Last year I purchased the Oramo 4th and 5th on BIS, very well-received, but it didn't do anything for me either. No "intestinal fortitude", or "torque". Strings thin in the pastoral opening of the 5th's second mov't. Deleted.

A few months ago while driving I heard the lead-up and climax to the slow mov't of the 1st on the radio and was bowled over. Wow! It turned out to be Nielsen. Who knew?

I finally got a chance to download Previn's "classic" K. Wilkinson recording of the 1st from HDTT. Speaking of just the slow mov't, Previn is irresistibly ardent, and it was impossible not to fall for those feverish string portamenti in the lead up, (repeated twice). That said, the LSO horns are a bit wobbly at critical points, (those forte downward chromatic slides) and although the recording is good, it's a bit rougher and constricted at times compared to the Previn Walton 1st, which is IMHO is still an engineering stunner, IMHO.

So while reading reviews and comparing prices, I eventually decided upon Ole Schmidt's 70s recordings (by the Auger bros.) of the complete symphonies on Unicorn, reissued by Alto, for an amazing $8 bucks, at Qobuz.

I've listened to the 1st, 3rd and 5th so far. That's all the quality conversation I could take from a "partner" without getting down to activities that, shall we say, more "sensual" realms, post 1st Symphony at least. Listening to Nielsen is like watching a mate put together an IKEA bookcase: it's fascinating, suspenseful and not without release and catharsis, but where's IS the tingly celesta, rolling bass drum and harpist's upward glissandi as the cabinet is finally erected to the thwack of a gong??

The sound and playing is much better than Previn's British Dog production. The LSO horns are much steadier and whoop with abandon. Strings are sweet. Brass snarl. Nice ambience. Only the low brass are a bit weak at points, which weakens the power of Nielsen's counterpoint. Just a bit. I you listen for them, they're there.

I look forward to hearing the 2nd, 6th for the very first time, on the next rainy day. If there is one. I've hired a harpist to ad lib. : )

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 listened to numbers1, 2 and 3 last night on QOBUZ - Ivan303 17:48:36 11/20/20 (6)
 RE: listened to numbers1, 2 and 3 last night on QOBUZ - pbarach 06:50:09 11/21/20 (1)
 Only really spent time with the Blomstedt set.... - Ivan303 11:45:51 11/21/20 (0)

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 listened to numbers1, 2 and 3 last night on QOBUZ - Ivan303 17:48:36 11/20/20 (6)
 RE: listened to numbers1, 2 and 3 last night on QOBUZ - pbarach 06:50:09 11/21/20 (1)
 Only really spent time with the Blomstedt set.... - Ivan303 11:45:51 11/21/20 (0)
 RE: listened to numbers1, 2 and 3 last night on QOBUZ - jdaniel@jps.net 20:31:55 11/20/20 (3)
 I think Ivan should get a participation prize, no matter what! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 00:14:09 11/21/20 (2)
 That's pretty much how I got through school.... - Ivan303 06:41:17 11/21/20 (1)
 I'm not sure, but I think I saw that the Stanford Alumni Association. . . - Chris from Lafayette 11:58:38 11/21/20 (0)
 Not a Nielsen fan at all myself, but I've got that Previn recording of No. 1 - Chris from Lafayette 11:01:08 11/19/20 (0)

and certainly not all of them.

But I will say that the Schmidt series is not boring. He ertainly takes this music seriously.




First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass