Nielsen: All Symphonies & Concertos

Released just in time for the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Danish composer Carl Nielsen, the New York Philharmonic’s critically acclaimed symphony cycle conducted by Alan Gilbert is now available as a box set, including all the concertos, which are also being released as individual CDs for the first time. On Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6: “With the Fifth and Sixth, Gilbert & Friends confirm the truly outstanding level of achievement of the first two recordings.” Guido Fischer in “Rondo” (Classical CD of the Month). Alan Gilbert’s contract as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic runs until 2017. His Carl Nielsen project has certainly made its mark on the discography. Dagmar Penzlin in “Musikforum” (Deutschlandfunk). The New York Philharmonic has just the right fresh energy for Nielsen: the spirit of the great adventurer and explorer Leonard Bernstein apparently continues to shape this top orchestra to this day. Confident and sensitive in equal measure, the New Yorkers have made Nielsen their own artistically. The complete cycle of all six symphonies has now been recorded. (Werner Theurich in SPIEGEL Online)