Oliver Knussen (b1952): Symphony Nos. 2 & 3 London Sinfonietta / Oliver Knussen Philharmonia Orchestra / Michael Tilson Thomas Elaine Barry, Linda Hirst, sopranos The Nash Ensemble Michael Collins, Edward Pillinger, Ian Mitchell, clarinets NMC D175 • This release on the NMC mid-price re-issue label Ancora was previously issued on Unicorn-Kanchana Records. • Composer/conductor Oliver Knussen celebrates his 60th birthday this year. • Knussen's Ophelia Dances will be performed by BCMG at his 60th birthday concert held in May 2012 at the CBSO Centre (Birmingham, UK) • 'No figure in British contemporary music is more respected than Oliver Knussen' The Guardian • A new disc on NMC of works by Knussen will be released this autumn, featuring BCMG, Ryan Wigglesworth and soprano Claire Booth. • Knussen started composing at the age of 6: aged 15 he stepped in to conduct his symphony's première at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 1968 after István Kertész fell ill.   After that debut, Daniel Barenboim asked him to conduct the work's first two movements in New York a week later. This is a substantial sampler of Oliver Knussen's output in the 1970s.   The two major works are the luminous Second Symphony, which takes the form of a 17-minute song cycle to texts of Georg Trakl and Sylvia Plath and Symphony No. 3, a symphonic poem about Shakespeare's Ophelia. TRACK LISTING       Symphony No. 3     14'52 01. Andante misterioso - Fantastico -     2'12 02. Allegro con fuoco -     4'54 03. Molto tranquillo     7'46       Phiiharmonia Orchestra • Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor 04. Trumpets for soprano and 3 clarinets     4'02       Linda Hirst, soprano • Michael Collins, Edward Pillinger,       Ian Mitchell, clarinets • Oliver Knussen, conductor 05. Ophelia Dances, Book 1     7'08       London Sinfonietta • Oliver Knussen, conductor 06. Coursing for chamber orchestra     4'56       London Sinfonietta • Oliver Knussen, conductor 07. Cantata for oboe and string trio     10'11       The Nash Ensemble       Symphony No. 2 for soprano and chamber orchestra     16'09 08. I Allegro - Scuro - Spettrale     4'30 09. 'Die Ratten': Adagio - II Scorrevole     3'12 10. III 'Edge' Lentissimo     4'21 11. A tempo - IV 'An die Schwester' Andante     4'06       Elaine Barry, soprano • London Sinfonietta • Oliver Knussen, conductor       Total     58'21 NMC Recordings are distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading, P.O.Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone (03) 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile (03) 9444 6879