Sibelius Symphonies

I've never listened to that set, but Ashkenazy's set on Decca is very good and in excellent sound, and is on Decca as well. Leonard Bernstein's CBS set is superb, though the 60s sound is dated now. Both are also rather cheap.

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Fredrik,

I don't know that set (and to be honest Blomstedt has never much impressed me). Based on what I have heard so far, the set from Vanska on BIS takes some beating (it also includes a stunning reading of the early Kullervo symphony). It's price may seem a little steep, around £60, but the 15 discs contain far more than just the symphonies:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-Sibelius-Laura-Vikman...id=1175970988&sr=1-1

http://www.bis.se/index.php?sokTyp=titel&sokText=essential&Skicka=Search%21

You may also like to glance as my ongoing thread on the symphonies which I've bumped to the top.

regards, Tam

Also worth checking out is Colin Davis with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on Philips:
446 157-2
446 160-2

Some of Davis's more recent LSO Live issues are stunning - most notably the disc of 3&7.

regards, Tam

Best set out there IM-and many others'-O is the VPO/Maazel on Decca:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sibelius-Symphonies-Nos-1-7-Jea...id=1176118597&sr=8-1

Certainly the most remarkable 4th on record, and the sound and orchestral playing are a treat.

... just noticed there's a used set available for 7 quid... should be cheap enough if you're not sure!!

You can buy the Colin Davis/LSO set on RCA for about £18.00 from Amazon. The 7-CD set also includes the major tone poems, including the big ones such as Kullervo, the Lemminkainen Legends and En Saga.

The recordings and performances are all very good, some are outstanding and the value is unbeatable.

If you like your Sibelius beatiful, rather than Nordic chilled, try Karajan's DG recording of the Symphonies 4-7, or Ashkenazy on Decca.

I find the extremely wide, possibly exaggerated dynamic range of some recent recordings just too much for my ears. I find the Vanska "En Saga" on BIS pretty well unplayable, so I am reluctant to try his Symphonies.

Sanderling and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Probably not the ultimate recording, but definitely worth listening to.

Claude