The Snowshoed Sibelius

[Karl Henning]

My evolution was pretty straight forward: It started with the Second, which was the first I heard live and the first I had on record. And which happens to be the most conventional. I loved the performance and I played the hell out of the CD. And then I worked my way through, loving it more or less along the way, except for the Fourth, which proved elusive for many, many years -- and to some extent still is.

I do love the 7th, though... and I think that love came pretty soon after the 2nd. What an ending. What conciseness. It's like I'm floating, constantly, listening to the music. The Sixth you hear less often in concert, but when it's performed, it really works. Loved this concert (https://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/london-town-sibelius-lovers-frozen-dream.html), with Vanska substituting for Davis (who would subsequently never conduct the LSO again and died some five months later) and Kavakos: All-Sibelius at the Barbican.

My own Sibelius journey was broadly similar.

[vers la flamme]

I can listen to Sibelius any time. He's just that kind of composer. But, yes, there's a certain wintry quality to much of Sibelius' music that's undeniable, but I often wonder if it's just the listener adding their own imagery or does the sound of his music seem to naturally evoke the homeland of the composer? Perhaps this would be better suited for the Sibelius thread...

To resume a conversation from the Schnittke thread... certain Sibelius symphonies are just the essence of winter. The 6th, the 4th, the 7th, and perhaps even the 2nd. Perhaps I am projecting here, but to me the evocation is undeniable. I can almost see the wintry landscapes in the music.

[Mirror Image]

To resume a conversation from the Schnittke thread... certain Sibelius symphonies are just the essence of winter. The 6th, the 4th, the 7th, and perhaps even the 2nd. Perhaps I am projecting here, but to me the evocation is undeniable. I can almost see the wintry landscapes in the music.

I can certainly hear those snowscapes in his music as well but I think it's because of the musical language he used and the way the music is expressed. Simon Rattle once said, and I'm paraphrasing here, that "There's not a wasted note in Sibelius' music. Once he's said what he needs to say, the music just stops." I think this speaks clearly of the character that's behind the music as well. A man that didn't mince words and expressed himself as clearly as possible. There's a lot to admire in someone who speaks in this manner. I also think his music just has that Nordic sound. Lots of silences and slow-moving harmonies. It really is music unlike any I've heard before. He's one of my all-time favorite composers and an early discovery for me.

[Mirror Image]

I've been listening to Berglund's Bournemouth set (the hybrid SACD issued box set) and have been completely enthralled by it. This could become my reference symphony cycle.

[vandermolen]

I've been listening to Berglund's Bournemouth set (the hybrid SACD issued box set) and have been completely enthralled by it. This could become my reference symphony cycle.

It's excellent John. Better than the Helsinki one I think.

[Karl Henning]

Cool

[vers la flamme]

Cool

Yes, very cool 

I love the Berglund/Bournemouth cycle. It was my first and, as of yet, only complete Sibelius cycle. I don't see a time coming that it will be replaced as my "reference" set. That being said, I am hungry lately for other sets to complement it. Lately I have been more than satisfied with a few of the Naxos discs, Petri Sakari conducting the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Very very good recordings I think, more pared down, leaner, "icier" where Berglund sometimes brings a Romantic warmth and lushness to the music (to great effect, might I add). And yet for times when Berglund is not romantic enough, I have been slowly collecting the Vladimir Ashkenazy Sibelius recordings – I have 2 and 5 and I think he's very good with both, though I am skeptical about his work with the more arcane and austere symphonies – and then Karajan, a lifelong, dedicated Sibelian. Karajan apparently conducted Sibelius' 4th for his inaugural concert as music director of the BPO, which told me a lot about him as a person when I heard that. I just got his 2CD with symphonies 4 through 7 with the BPO (on DG, 1960s recordings) but have not heard much of it yet.

Another Sibelian conductor I have been curious about as of late is Colin Davis. But his time will come, I am more curious about the Finns lately.

I have decided to give Osmo Vänskä another shot after previously having not liked his work. I ordered his recording of Kullervo with the Lahti Symphony. It was available at a great price. I understand that his recording of the Wood Nymph is definitive too. I have been wanting to spend more time with that work.

Finally, to end a long post, I have been really enjoying En Saga lately. Petri Sakari and the Icelanders are great here.

PS. I would like to thank SymphonicAddict (if I'm not mistaken) for resurrecting this thread a few weeks ago to talk about the 7th symphony, as that post prompted me to revisit the symphony which then sparked a significant ongoing Sibelius kick for me. Hearing so much of his music lately has been richly rewarding.

[J]

I've been listening to Berglund's Bournemouth set (the hybrid SACD issued box set) and have been completely enthralled by it. This could become my reference symphony cycle.

I like Nos. 3 & 6 best of Berglund's Bournemouth cycle, and they're probably my favorite renditions of those two Symphonies among all I have heard.

[Mirror Image]

It's excellent John. Better than the Helsinki one I think.

I think so, too. It's a spectacular cycle.

[Mirror Image]

I like Nos. 3 & 6 best of Berglund's Bournemouth cycle, and they're probably my favorite renditions of those two Symphonies among all I have heard.

