Admirers of the music of the Danish composer Carl Nielsen have an enviable choice for both CD and high resolution recordings of his symphonic works. There are currently three complete cycles of his six symphonies, available on SACD, namely from Colin Davis (LSO Live), Alan Gilbert (Dacapo) and Sakari Oramo (BIS), in addition to this, the third release, in the survey from Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.

This SACD opens with a wonderfully vivid account of Nielsen’s large scale overture ‘Helios’, one of his most life-affirming compositions. I was immediately struck by the radiance of the Bergen Philharmonic’s horns as they evoke the gradual rising of the sun over the Aegean. Gardner paces the work superbly – majestic yet never heavy – and he captures both the grandeur and energy that this thrilling piece demands.

The Clarinet Concerto that follows benefits from the presence of a top-notch soloist. Alessandro Carbonare is currently principal clarinettist with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, a position he has held with some of the world’s greatest orchestras including the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Chicago Symphony and New York Philharmonic. As one might expect, his performance is superbly fluent, virtuosic and spiced with a modicum of wit appropriate for Nielsen’s quirky concerto. Gardner’s accompaniment is crisp and alert while the recording skilfully balances the solo instrument with the small forces Nielsen uses in this piece. Chandos has helpfully provided separate tracks for each of the concerto’s four sections and six for the symphony that follows.

The rapport between the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner, who has been their Chief Conductor for the past ten years has yielded many outstanding SACD recordings on the Chandos label and although competition is certainly fierce with regard to the third work on this disc, Nielsen’s 5th Symphony, Gardner’s electrifying rendition of this symphony quickly earns a place among the finest versions of this piece, both in terms of performance and recording.

From the soft and perfectly articulated oscillating violas which which the symphony begins, Gardner quickly establishes both a sense of tension and a natural forward flow. The menacing power of the march section with its implacable tread is superbly handled by the conductor and the climax of Part I, in which Nielsen famously instructs the snare drummer to play their cadenza ‘as if at all costs to stop the progress of the orchestra’ is suitably overwhelming. Part II which I find can sometimes sag in some performances and can come over as anticlimactic is anything but on this recording. Gardner adopts a very fast and exhilarating opening tempo for this movement and, thanks to the excellence of the Bergen musicians, maintains the momentum right through to the symphony’s blazing conclusion.

These performances were recorded in the fine acoustic of the Grieghallen, Bergen June 2023 (Helios) and June 2024 ( the other works). As I have indicated above the sound quality is all one could ask in terms of balance, clarity and impact (especially from the thrilling presence of the percussion section).

Whether you’re new to Nielsen or already own several recordings, Gardner’s formidable Fifth is one not to overlook. It deserves a top recommendation both for its interpretive insight and sonic brilliance while the couplings could hardly be bettered.

Copyright © 2025 Graham Williams and HRAudio.net

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