Greatest Sibelius Symphony

[Sergeant Rock]

Have never found that truly perfect recording that makes the 7th undeniably impressive, would like a really sentimental recording underlining the melodic lines and sweeping sound of strings etc.

Try Bernstein with the Vienna Phil. 25 minutes worth of luscious Vienna strings.



Sarge

[DieNacht]

Try Bernstein with the Vienna Phil. 25 minutes worth of luscious Vienna strings.



Sarge

Haven´t heard that, will give it a try one of these days, thanks. I´ve bought the early Bernstein-CBS set quite recently & it was a good surprise with some unusual performance traits, but of his later DG compilation I know only Bernstein in the 1st Symphony, slightly broader perhaps but still very engaged and convincing. Of the 7th I have Mravinsky, Rozhdestvensky, Davis 1, Ashkenazy, Karajan DG (probably my preferred) and Bernstein/CBS, and sold Maazel and Abravanel.

[starrynight]

I hope you don't mind, but I am going to use this thread to try and gain a bit of insight into Sibelius. If Bruckner and Prokofiev came naturally to me, I had to work a bit with Shostakovich and Mahler. But Sibelius is a bit of a mystery to me. I enjoy some of his tone poems and I have thoroughly enjoyed his piano works. But his symphonies are still quite far away for me. When I listen to this clip above, I am not trasnported anywhere, but am more often than not confused.

What is going on here? The structure seems all over the place. Strings like bees, than that is abandoned and we are somewhere else. There is a moment about 3/4 of the way through when the trumpets have an achingly beautiful melody, but this doesn't go anywhere either (though I believe it was repeated, so maybe I need to go back and listen again) and the impact of that beauty seems lost to me. The good news is, I don't dislike the music. I just cannot see what it is trying to say. Is this more of a pastoral symphony (like Beethoven 5) - should i approach it from that angle (is that why they revealed the landscape behind, which I also didn't understand unless it is indeed a pastoral)? And then an odd ending. I like odd endings, and rather enjoyed this one, but I cannot see how it connects to anything in the symphony. I actually have #5, so could listen the whole way through (with Karajan on EMI). I would be interested to hear what others are hearing and perceiving here.

Later I will listen to the clip of #7, which I don't have and have never heard.

I think it's quite a sunny heroic sounding piece.  Lots of pent up energy at the start the music is sotto voce a bit like the start of Brahms 2 last movement.  The main theme is very stateley and proud, the woodwind and brass giving a very open air feel to the music.  Some might see it as representing the majesty of nature and it's indomitable force and energy.  The bursts of sound at the end remind me a bit of the end of Beethoven's 5th.

[Madiel]

I need to pull them all out for a listen just to confirm my ratings, it's been a while for some of them.

Also, I'm trying to decide whether a 'super-movement' can lift its symphony.  I adore the 1st movement of Symphony 3, it truly is one of my favourite things by anyone.  But I'm not quite as sold on the rest, especially the last movement.

I have Ashkenazy by the way, in case people would like to take the opportunity to point out that in some other recording the last movement hangs together marvellously and all makes perfect sense.

[Brian]

5, 6, 7. And 4. And 3. No! 5, 6, and... oh you fiend! What a difficult question.

I might go with 5, 6, and 7. Or 3, 5, 6. Or... aw it's no use.

I have Ashkenazy by the way, in case people would like to take the opportunity to point out that in some other recording the last movement hangs together marvellously and all makes perfect sense.

Hmmm, well there are other recordings where the tempo changes in the last movement are handled better - say, Segerstam with the Helsinki Philharmonic. I do recall thinking Ashkenazy was a little eccentric at times. Still, I love the piece totally so I might be biased.

[Karl Henning]

. . .  I adore the 1st movement of Symphony 3, it truly is one of my favourite things by anyone.  But I'm not quite as sold on the rest, especially the last movement.

I have Ashkenazy by the way, in case people would like to take the opportunity to point out that in some other recording the last movement hangs together marvellously and all makes perfect sense.

Hm. I've not heard A. in the 3rd, and so I cannot speak to this directly. Will say, though, that the entire symphony has always been musically satisfactory to mine ears.

Try Blomstedt/SFSO.

[Lisztianwagner]

I voted for No.4, No.5 and No.7

Karajan and Ashkenazy recorded my favourite versions of Sibelius' symphonies, but also Blomstedt, Maazel and Bernstein made very, very remarkable performances.