a favorite symphony since I first heard it in 1953, on a British Victor LP (orchestra and conductor long since forgotten.) Just on a long shot, would you have knowledge of that recording?

[ArcaneAnders]

Nr. 4 Det Uudslukkelige

[mrotwist]

I would love to know which orchestra this is and who the conductor is. It is taken at a slightly more rapid pace than the version I have (Karajan, Berlin). I like this better. If someone knows the answer, I would appreciate having the names. Danish orchestra? Just a hunch.

[schnozz87]

@mrotwist BBC Symphony Orchestra from London. Osmo Vanska conducting.

[SirGlennGould]

THE POWER OF CLASSICAL MUSIC !!!! Heartbraking ç_____ç

[maulee2008]

"Life is (like cockroach) is inextinguishable!!!"

[customanalogue]

Epic music!

Written during the battle of the Somme in 1916 - the first real 20th Century "Total War" War Symphony, written more than two decades before Shostakovich wrote his War Symphonies. Nielsen's 5th was also a War Symphony. So it is really Nielsen that is the Father of the War Symphony. When the 4th was first performed in January 1917 nobody had heard anything like it. We can be blasé' about it now, but back then this level of brutal violence in music was unheard of. Think Beethoven... ?

[CoastalFlyFish]

I especially enjoy the part from 0:00 to 9:36 !

[nostradamusguy]

@CoastalFlyFish Haha, same here!

[alexpjp]

@CoastalFlyFish me too! 

[Enantiodromialist]

Funny, this was recommended to me because I watched the Glass double timpani concerto. Yes, I know the Nielsen requires two sets of timpani ... but there's no mention of that in the tags for this video ... Did some peculiarly knowledgeable person at Yahoo intervene to make the recommendation? Not likely, the pieces and use of the instruments are not similar ... Coincidence? A mighty strange one ...

[Enantiodromialist]

@Enantiodromialist Anyway, I'm no expert on Danish music, but I can suggest Rued Laanggard to the curious, a rough contemporary of Nielsen, less consistent and less sheerly great but with a remarkable streak of Ivesian originality.

[placerxymalaga]

is music to be seen

[TheAttiliotauro]

a great composer understimated at least in latins countries.he symphonyes deverse to be known as those of beethoven

[ledormant]

Jeg elsker dansk musik!

[Sarcheliot]

@ledormant Nielsen is the exception rather than the norm in Danish music, I fear.

[ledormant]

@Sarcheliot I can feel Denmark in Nielsen's music but it's personal

[Epogdous]

O my :o ...Timpani!!!

[TrcDK]

Han var dansker! En ting vi kan være stolte af :D

[coldstream07]

It's a true shame that Nielsen isn't more often played (or posted here on youtube for that matter).

[hummersuppeteringen]

If you like Carl Nielsen you should try to watch the danish film "min fynske barndom" it is a movie about Carl Nielsens childhood.... very good film :)

[powe2550]

Great piece. Wonderful performance.

[713davidh42]

I dont know of a composition in the classical repertoire which uses the tympani as much as this one and yet still makes musical sense. This is a masterpiece in any century. My thanks to s006221 for posting this video.

[danishpride1]

He is on the danish 100 crowns note!

[1ro19591201]

いやー、ほんとに絵になるシンフォニーだなー。

ということで2009/05/10(sun)14:00にミュー­ザ川崎で「不滅」のコンサートあります。

一緒に感動しましょう。

[imsleepyanddead]

the beginning of this movement always reminds me of the opening of madame butterfly. not that i want to make comparisons or anything, but it's something that stuck up for me.

[untamovaan]

I love Nielsen's music <3

[TripMyWire3]

I love this piece. I wish that soaring trumpet line at 0:50 would have come out clearly though... such a wonderful piece.

[ianduckworth]

Poul Ruders is an important contemporary Danish composer. 'Concerto in pieces' variations on a theme of Purcell, was premiered at the Proms in 1995, But Carl Nielsen is undoubtedly the best Danish composer and one of the greats of the 20th century.

