Thomas Dausgaard and the Danish National Symphony's recordings of Berwald are Berwald for domestic use. The fantastically imaginative, the ardently lyrical, the powerfully muscled Berwald of Sixten Ehrling and Okko Kamu is banished and in his place is a less imaginative Mendelssohn, a less lyrical Schubert, and a less passionate Schumann. Dausgaard's Sinfonie serieuse isn't serious; it's reserved, restrained, and tedious. Dausgaard's Sinfonie capricieuse isn't capricious; it's dry, dull, and distant. Dausgaard's Erinnerung an die norwegischen Alpen isn't memorable; it's instantly forgettable. The Danish National Symphony is a more than competent orchestra with colorful winds, strong strings, warm brass, and an easy and graceful ensemble, but it seems uninvolved and uninterested in Berwald's music. Chandos' sound is superbly balanced and amazingly realistic, but the performances they record are at best uninteresting and at worst wearisome. For great Berwald, stick with either Ehrling's on BIS or Kamu's on Naxos.
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