Sibelius' tricky 7th symphony

[O Delvig]

I have three recordings of this symphony - Vanska's, Jarvi's on DG, and Blomstedt's, and while they are all good, they all seem to have something missing. Because of that I feel like I can't really appreciate this work that Sibelius felt was the culmination of his symphonic cycle.

So, what recordings do you own and which do you think most highly of? 

[karlhenning]

But . . . I like Blomstedt's! 

[head-case]

I have three recordings of this symphony - Vanska's, Jarvi's on DG, and Blomstedt's, and while they are all good, they all seem to have something missing. Because of that I feel like I can't really appreciate this work that Sibelius felt was the culmination of his symphonic cycle.

So, what recordings do you own and which do you think most highly of? 

There is nothing to compare with Karajan's famous recording on DG, made in 1966, I believe.  Everything in this set is awesome.

[O Delvig]

But . . . I like Blomstedt's! 

I'll have to give it another spin

[MishaK]

Maazel/VPO. The best thing that guy ever did.

[JoshLilly]

I was interested to discover that this symphony is often tweaked by major conductors, even in recordings. According to Wikipedia:


"Eugene Ormandy decided to boost the violin melody with a trumpet in this 1962 studio recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ormandy also adds a crescendo and a fermata to the final chord, something many conductors do in an attempt to make Sibelius's stark ending sound more conventional."

And

"Osmo Vänskä achieves a very effective ending to the symphony in his 1998 studio recording with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra by following Sibelius's instructions in the score exactly."

It provides a sound sample of each.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._7_%28Sibelius%29

What recordings feature versions that are precise, and which are altered?

I love the last 30 seconds or so of this work, it's one of the neatest endings to any symphony as far as I'm concerned.

[hautbois]

I remember enjoying the 7th (Rattle/CBSO) but didn't really bother to go back to it. Maybe i should do so soon...

Howard

[bhodges]

Another suggestion: Ashkenazy with the Philharmonia, part of his 1980s cycle.  (I haven't heard most of the ones mentioned.)  Love the piece, and think it's one of the composer's best, which is saying something.

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

I was interested to discover that this symphony is often tweaked by major conductors, even in recordings. According to Wikipedia:

"Eugene Ormandy decided to boost the violin melody with a trumpet in this 1962 studio recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ormandy also adds a crescendo and a fermata to the final chord, something many conductors do in an attempt to make Sibelius's stark ending sound more conventional."

I don't know if this one example (Ormandy) justifies the adverb often for the verb tweak.

[JoshLilly]

I first ran across this tweaking as a complaint from a message board posting a long time ago. At the time I'd never heard it and didn't know what it was all about, but I was interested. I discovered that I hated everything by Sibelius that I heard, but was fascinated by this ending, and actually came to like it. I assumed (apparently incorrectly) that altering this symphony was fairly commonplace, based on this comment I read. I've just assumed it for several years now. Oops! I don't know much about Sibelius recordings or performances at all (I don't like his music), only biographical information (which interests me), so I depend on the words of those who listen to his stuff for that part of it.

[karlhenning]

Ormandy was a recidivist tamperer with scores.  He cowed Rakhmaninov into cuts in the Third Concerto, he substituted a men's choir for the cellos in the opening of the Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture, and now I hear he messed with the scoring of a Sibelius symphony.

[dirkronk]

I have lots of options for the 7th on CD: Beecham, Jarvi, Koussevitsky, Mravinsky and Rozhdestvensky. I have a number on LP, too. Rozhdestvensky's is the one I listen to most (and his is still my favorite integral set of Sibelius syms...my copy on Melodiya LP), but all have their felicities.

As a reminder, I'm the guy that doesn't particularly care for many of the highly touted versions of Sibelius symphonies--C.Davis/Boston, Karajan's DGG (I generally prefer his EMI Sibelius, esp. for sym. 5--no real thoughts on his 7), and Berglund. These critical darlings just don't do it for me for some reason. So if you have strong positive feelings about their interps, take my comments with the proverbial grain of salt.

Wild card comment: a few months back, I put on an ancient mono LP of Collins doing the 7th and sat utterly entranced through the entire performance (and was tempted to put it back in the lead-in groove after it had ended--it was that lovely).

Just my two cents.

Dirk

[JoshLilly]

Ormandy was a recidivist tamperer with scores.  He cowed Rakhmaninov into cuts in the Third Concerto, he substituted a men's choir for the cellos in the opening of the Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture, and now I hear he messed with the scoring of a Sibelius symphony.

Yikes! I don't like conductors modifying the works. I don't know that I have a single Ormandy recording in my entire, hefty CD collection, so meh. Anyway, did you check out those sound samples and hear the big difference, on the Wikipedia article? Hmm, now I'm starting to wonder why I'm so interested in something so miniscule and really uninteresting. I guess it's because I really, really like that ending, and I don't know why.

[MishaK]

Ormandy was a recidivist tamperer with scores.  He cowed Rakhmaninov into cuts in the Third Concerto, he substituted a men's choir for the cellos in the opening of the Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture, and now I hear he messed with the scoring of a Sibelius symphony.

He also makes some serious cuts in R-K's Sheherazade, most notably in the final movement.

[vandermolen]

Beecham's EMI recording is my favourite. Koussevitsy's is also a fine interpretation. I have also felt that Colin Davis was very overrated as a Sibelius conductor. The Karajan set, mentioned above, is very good and Maazel's Decca recording is fine.

[MishaK]

I have also felt that Colin Davis was very overrated as a Sibelius conductor. 

I haven't and I've heard Davis live. He's one of the most attentive when it comes to phrasings, dynamics and textures. So much is lost in Sibelius when a conductor doesn't pay attention to texture.

[O Delvig]

Maazel/VPO. The best thing that guy ever did.

This one?: (Maazel/VPO recording of 4, 7, and Tapiola)

http://www.amazon.com/Sibelius-Symphonies-Maazel-Philharmonic-Orchestra/dp/B00004TTX3/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1199469942&sr=8-2

I seem to recall hearing good things about his 4th as well, and I would like to hear a second recording of Tapiola to compare with Vanska's amazing version.

[Brian]

This resource may be of use - probably the biggest collection of Sibelius 7 reviews ever assembled, in which a certified Sibelius Nutcase searches for answers. I don't know if any of you will find yourselves agreeing with him, but it makes for fun reading.

[dirkronk]

I haven't and I've heard Davis live. He's one of the most attentive when it comes to phrasings, dynamics and textures. So much is lost in Sibelius when a conductor doesn't pay attention to texture.

To be fair, some posters here and elsewhere have told me that Colin Davis's live Sibelius performances (w/ a London orchestra?) are far more engrossing than his older, well-known Boston cycle, and I have not heard the live ones. Since I love a lot of that conductor's early performances (of Mozart, Rossini, Berlioz), I suppose I should track down those live recordings and give them a listen.

Dirk

[Peregrine]

Berglund/BSO, Ormandy/PO, Beecham/NYPO, Barbirolli/Halle

Would like to hear Mravinsky and Rozhdestvensky...