Carl Nielsen in 1884 Photo: Public Domain
Carl Nielsen came from a family of twelve. His father worked as a house painter, but also played traditional Danish folk music and his mother sang.
Despite his musical interests, Carl’s parents apprenticed him to a shopkeeper when he was fourteen. But it wasn’t to last. The shop went bankrupt. Afterwards the young Nielsen found himself in the army, playing bugle and trombone. At the age of nineteen he was released from the military band to study music at the Royal Conservatory of Copenhagen.
Kenneth Young looks at the life and work of this Danish composer, conductor and violinist.
Music Details:
Nielsen: Symphony No 2, The Four Temperaments (2) - Gothenburg SO / Neeme Jarvi (DG)
Nielsen: Symphony No 2, The Four Temperaments (4) - Gothenburg SO / Neeme Jarvi (DG)
Nielsen: Little Suite for Strings - Danish National Radio SO / Schirmer (Decca)
Nielsen: Symphony No 2, The Four Temperaments (1) - Gothenburg SO / Neeme Jarvi (DG)
Nielsen: Helios Overture - Gothenburg SO / Neeme Jarvi (DG)
Nielsen: Maskarade Overture - Gothenburg SO / Neeme Jarvi (DG)
Nielsen: Springtime in Funen - Peter Grønlund (tenor), Danish National Radio SO / Segerstam (Chandos)
Nielsen: Clarinet Concerto - Karin Dornbusch, Gävle SO / Sakari (Caprice)
Nielsen: Sinfonia Espansiva (2) - Gothenburg SO / Neeme Jarvi (DG)
Nielsen: Symphony No 5 (1) - Danish National Radio SO / Schønwandt (Naxos)
