IF IT'S NOT BEAUTIFUL, IT'S NOT GREAT:

In 1925, at the age of 60, Denmark's national composer gave in to depression. "If I could live my life again," said Carl Nielsen, "I would ... take a commercial apprenticeship or do some other form of useful work that would lead to a visible final result. The creative artist's lot is not a happy one."

The ending of the sixth is a bad joke without a punchline

Nielsen was working at the time on his sixth symphony, titled "the simple symphony" though it was nothing of the sort. His marriage had broken down, and he was feeling unappreciated. His fifth symphony, in two movements, was packed with impotent rage. The sixth was pared down to semi-disjointed statements, enigmatic and forever unsettling. Nielsen delved deep into himself whilst offering limited rewards to his listeners. The ending of the sixth is a bad joke without a punchline. He is perhaps the most elusive of great composers.

Every decade or so, a conductor attempts to make sense of the six symphonies on record. 

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