This release completes EMI’s re-reissue of Herbert Blomstedt’s first Nielsen cycle in “twofer” format. The Fifth Symphony in the later San Francisco performance represented the single biggest improvement over its Danish predecessor, particularly with respect to the first movement, with its (here) timid snare drum cadenza and less than stellar brass playing. Michael Schonwandt’s recent superb recording of this work for Da Capo shows how far Danish orchestras have improved in these departments since the mid-1970s. The Sixth Symphony is so strange that it generally makes an impression no matter what, and this idiomatic performance gets the music across well, if without the flair of Blomstedt’s second effort, particularly in the zany finale. The real gems on this new compilation are the choral works, beautifully conducted by Mogens Wöldike and surely not deserving of their neglect in today’s concert halls. If you don’t know Hymnus Amoris or Sleep and you love choral music, then this set might be worth acquiring for these alone, though other fine versions are also available (particularly Segerstam’s on Chandos). The Melos Ensemble’s performance of the Wind Quintet also holds its own against the competition. A mixed bag then, one disc average, the second excellent, and the rating blends the two.
