It's always so enjoyable to hear a different side of a composer, an aspect of his/her compositional output considerably different from the established norm. Such is the case with this album of the violin and string chamber music of Carl Nielsen. These seven pieces, all written between the ages of 16 and 24, vary considerably from his more frequently heard works like the symphonies and concertos. These chamber works are anything but juvenile, though. They are clearly rooted in the classical tradition and lack Nielsen's ...
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It's always so enjoyable to hear a different side of a composer, an aspect of his/her compositional output considerably different from the established norm. Such is the case with this album of the violin and string chamber music of Carl Nielsen. These seven pieces, all written between the ages of 16 and 24, vary considerably from his more frequently heard works like the symphonies and concertos. These chamber works are anything but juvenile, though. They are clearly rooted in the classical tradition and lack Nielsen's mature tonal palate, but they are still filled with strong part writing for each instrument, enjoyable melodies, and clever accompaniments. Of course, the success of a composer's lesser known works depends heavily on the performance they are given. In this case Georgios Demertzis and the New Hellenic Quartet go well beyond simply convincing listeners of the merit of these works. Every aspect of their playing makes listeners wish Nielsen had given them more to play in this genre. The unity...
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