Rudolph Simonsen
(1889-1947)
Overture in G Minor (1910)
Symphony #1 "Zion" (1920)
Symphony #2 "Hellas" (1921)
South Jutland Symphony Orchestra/Israel Yinon
CPO 777229-2 70:52
The Danish composer Simonsen wrote four symphonies, the other two celebrating Rome and Denmark. The two on this CD are powerful works with frequently exciting orchestration and passages of high drama. Both symphonies' slow movements have something of the atmosphere of the slow movement of Nielsen's 3rd. The overture is one of several Simonsen wrote, and could easily be regarded as a symphonic poem.
