Sibelius

I've been raving about this since it arrived last week. Under £22 from Amazon, 7CD a bargin!

I have to say that what I've listened to so far of the Davis has been a little disappointed and I think he is better served both in his earlier recordings in Boston (for Philips) and his more recent ones on the LSO Live label (the disc of 3&7 stands out particularly).

Barbirolli has a lot of fans, and if you like a sunnier reading of the works that's the best place to go. Osmo Vanska is popular too, these days, but I found his readings not to be that engaging (plus the dynamic range is very wide which can make finding a volume to listen at tricky if you don't live in the middle of nowhere). However, his recording of the Kullervo symphony is a must.

If you liked Karajan, you could do worse than pick up his disc of 4-7 on DG. Jansons. various recordings are well worth seeking out too.

At the moment my favourite set comes from Oramo and the City of Birmingham Symphony - there you will find a Finlandia that is anything but dull.

I'm midway through a very long thread on the subject, so you'll find these opinions expanded on in, probably, far too much detail there (though not on Davis as I'm still working through them):

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/38019385/m/6292977507/

regards, Tam

I completely agree with Tam that the earlier set on Philips with the Boston SO under Davis is splendid. I personally am very fond of Sir John Barbirolli's Halle set on EMI, and these performances are anything but dull, though some have reported that the 1960s recordings are variable in quality and occasionally not quite from the top draw.

Another estimable set that no one else ever mentions here, but which was very much approved of by Sibelius himself - he was able to clarify issues with the conductor, as to exactly what he had in mind and there is both that authority to it, and very satisfying performances - is the set led by Anthony Collins with the LSO originally on Decca LP [1950s mono], and reissued on current Beulah CDs. These contrast with Barbirolli splendidly, but both sets bring out slightly different aspects of the music, and both conductors knew Sibelius.

Then the real special is the series of English Columbia/HMV/EMI recordings from 1930 and '32 with the LSO where various incidental pieces were set down with Tappiola and Symphonies 1,2,3, and 5. The conductor was Prof Robert Kajanus, who gave several of the works recorded their premiere performances, and who was a close personal friend of Sibelius, and collaborator on his music for nearly forty years.

This is about as close as we are going to get to Sibelius conducting the works himself. Sibelius recommended Kajanus for these very early recordings, as being the "best and most natural conductor in my music." Only the Fifth falls down in any serious fashion. The music was entirely new to the orchestra, and there is some scruffy ensemble in the Fifth, but elsewhere there is some wonderful light cast on the music, and some perspectives are indeed different in these readings, which are very close to what Sibelius had in mind. Try the slow Movement from the Third as an example of a completely different and very beautiful take! There is a delicacy and emotional vulnerability in this, which has never been brought out in this way on any subsequent recording. I have the Finlandia /EMI CDs of these, now sadly deleted. The Koch transfers were less fine, but I think Naxos may be planning their release. Naxos are getting very good at historical re-releases.

George

quote:

Originally posted by FlyMe:
I've been raving about this since it arrived last week. Under £22 from Amazon, 7CD a bargin!

I too have this set, and have no complaints (to put it mildly). Still, I'll be interested to read Tam's thoughts when he posts them.

Regards
Nigel

A friend of mine has the Kajanus Conducts Sibelius box set and everytime I was over at his he used to play it for me. Wonderful though the sound itself was nothing to write home about.

quote:

Originally posted by droodzilla:
I too have this set, and have no complaints (to put it mildly).

And, from what I've listened to I can hear why not. I've got too much Sibelius and, more so, when comparing Davis's recordings (I have four of him in the second) so I do get slightly into hair splitting territory. It's certainly good value and it's one of the few boxes that includes Kullervo. I think it would be hard to buy it and feel short changed.

regards, Tam

I am currently enjoying the performances by he Lahti Symphony Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vanska. These are available separately (I think) but are also part of an excellent 15 CD set on BIS - The Essential Sibelius.
There are also the classic performances by Kajanus et al from the 1930's, I've not heard the CD versions but the vinyl on World Records are amongst my favourites.

