Eric Schissel continues the discussion on Nielsen's String Quartets with:

>Donald Satz refers to this work as Nielsen's first string quartet.  It's
>more like his 3rd or 4th, if I'm not mistaken.  The first two that I'm
>aware of, never published, are available only on a Kontrapunkt CD of early
>Nielsen chamber music (that contains also a violin sonata and perhaps the
>only extant Nielsen piano trio).  I do not know whether Nielsen's op. 13
>was written before, or after, his op. 5, just to complicate matters even
>.further.  ...

I want to thank this discussion for getting me to dig among my archived
LPs for Nielsen's string quartets.  The treasure is an album simply
entitled "Carl Nielsen 9.  Juni 1865-1965," which obviously refers to the
centenary and not his life unfortunately.  Nielsen died relatively young
of a chronic and painful heart condition in 19 31.  I brought this album
issued by Scandinavian EMI home as my most valued souvenir from Denmark
as a young man.

The set contains the Quartet, op. 44 (1906), which falls between the
second and third symphonies.  The recording by the Erling Bloch Quartet
is to my understanding the one Nielsen heard and approved.  Even in the
pre-digital age, the recording has a remarkable presence and is perfect
in improvisation and idiom.

How I could have lain away and forgotten this masterpiece is only
explained by the fact I am mad about Nielsen in the same sure way I am
about Beethoven.  I am not particularly interested in Beethoven's operas or
choral works and I hate the 9th symphony.  I cannot "get" Nielsen's operas
or solo piano works either nor even his 6th symphony.  For me, Nielsen has
always been his first five symphonies, the great Quintet for Winds and his
enormous output of songs that spanned his entire life.  Nielsen is one of
the 20th century composers who in his compositions kept Schubert's torch
burning brightly.  In fact, sometimes I think that although the
English-speaking world was introduced to Nielsen through his symphonies
because of Simpson's great book "Carl Nielsen: Symphonist," that his
highest achievement for me are his songs and the Quintet.  The op. 44
Quartet almost reaches this height.

The Quartet, op. 44 aches with the most incredible melodies that are
wonderfully acerbic.  The lovely slow movement is so lambent and yet never
without muscle.  All Nielsen is muscular, even his gentlest songs.  [Yes,
Summer Song is one of the master's best, in the spirit of Schubert but
with a distinct voice.] The final movement of the quartet is drunken and
quirky and yet gives in to a slow movement's melodic interruptions of the
richest kind.  It has that fragmentary quality of Beethoven's late
quartets.  Just a hint is enough to create a whole world.

I remember having the early quartets on a Vox LP.  I will keep looking.

Yes, the language of Nielsen is unique; it sounds like no other composer
right from his earliest works and you always know when you are hearing
Nielsen, despite his dramatic development in style and musical theory.

What can we do about the tragedy that Nielsen is no longer even recognized
although he is the greatest composer of this century.  Time will vindicate
that.  What can we do to hasten that day? The bins in stores like Towers
no longer even include a tab for Nielsen-yes they do for a contemporary
Dane named L.  Nielsen.  Ironic?

Andrew Carlan
Speaking up for Nielsen