Top 5 Favorite Sibelius Works

[vandermolen]

You've certainly convinced me to get that Ollila recording on Ondine. Of course, it didn't take much convincing considering how big of a Sibelian I am.

Don't think you'll regret it John. You get the 'Press Celebration Music' thrown in as well.

[Mirror Image]

Don't think you'll regret it John. You get the 'Press Celebration Music' thrown in as well.

Yes, you know for such a nationalistic title as Press Celebration Music, this work is actually very good. I have the Vänskä performance of it on BIS and have enjoyed it greatly.

[SymphonicAddict]

The Piano Quintet in G minor is quite good, indeed. Sibelius, IMHO, has one masterpiece of chamber music, IMHO, and that work is the String Quartet in D minor, "Voces Intimae", Op. 56. Another work that is very good and dates from his more mature period is Malinconia, Op. 20 (for cello/piano). This work is definitely worth your time as are the songs (primarily written for voice and piano, but there are some with a different instrumentation --- of course, the songs arranged with orchestra are worth your time as well). All of those works in your list are obviously masterpieces and for anyone who hasn't heard them and loves early 20th Century music, I have to ask, "Where have you been?"

I remember liking the Voces Intimae quartet quite a bit, though I also remember not being too impressed. I should give it another go soon. The work for cello and piano is unknown for me (IIRC), so it's on my listening list too. I'm not too keen on vocal music in general, but I don't discard trying them in the future.

[Jo498]

The g minor piano quartet is nice but rather early, so are a few early quartets. The Voces intimae seems the only major chamber music piece by Sibelius, I believe. (But even this one is not quite as important as many of his orchestral pieces, I'd say. I usually prefer chamber to orchestral, but Sibelius' quartet would probably miss my top five Sibelius pieces)

[Mirror Image]

I remember liking the Voces Intimae quartet quite a bit, though I also remember not being too impressed. I should give it another go soon. The work for cello and piano is unknown for me (IIRC), so it's on my listening list too. I'm not too keen on vocal music in general, but I don't discard trying them in the future.

Voces intimae was written between the 3rd and 4th symphonies and I say it's a masterstroke on his part. And as far as Nordic string quartets go, this one has to be one of the top ones written for its' time.

[SymphonicAddict]

Voces intimae was written between the 3rd and 4th symphonies and I say it's a masterstroke on his part. And as far as Nordic string quartets go, this one has to be one of the top ones written for its' time.

What recording do you recommend?

[Mirror Image]

What recording do you recommend?

All of the ones I've heard , which would be the Sibelius Academy Quartet, Tempera Quartet, and the Gabrieli String Quartet. They're all fine performances and whichever one is readily available and the cheapest would be the way to go, IMHO.

[SymphonicAddict]

All of the ones I've heard , which would be the Sibelius Academy Quartet, Tempera Quartet, and the Gabrieli String Quartet. They're all fine performances and whichever one is readily available and the cheapest would be the way to go, IMHO.

Very good, thank you! I'll definitely be hearing it these days, and with your recommendations I won't go wrong.

[Mirror Image]

Very good, thank you! I'll definitely be hearing it these days, and with your recommendations I won't go wrong.

You're most welcome, although I hardly think any of my recommendations are better than anyone else's --- I can only go by what I like and had some kind of reaction to upon listening.

[Xenophanes]

The Piano Quintet in G minor is quite good, indeed. Sibelius, IMHO, has one masterpiece of chamber music, IMHO, and that work is the String Quartet in D minor, "Voces Intimae", Op. 56. Another work that is very good and dates from his more mature period is Malinconia, Op. 20 (for cello/piano). This work is definitely worth your time as are the songs (primarily written for voice and piano, but there are some with a different instrumentation --- of course, the songs arranged with orchestra are worth your time as well). All of those works in your list are obviously masterpieces and for anyone who hasn't heard them and loves early 20th Century music, I have to ask, "Where have you been?"

I was fortunate enough to hear the Piano Quintet in G minor in August.  It is very beautiful indeed.  I have no recording of it but it is on YT.  I may get the Gabrieli Qt.'s recording.

I don't think I've given a list of 5 favorite Sibelius works yet.

Symphony no. 5----Maazel, VPO

Symphony no. 2 ----Davis, Barbirolli . . .

