Contrary to the set of 1-4 by Berglund, I think I will want to explore Segertam’s vision of Sibelius again. None of the symphonies was a flop, although he has more to offer in the larger or more complex confections.
His 4th is very good without offering a specific POV, whether it is in the sound and fury of elemental forces, or the cryptic, Rubik cube nature of its more enigmatic features. Nonetheless, in its brahmsian embrace of the score, Segerstam confidently leads the listener to the end of an event-filled journey.
The 5th is another matter. The Lemminkäinen-like sense of a conquering journey leads to a truly epiphanic performance of the coda in the first movement. A big WOW moment, the likes of which I had remembered Davis/Boston from many years ago, but that seldom fails to materialize in more analytical, fastidiously articulated performances. A sense of all hell breaking loose (Rozhdestvensky) is what I’m looking for. No wonder that when it’s well done, the serene andante that follows sounds and serves more as an interlude than a structural symphonic element. Orchestra and engineering are all that could be asked.
Executive summary of the Segerstam set: superb, top of the line performances of 7 and 5, very interesting and event-filled performances of 4, 1 and 2, rather too objective and non-committal performances of 3 and 6. The fillers are well done, including the rare In Memoriam. Luxurious sound, very resonant and colourful.
