1 Tempo giusto
2 Humoreske: Allegretto
3 Proposta seria: Adagio
4 Tema con variazioni: Allegro 鈥� Allegretto un poco

Carl Nielsen began work on his last symphony in the summer of 1924, at the north Danish seaside resort of Skagen. It was, he announced, to have 鈥榓 different character than my others: more charming, smooth鈥�. There would be something of the delightful conversational character of the recent Wind Quintet: 鈥業 think through the instruments 鈥� as though I had crept inside them.鈥� The symphony would have a title, Sinfonia semplice (鈥楽imple Symphony鈥�), reflecting its 鈥榚ntirely idyllic character鈥�.

But it turned out very differently. Was Nielsen simply deluding himself? There had been plenty of pain in his life in the recent past: physically in the series of heart attacks that had increasingly robbed him of his strength; mentally in the collapse of his marriage and of his nationalist-humanist beliefs in the wake of the First World War. The symphony鈥檚 opening, with its cheery glockenspiel chimes and jog-trotting folk-like main theme, seems to live up to Nielsen鈥檚 initial plan; but very soon notes of anguish begin to be heard: little jabs on strings and woodwind and plaintive falling violin lines as the glockenspiel tries to restart the jog-trotting theme. Anxiety grows throughout the first movement, until trumpets, trombones and tuba pile in through tearing string figures, building to a ferociously dissonant climax. Eventually the movement ends in sad resignation 鈥� or is it perplexity?

The 鈥楬umoreske鈥� that follows is in weird contrast: jerky puppet-dances are punctuated by derisive yawns on solo trombone. Then comes 鈥楶roposta seria鈥� (鈥楢 serious proposition鈥�). 鈥楽erious鈥� it certainly is, but it鈥檚 enigmatic too: nobly tragic string figures contrast with hopeless meandering on muted violins and later woodwind. A kind of peace is achieved; but then the finale鈥檚 savage fun and games begin: a half-folksy, half-snide bassoon theme is treated to a kaleidoscope of crazed variations, manic one moment, desperately sad the next. The variation near the end for tuba, bass drum and xylophone feels like a vision of what Nielsen himself called 鈥榖ony death鈥�. 鈥楤ut I want to defy death,鈥� Nielsen told a friend. Simple it may not be, but somehow the spirit of humour survives 鈥� right through to the symphony鈥檚 very last note.

Programme notes 漏 Stephen Johnson