Album

Three of the five pieces on this disc have never been recorded before and two are slender works that have previously appeared only in poor performances on obscure labels. The world premieres are substantial works, multi-movement cantatas, two of them lasting more than 20 minutes, by the great Danish fin de siècle symphonist Carl Nielsen. That being said, purely in terms of aesthetic worth, these cantatas roughly bear the same relationship to Nielsen's symphonies as Beethoven's Der glorreiche Augenblick does to his symphonies.

Each cantata is an occasional work: one for the annual Copenhagen University commemoration in 1908, another for the opening ceremony of the national exhibition in Århus in 1909, and the third for Hans Hartvig Seedorff Pedersen's Homage to Holberg in 1923. Though there are some fine things here, particularly the angular string writing of the second movement of the Homage to Holberg and the ecstatic duet between tenor and soprano opening the university cantata, most of the music is simple, straightforward, tuneful, and not especially characteristic of its composer. The performances led by Bo Holten are sincere, heartfelt, and determined. The ardor of the Århus Symphony is more than professional, and the combined choruses of Århus Cathedral, the Danish National Opera Chorus, and Vox Aros are impressively committed. The soloists are surprisingly good, particularly fervent tenor Mathias Hedegaard. Listeners who love Nielsen's symphonies and his cantatas Hymnis Amoris and Springtime in Funen may want to try these cantatas as well. It is unlikely that these performances will be bettered in the foreseeable future. Da Capo's sound is clean and close, but lacking in warmth.

© Jim Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Carl Nielsen Composer Kantate ved Landsudstillingen i Århus (Cantata for the National Exhibition in Århus), for chorus and orchestra, FS54 Work 27:17 Vox Aros Chorus/Choir, Palle Knudsen Baritone, Ditte Andersen Soprano, Jens Albinus Recitation, Bo Holten Conductor, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Royal Danish Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, Aarhus Cathedral Choir Chorus/Choir
1	Part 1. No.1. Vaartid, Væksttid, Løftelses Tid!	4:16			$0.99
2	Part 1. No.2. Alt, hvormed Tidens	5:52			$0.99
3	Part 2. No.3. Kun én er Danmarks Hovedby	1:48			$0.99
4	Part 2. No.4. Hvit som et Tempel i Fortids Athen	8:35			$1.49
5	Part 2. No.5. Spejdende mod Solen, der stiger af sit Bad	1:41			$0.99
6	Part 2. No.6. Danmark, du kornblonde Datter	2:43			$0.99
7	Part 3. No.7. Hil! Hil! Hil! Hæv dig, vor jublende Sang	2:22			$0.99
Carl Nielsen Composer Hyldest til Holberg (Homage to Holberg), for soloists, chorus and orchestra, FS102 Work 9:14 Vox Aros Chorus/Choir, Ditte Andersen Soprano, Royal Danish Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Bo Holten Conductor, Bolette Bruno Hansen Vocals, Eline Denice Risager Vocals, Palle Knudsen Baritone, Aarhus Cathedral Choir Chorus/Choir, Birgitte Mosegaard Pedersen Soprano
8	1.Hvem har kaldt os hid i Dag?	3:41			$0.99
9	2.Det er Spillet som begynder!	3:29			$0.99
10	3.Nu løfter Holbergs Træ sit tunge Løv	2:04			$0.99
Carl Nielsen Composer Selv naar Tordenen tynger ('Ariel's Song') Work Mathias Hedegaard Tenor, Bo Holten Conductor, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
11	Selv naar Tordenen tynger ('Ariel's Song')	3:09			$0.99
Carl Nielsen Composer Kantate ved Universitetets Aarsfest (Cantata for the anniversary of Copenhagen University), for chorus and orchestra, FS47, Op.24 Work 24:12 Vox Aros Chorus/Choir, Palle Knudsen Baritone, Mathias Hedegaard Tenor, Ditte Andersen Soprano, Bo Holten Conductor, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
12	Part 1. No.1. Myldrende Vrimmel	7:02			$1.49
13	Part 1. No.2. O Videns Lys, o høje Sol	8:09			$1.49
14	Part 2. No.3. Tit ad Veje trange	5:47			$0.99
15	Part 3. No.4. Som Løv paa Linde	3:14			$0.99
Carl Nielsen Composer Kantate ved Landsudstillingen i Århus (Cantata for the National Exhibition in Århus), for chorus and orchestra, FS54 Work Jens Albinus Recitation, Bo Holten Conductor
16	Recitation. Thi disse to er Kilderne til alt	2:01			$0.99