Tuesday 31 March 2015

Celebrating Carl Nielsen and John McCabe

SOMM Recordings is marking the Carl Nielsen 150th anniversary by celebrating the recorded legacy of the late John McCabe and re-releasing McCabe's complete recordings of Nielsen's piano music. Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) is best known nowadays for his six symphonies, but his other repertoire is certainly worth re-investigation. 

John McCabe ran his career as a composer in parallel to that as a pianist, and in the latter role specialised in exploring little known and unjustly neglected composers. His recording of the complete Haydn piano sonatas was a milestone, and these have been on sale continuously since the 1970's. McCabe's complete recording of Nielsen's piano music was made in 1975 for Decca. They have now been remastered by engineer Paul Arden-Taylor and are being issued in a slimline 2-CD set with extensive accompanying notes by Robert Matthew-Walker. Essential listening for all those interested not only in Nielsen and fine pianism, but in the artistry of a much loved performer. 

You can hear sample on SoundCloud.

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