Carl Nielsen's Symphony No. 2, 'The Four Temperaments,' was inspired by witty drawings of the four temperaments he saw at a Danish country inn.
Interpretation
Fabio Luisi, the conductor, describes Carl Nielsen's music as lively, clear, and immediate, expressing that it comes from the heart rather than just the brain.
Performer Biography
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra has a unique Carl Nielsen tradition, with Nielsen himself conducting their very first concert in 1927.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Carl Nielsen, at age 60, shocked his admirers by stating that the struggle for art had not been worth it, wishing he had pursued a commercial apprenticeship instead.
Composer Biography
Carl Nielsen, the composer, started his musical journey playing violin and trumpet, becoming a regimental musician at 14 before studying at the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen.
Compositional Technique
Carl Nielsen's Symphony No. 5 features one of the first examples of aleatoric (or chance) music in a symphony, with the drummer instructed to improvise.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Carl Nielsen's six symphonies are highly personal works that increasingly distanced him from prevailing musical conventions.
