DG Releases First Album in New Nielsen Cycle With the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi

After six years of acclaimed live performances in Europe, USA and Asia, The Danish Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi is now presenting their special take on Carl Nielsen’s symphonies on record for the first time.

The legendary record label Deutsche Grammophon is releasing the new recording cycle from today, 14th October 2022, beginning with the digital release of Nielsen’s Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5. Following the release of all six symphonies on three individual digital albums, a physical 3-CD-Set edition on of the complete symphonies will be released during a two-week Carl Nielsen concert series in DR Koncerthuset, Copenhagen, in April 2023.

The last album in the series will be a digital album presenting Carl Nielsen’s three solo concertos for flute, clarinet and violin recorded by The Danish Symphony Orchestra and soloists Bomsori Kim (violin), Ulla Miilmann (flute) and Johnny Teyssier (clarinet).

Fabio Luisi, Chief Conductor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, states:

- The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and I are delighted to join Deutsche Grammophon for this important release cycle. I am particularly pleased to see the complete symphonies of Carl Nielsen being featured under the famous yellow logo, placing the composer in the canon of great 20th century composers which is fully deserved.

The Danish National Symphony Orchestra is internationally acclaimed for its interpretations of Carl Nielsen’s music, cultivated through generations of musicians ever since the composer himself conducted the orchestra in the 1920s and 1930s. For Fabio Luisi, however, the symphonies of Carl Nielsen were a relatively new acquaintance when he took over the position as the orchestra’s Chief Conductor in 2016.

- Nielsen’s music really belongs to the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, and it has been a beautiful experience for me as a conductor to get to know this highly interesting, complex and deeply original composer, says Fabio Luisi.

Angelika Meissner, Director Classical, Artists & Repertoire at Deutsche Grammophon, welcomes the Nielsen cycle as an important addition to Deutsche Grammophon’s catalogue:

- Carl Nielsen’s symphonies, deeply rooted in Denmark’s landscape and culture yet universal in their appeal, are among the greatest ever written. We’re delighted to be partners in creating a new recorded cycle of these extraordinarily powerful works with an orchestra so closely associated with Nielsen and a conductor who is so open to fresh ideas and inspiration.

Live concert series in DR Koncerthuset, Copenhagen
To conclude the new Carl Nielsen cycle, Deutsche Grammophon will release an exclusive box set edition during the two-week concert series Nielsen, Nielsen, Nielsen! in April 2023. The festival will take place at DR Koncerthuset, Copenhagen, presenting all Nielsen’s symphonies and concertos live in concert with Fabio Luisi, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and soloists Bomsori Kim, Ulla Miilmann and Johnny Teyssier.

The entire concert series will be recorded for TV and Streaming and made available worldwide through DR’s and Deutsche Grammophon’s media partner, EuroArts Music International.

Bernd Hellthaler, Managing Director at EuroArts Music International GmbH states: “It is a wonderful mission with The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Luisi and the Deutsche Grammophon, to make the music of Carl Nielsen even more popular.”

The Danish National Symphony Orchestra’s recording cycle of Carl Nielsen’s symphonies is generously supported by the Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen’s Foundation.