[belgeselcuk]

Hi can u help me, I am trying to find greatest music artist, bands, composers of all time..

do u have any danish nominees?

I just got three names until now;

Mew , Dietrich Buxtehude and Carl Nielsen

help me please

[humbledog1984]

I reckon the 10th is Shostos greatest symphony. It vies with Nielsens 4th as the most exciting 20th century symphony.

[CzarDodon]

why are you trying to find the greatest or most exciting symphony? what will you do with it when you find it? listen only to that one?

[dgrb00]

There are two recordings of this work (and I own just about all of them) which tower above all the rest: Launy Grondahl's premiere recording, from the early 1950s in mono - alas; and Sir John Barbirolli's 1959 recording, the first in stereo and, I seem to recall reading somewhere, the first conductor to place the two sets of timpani antiphonally.

"Greatest symphony of the 20th century"?

Well, one of them, but the 20th century also brought us Mahler's last six, Sibelius 3-7, Shostakovich...

[Nuker1337]

@dgrb00 I don't think Nielsen is nearly as good as those composers you mention.

[Nuker1337]

@Nuker1337 This comment I made is extremely regrettable; I now recognize Nielsen as a monumental composer, certainly one of the greatest of the 20th century.

[humbledog1984]

I dont know Blomstedt. I think symphony 3 is the most difficult to get right and I would love to hear Blomstedt do it.

[ludwigvan17]

GODDAMN!!!!!!  This is the first time I ever heard this guy. Amazing.

[Lonegan63]

Grandísima interpretación

[tomswift46]

Always my favorite composer and symphonies 3-5 send shivers thruout...

[alexpjp]

@tomswift46 absolutely!

[humbledog1984]

This is total music in tune with the lifeforce. Its mantic stuff, you can watch the plants push up to the sun and the elemental forces in gothic mode, but no less potent for that.

[humbledog1984]

greatest symphony of the 20th century.

[al122385]

This is a epic piece in music!

[blahtkhip]

I love the timpani parts in this. :D

[lappy386]

Thanks for posting. I love this piece. I had the pleasure of seeing the Minnesota Orchestra play this (under Osmo) in 2004. It was such a moving performance, I was in tears at the end and I don't think anyone made a sound for about 15 seconds after the final cutoff. Everyone had to let it sink in. Truly amazing.

[schnozz87]

the timps at 8:04 sound absolutely fucking fantastic. fat tone well and truly in the room.

[doromamire]

この曲は俺の青春の最高の思ひ出の一つです。

俺はサロネンの指揮で聴きましたけどね。

[amtelspzoo]

AWESOME!

[MaxxUS08]

This is good, but do you have the performance by Blomstedt/San Francisco Sym??

[doromamire]

I love Blomstedt and his "Inextinguishable."

[obiwan88]

Have you heard of Bryden Thomson's version on Chandos? I've heard both versions, I thought Thomson's version have brought out the very soul of the music... ^_^

[alambic1911]

your remark reminds me that this video was published exactely the day of the 80'th birthday of Blomstedt which is indeed the most tremendous condutor in Nielsen's symphonies I've ever heard!But i'm not in possession of his version

[platero55]

I've had the pleasure of attending Minnesota Orchestra concerts with Osmo Vanska on the podium. He and the Minnesotans are making great music together. That was one thrilling video! Thanks for posting it.

[usnhorn]

Thanks for posting this. Nielsen is by far my favorite composer!  I always like seeing/hearing recordings that I don't have!

[RDSCHLS]

It's wonderful to see a video of this magnificent symphony on YouTube, even if it's only the finale! The performance is pretty good, too. I prefer the ending a bit slower, which makes it sound a bit more grand and powerful to me, but it's still well-played. I've never been able to watch the timpani duel (~6min. in) on video before - very impressive. Thanks for uploading this! I've wanted to see this on video for a while!