Symphony No. 3 (Nielsen)

Composition#

In an interview Nielsen gave to the Nationaltidende newspaper in 1918, he said that: It is not known what work Nielsen was alluding to with “one of my larger works”, but it is claimed to be his 3rd Symphony, Espansiva.

First movement, Allegro espansivo#

The character designation of the first movement (Allegro espansivo) serves as the symphony’s subtitle, but it is not clear what Nielsen meant by ’espansiva’. Composer Robert Simpson wrote that it suggests the “outward growth of the mind’s scope”. He worked on this first movement until 13 April 1910. \time 3/4 \key f \major \partial 4 \tempo 2. = 82 a4( \ff d’ f’ a’ b’ d b’) bes’( a'2~ \fz a'4 )

Finale, Allegro expanso#

The theme of the fourth movement of Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 3 is not directly based on a known folk song, although it does possess a strong, energetic, and almost “folk-like” character that reflects a celebration of life and work, which is considered the movement’s overall theme; it’s more about capturing a feeling of Danish folk spirit rather than directly quoting a specific folk melody.

Score and publishing#

The symphony was published by C.F. Kahnt Nachfolger in Leipzig in 1913, and it was also published in the Carl-Nielsen Edition. Nielsen had sent the original manuscript to the publishing house in Leipzig in 1913. The publishing house closed during the GDR period and moved to West Germany. At some point, the publisher’s materials were packed up and stored in a basement in Leipzig until they were found in 1977 and sent to the Saxon State Archive. Here, the manuscript was identified by Knud Martner, but the information did not get passed on. In 2000, the manuscript came to attention again. Until then, Carl Nielsen experts had believed that the original copy of the manuscript had been lost during World War II. Nielsen received 5,000 marks (1,100$ USD at the time) for publishing rights by C.F. Kahnt, Leipzig, a sum significantly higher than he usually received from his publishers.

Recordings#

It was the first of Nielsen’s symphonies to be commercially released on record, with Erik Tuxen conducting the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Between 2022 and 2023 Detusche Grammopon released 3 CD’s each containing 2 of Nielsen’s symphonies. Releasing all 6 symphonies in April 2023 with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra with Fabio Luisi Conducting. Other orchestra’s such as the New York philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic have also recorded the symphony.

Instrumentation#

• 3 flutes, 3rd flute doubles piccolo
• 3 oboes, 3rd oboe doubles English horn
• 3 clarinets in A and B-flat
• 3 bassoons, 3rd bassoon doubles contrabassoon
• 4 French horns in F
• 3 trumpets in F
• 3 trombones (2 tenor, 1 bass)
• Tuba
• Timpani
• Soprano solo, 2nd movement only (replaceable by 4th clarinet)
• Baritone solo, 2nd movement only (replaceable by 4th trombone)
• Strings

Sources#

Books * See pages 105–123. Reprinted by Hyperion Press . ** in . * See pages 112–136. ** In . Scores *