Danish composer Tage Nielsen (no relation to his famous predecessor, Carl) writes in an abrasive modernist style that creates drama from tonal and timbral conflict. Some of the music seems to function as audio narrative with what could be implied visual cues, as both the opening work, Il giardino magico, and the following Passacaglia sound like scenes from a horror film score. Taken in this light, it’s quite effective–at least on first hearing.
The following Konzertstück (with expert pianism by Erik Kaltoft) and Retrospect are a different matter. Here Nielsen indulges in unyieldingly harsh harmonic constructions abetted by grating instrumental combinations. Technically, it’s all quite accomplished, and certainly Nielsen labored diligently to create these sounds. But the ear easily tires of the same old sonic crags–and let’s face it, how many people can readily tell one composer’s screechy tone-cluster from another’s? The mood lightens considerably in the final work, Five Opera Fragments (from Nielsen’s chamber opera Laughter in the Dark), which is a pastiche of styles ranging from Viennese classicism to pop, jazz, and ragtime, ending with the mournful Albinus’ Death.
Jean Thorel leads energetic and committed performances with the Aarhus Symphony and the Arhus Sinfonietta. However, Dacapo’s dry recording makes the music sound even more arid than it needs to be. Should you indulge? If you like this sort of thing, you know who you are.
