The great Danish composer does not get the attention his music truly
deserves. So we're here to change that and to tell you exactly why
you need to get him on your headphones right now.Carl Nielsen was born to a poor family in Denmark on 9 June 1865
and went on to become one of the world's greatest composers
– and, by some margin, the most famous Danish composer who has
ever lived. But outside Denmark, his music isn't at all well known.
And we think it's about time that changed.
Let's start with Nielsen's Violin Concerto. It was written in 1911 and is
a gorgeous piece of music that refuses to be pigeon-holed – at times
lush and Romantic, at times folk-inspired but with at least one foot in
the 20th century.
Carl Nielsen appeared on a Danish bank note. He's (by some margin) the most famous composer Denmark has ever produced. So, as is only right and proper, they put his face on a bank note.
Until recently he graced the front of the hundred-kroner bank note (worth
just under £10). His symphonies have the best nicknames!
Those days when you wake up feeling blue? Nielsen knows where your
coming from. Nielsen wrote a symphony about that. It's called 'The Four Temperaments' and includes movements called 'Melancholic' and 'Phlegmatic'.
'Melancholic' really does sound like Sunday-night-blues in musical form.
But here's the final movement instead, 'Sanguine' – a musical portrait of a
cheerful, contented person. Lovely.
‘Espansiva‘ (Nielsen's 3rd symphony) - a hymn to work and the healthy activity of everyday life. Not a gushing homage to life, but a certain expansive happiness about being able to participate in the work of life and the day and to see activity and ability manifested on all sides around us.
‘The inextinguishable’ (Nielsen's 4th symphony) – is one of the best loved and most regularly performed of the great Danish composer's works. It could be because of its sweeping soundscapes, infectious melodies, rich orchestration. Or it could be because it has such a great nickname.
His songs
Nielsen wrote hundreds of songs and they should be WAY better known. This sounds like Brahms, Bruckner and Elgar all rolled into one. You need those songs in your life…
(by Lizzie Davis, slightly changed PB)
deserves. So we're here to change that and to tell you exactly why
you need to get him on your headphones right now.Carl Nielsen was born to a poor family in Denmark on 9 June 1865
and went on to become one of the world's greatest composers
– and, by some margin, the most famous Danish composer who has
ever lived. But outside Denmark, his music isn't at all well known.
And we think it's about time that changed.
Let's start with Nielsen's Violin Concerto. It was written in 1911 and is
a gorgeous piece of music that refuses to be pigeon-holed – at times
lush and Romantic, at times folk-inspired but with at least one foot in
the 20th century.
Carl Nielsen appeared on a Danish bank note. He's (by some margin) the most famous composer Denmark has ever produced. So, as is only right and proper, they put his face on a bank note.
Until recently he graced the front of the hundred-kroner bank note (worth
just under £10). His symphonies have the best nicknames!
Those days when you wake up feeling blue? Nielsen knows where your
coming from. Nielsen wrote a symphony about that. It's called 'The Four Temperaments' and includes movements called 'Melancholic' and 'Phlegmatic'.
'Melancholic' really does sound like Sunday-night-blues in musical form.
But here's the final movement instead, 'Sanguine' – a musical portrait of a
cheerful, contented person. Lovely.
‘Espansiva‘ (Nielsen's 3rd symphony) - a hymn to work and the healthy activity of everyday life. Not a gushing homage to life, but a certain expansive happiness about being able to participate in the work of life and the day and to see activity and ability manifested on all sides around us.
‘The inextinguishable’ (Nielsen's 4th symphony) – is one of the best loved and most regularly performed of the great Danish composer's works. It could be because of its sweeping soundscapes, infectious melodies, rich orchestration. Or it could be because it has such a great nickname.
His songs
Nielsen wrote hundreds of songs and they should be WAY better known. This sounds like Brahms, Bruckner and Elgar all rolled into one. You need those songs in your life…
(by Lizzie Davis, slightly changed PB)
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