The Top 10 Cities For Billionaires Series 9 San Francisco

This is the first of two Double Decca reissues containing Herbert Blomstedt’s justly praised second cycle of the complete Nielsen Symphonies. Disc one of this convenient gatefolding “twofer” contains Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2, while Symphony No. 3, the Maskarade Overture, and the highly infectious Alladin Suite (complete with optional wordless chorus) occupy the second disc. Blomstedt directs all three symphonies with just the sort of unfussy naturalness and rhythmic thrust that Nielsen’s music demands.

The three Copland classics on this disc–Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring and Rodeo–are all ballet scores, and from the very first bars of Billy, with its evocative depiction of the wide-open prairies, you are firmly in the territory of music that tells a story. But you don't need to follow all the ins and outs of each story to enjoy music which paints as vivid a picture of rural America as you could hope for. If the sprightly "Hoe Down" from Rodeo brings a splash of colour to concert programmes, the remarkable thing about so much of the music in these three pieces is how quietly sensitive it is. And while Michael Tilson Thomas does not hold back in wringing every last ounce of splashy razzmatazz, he is equally the master of introspective music which clearly demonstrates that you don't need to be loud to be a populist. The recordings were made in the San Francisco Symphony's home, Davies Symphony Hall. You couldn't hope for more authentic performances than this–more than 76 minutes of dyed-in-the-wool Americana.