Lemminkainen Legends -----Sir Alexander Gibson

Violin Concerto ----- Ricci, Fjelstad, LSO

Luonnotar  ------  Any soprano that can sing it is really, really good. I have Phyllis Bryn-Julson (Gibson) but I have listened to Karita Mattila, who is fantastic, on YT.

[Mirror Image]

I was fortunate enough to hear the Piano Quintet in G minor in August.  It is very beautiful indeed.  I have no recording of it but it is on YT.  I may get the Gabrieli Qt.'s recording.

I don't think I've given a list of 5 favorite Sibelius works yet.

Symphony no. 5----Maazel, VPO

Symphony no. 2 ----Davis, Barbirolli . . .

Lemminkainen Legends -----Sir Alexander Gibson

Violin Concerto ----- Ricci, Fjelstad, LSO

Luonnotar  ------  Any soprano that can sing it is really, really good. I have Phyllis Bryn-Julson (Gibson) but I have listened to Karita Mattila, who is fantastic, on YT.

Very cool about you hearing the Piano Quintet in G minor. It's a very nice work even if it still early Sibelius. That's a nice list. Luonnotar was one of my choices in my previous 'Top 5' list. I prefer hearing either a Finnish or Swedish vocalist in this work, but there have been some performances like Gwyneth Jones with Dorati that have been excellent.

[Jo498]

Voces intimae was written between the 3rd and 4th symphonies and I say it's a masterstroke on his part. And as far as Nordic string quartets go, this one has to be one of the top ones written for its' time.

Voce intimae is probably the top nordic string quartet of its and any time but this is not a particularly high threshold say, compared to the top Austrian string quartet. (The main other contender would probably be Grieg, but do think that the Nielsen quartets are somewhat underrated, though.) Many listeners like Sibelius because of certain moods and generally evocative character of many of his orchestral (or vocal/orchestral) pieces and the string quartet is naturally somewhat different.

[Mirror Image]

Voce intimae is probably the top nordic string quartet of its and any time but this is not a particularly high threshold say, compared to the top Austrian string quartet. (The main other contender would probably be Grieg, but do think that the Nielsen quartets are somewhat underrated, though.) Many listeners like Sibelius because of certain moods and generally evocative character of many of his orchestral (or vocal/orchestral) pieces and the string quartet is naturally somewhat different.

But, for me, the important thing is the composer's voice is still to be found in Voces intimae. This string quartet could've been written by no one else. If people don't like this work because it doesn't match the opulence of the orchestral music, then that's fine, but I still hear Sibelius in this work and his songs, but also the piano music as well. Granted, most of the chamber music is juvenilia, but there are works like the String Quartet in B-flat, Op. 4 that hint at where the composer is heading. I feel Voces intimae has a certain austerity to some of the writing that definitely is a sign of the mature composer. Plus, I just think it's a great piece of music and I enjoy it.

[vandermolen]

Today's list (with favourite recordings)

Luonnotar (Dorati recording)
Four Legends (Thomas Jensen/Horst Stein)
Tapiola (Segerstam, Ondine/Kajanus, Finlandia)
Symphony 4 (Beecham)
Complete Karelia Music (Ondine)

Bonus choice: Complete Tempest Music (BIS)

[Maestro267]

Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 3
Kullervo

[vandermolen]

Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 3
Kullervo

Of those I especially like 2,3 and Kullervo.

[Mirror Image]

Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 3
Kullervo

I refer you to my initial post:

What are your top 5 favorite Sibelius works? There's one stipulation here: you can only pick one symphony. Have fun!

[Mirror Image]

Today's list (in no particular order):

Nightride and Sunrise, Op. 55
Six Songs, Op. 36
Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105
Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 46
Musiikkia Sanomalehdistoön päivien juhlanäytäntöön (Press Celebrations Music), JS 137

[Marc]

I'm far from a 'connaisseur', I have to admit.
But I've always appreciated these, even though it's been some time since I've last listened to them:

Kullervo, op. 7
Five Songs, op. 37
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
String Quartet in d minor, Op. 56, Voces intimae
Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 82

Bonus:
Marian Anderson sings "Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte" from op. 37:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO9yDb_9NVw

[Mirror Image]

An incredibly fine list, Marc.