Nielsen's string quartets have received some fine performances on record in
recent years.  Kontrapunkt issued the full set a few years ago, and Chandos
and Simax issued single discs within the past year.  Now, Naxos has entered
the field with volume one performed by the Oslo String Quartet.

I found the Naxos release very interesting.  Much of Nielsen's chamber
and solo music is caught between the romantic and somewhat dissonant mode.
Some performers tend to highlight one end or the other.  IMHO, the Oslo
highlight the more modernistic elements in Nielsen's string quartets, and
I liked this greatly.

I'm not going to stop playing the other recordings mentioned above, but
this new Naxos has a secure place on my play list.  I do need to give more
time to Nielsen's solo piano works.  I have the Andsnes recording but have
only played it twice; I was initially taken aback by the dissonant elements
in the solo works, but I think it's time to delve deeper into this music.

Don Satz
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