Happy listening

David

Dear Bertie,

The World Records Club issues of the Kajanus recordings on Lps were from the same transfers [done by AC Griffith at Abbey Road] used for EMIs own short lived CD issue and subsequently licensed by Finlandia. They are far better than any subsequent transfers, as they derive from new pressings from the Metal Master parts. Koch, and Naxos had to work with commercial shellac, which in the early thirties was distinctly noisy.

The performances themselves are fully worth the effort to search out, as it does root us very closely, in the same as Elgar's own recordings do, with the prevailing style of the time, and the composer's intentions. This does not make them definitive, so much as rather significant. This would be not so important if the music making were not of such a high calibre!

I had some of those BIS recordings made at Lahti, and once again we seem to move from the high pressure modern world of superstars into something more private and expressive on a different and perhaps deeper level. It is no surprise that the Fins still have a unique take on this music!

George

I would also like to put a plug in for Boult's Live 1963 RFH performance of the Sixth Symphony. Compelling, clear, and particularly lucid in this recording within the quite acoustically dry confines of the old RFH. The syncopations that launch the work are clear in a way no other recording I have come across brings out, which lends shape to the direction of the music from the first bars on. Fanatstic, and coupled with more Boult led performances of the Unfinished Symphony of Schubert, the Jeux d'enfants of Bizet, and the Second Daphnis and Cloé Suite from Ravel. An altogether winning disc of superb performances ...

It's only my personal opinion but I found the Davis set mentioned by Droodzilla to be the most consistently satisfying that I have heard. Karajan in Symphonies 4-7 is superb, Jansons 1st and Davis's live second are great. The best (to me) version of the third is Davis from the RCA set. His LSO Live version to me just doesn't hang together.
I haven't heard the Kajanus discs yet but they are regarde so highly that I will try to do so.
Ken

Dear Ken,

Send me an email, in profile, and I will loan you the Kajanus highlights at least - not number Five! I have a spare set, so if you like you can keep. George

quote:

Originally posted by KenM:
Jansons 1st and Davis's live second are great.

Is that Jansons' Bavarian one? After hearing them play the second last year I keep meaning to track it down.

Also, having just been listening to it, the second from that Davis box is quite something.

regards, Tam

Tam,

Jansons Sibelius Symphony No.1
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
EMI 0777 7 54273 2 5

Davis Sibelius Symphony No.2 (live recording)
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Decca 436 566-2

Regards,

Ken

Thanks Ken. I must confess that with 4 under my belt I thought I had all the Davis seconds, I don't really think I need a 5th.

As to the Jansons, I have a feeling it is currently deleted. Perhaps EMI will give the whole lot the reissue they deserve at some point.

regards, Tam

Tam (and anyone else misguided enough to read my posts),

Senility has struck!

The "Davis" recording was in fact by Ashkenazy. Nevertheless, it's a fine recording and distictly better than his studio version (as heard in his boxed set).

Sorry for the mistake,

Ken.
Time for my Ovaltine.....

My favorite Sibelius recording I expect will always be the Barbirolli/RPO 2nd (Chesky), although I am also fond of the more recent Jansons/Concertgebouw 2nd (RCO Live). I also hold the Maazel/VPO 4th & 7th (Decca Legends) in high regard. The Segerstrom Legends (Ondine) is also superb.

Dear All,

Thanks for the rec. I bought:

quote:

Oramo and the City of Birmingham Symphony

£24.

M

Sibelius: Symphony No. 2
Jean Sibelius (Composer), Sir John Barbirolli (Conductor), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra)




Recorded in 1962, under the auspices of Engineer Ken Wilkinson and Producer Charles Gerhardt, Sir John's performance with The Royal Philharmonic is a timeless treasure of immense emotional impact. We owe a debt of gratitude to Chesky Records for committing such a masterwork to CD.


Larry

We had a Sibelius Unbound series from Salonen last year and ending this winter. It was great. In a talk he said the music was everywhere growing up so he would not study it or play it. Then chanced upon some scores in a shop in Europe a few years back and rethought his objection. They really are wonderful and paired with other works were amazing. The 4th was the bleakest thing I've heard in a long time. I also heard the 2nd and 7th, just an amazing interpretation with such tension held in quiet moments.

Sir Thomas Beecham's Sibelius, especially a live recording of No.2 with the RPO are worth tracking down