Yes, both fine performances, indeed. But I have been more than satisfied with the other performances.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, very cool 

I love the Berglund/Bournemouth cycle. It was my first and, as of yet, only complete Sibelius cycle. I don't see a time coming that it will be replaced as my "reference" set. That being said, I am hungry lately for other sets to complement it. Lately I have been more than satisfied with a few of the Naxos discs, Petri Sakari conducting the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Very very good recordings I think, more pared down, leaner, "icier" where Berglund sometimes brings a Romantic warmth and lushness to the music (to great effect, might I add). And yet for times when Berglund is not romantic enough, I have been slowly collecting the Vladimir Ashkenazy Sibelius recordings – I have 2 and 5 and I think he's very good with both, though I am skeptical about his work with the more arcane and austere symphonies – and then Karajan, a lifelong, dedicated Sibelian. Karajan apparently conducted Sibelius' 4th for his inaugural concert as music director of the BPO, which told me a lot about him as a person when I heard that. I just got his 2CD with symphonies 4 through 7 with the BPO (on DG, 1960s recordings) but have not heard much of it yet.

Another Sibelian conductor I have been curious about as of late is Colin Davis. But his time will come, I am more curious about the Finns lately.

I have decided to give Osmo Vänskä another shot after previously having not liked his work. I ordered his recording of Kullervo with the Lahti Symphony. It was available at a great price. I understand that his recording of the Wood Nymph is definitive too. I have been wanting to spend more time with that work.

Finally, to end a long post, I have been really enjoying En Saga lately. Petri Sakari and the Icelanders are great here.

PS. I would like to thank SymphonicAddict (if I'm not mistaken) for resurrecting this thread a few weeks ago to talk about the 7th symphony, as that post prompted me to revisit the symphony which then sparked a significant ongoing Sibelius kick for me. Hearing so much of his music lately has been richly rewarding.

I haven't warmed up to Colin Davis' Sibelius. I find much of his work to be lackluster in general, though. I've just never been the biggest fan of his conducting. Yes, stick with the Finns! They know their Sibelius (obviously). Have you listened to any of the Segerstam/Helsinki recordings on Ondine yet? They're amazingly good. Segerstam has the best Lemminkäinen Suite I've ever heard, but all of his recordings are worth checking out. I haven't spent too much time with Sakari, but that's only because it's hard for me to shake my impressions of Karajan, Berglund, Segerstam, and Vänskä. I consider these conductors to be the crème de la crème of Sibelians.

[aukhawk]

Sakari has been supplanted on Naxos by Inkinen anyway.  I've tried the Inkinen 6th/7th but wasn't impressed.

The Davis/LSO Live 3rd was chosen by Building a Library, and his 7th easily won the GMG mini-blind listen, though admittedly that was too small a sample to be meaningful.  Again, I'm not keen personally.

I recently bought a high-res transfer of the Karajan/DG 6th/7th, in the vain hope of finding a fuller sound in the 6th, which has always just sounded weedy to me.  Although differences can be seen if you look at spectrograms etc, there's nothing noticeably audible.  No better, no worse.  As you might expect, more fool me.  Berglund/ECO is a good fit for the 6th - that sounds weedy too, but it's OK now because its only a small orchestra.

[amw]

The Paul Mägi/Uppsala Chamber Orchestra version of the 7th is very good. Admittedly not a piece I listen to very often.

For the 6th—also not a piece I listen to very often, although for different reasons—Hans Rosbaud/Köln RSO usually suits my needs, but I don't think the sound is great. Berglund/Bournemouth definitely sounds better but I don't remember anything about the interpretation.

[vers la flamme]

I haven't warmed up to Colin Davis' Sibelius. I find much of his work to be lackluster in general, though. I've just never been the biggest fan of his conducting. Yes, stick with the Finns! They know their Sibelius (obviously). Have you listened to any of the Segerstam/Helsinki recordings on Ondine yet? They're amazingly good. Segerstam has the best Lemminkäinen Suite I've ever heard, but all of his recordings are worth checking out. I haven't spent too much time with Sakari, but that's only because it's hard for me to shake my impressions of Karajan, Berglund, Segerstam, and Vänskä. I consider these conductors to be the crème de la crème of Sibelians.

No Segerstam for me, not yet, though I am curious to explore his recordings. Sakari is worth a listen I think. If you ever see one of the CDs at a used shop go for it. Not sure whether it's worth going out of your way to collect his cycle if you already have your favorites.

[Jo498]

For a huge overview check out the "Sibeliusaurus" review

http://www.classicalmusicguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=27007#p269024

It doesn't have recordings of the last 10 years and this link is not the original, but the one I could most easily find.

[vers la flamme]

For a huge overview check out the "Sibeliusaurus" review

http://www.classicalmusicguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=27007#p269024

It doesn't have recordings of the last 10 years and this link is not the original, but the one I could most easily find.

I'm sure there is wisdom to be garnered from this post, but I have a really hard time reading such a massive wall of text. It's giving me a headache just thinking about it. 

[Madiel]

For a huge overview check out the "Sibeliusaurus" review

http://www.classicalmusicguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=27007#p269024

It doesn't have recordings of the last 10 years and this link is not the original, but the one I could most easily find.

Someone linked to this quite recently, within the last couple of months.

EDIT: In fact, I find it was you! Hehe.

[Jo498]

Yes, it was faster posting the link again than searching the forum.
It is not the ideal format and there used to be better sources but some seem to have been taken down or behind paywalls. The guy did a followup about the symphonic poems etc. but this is behind Fanfare paywall, I think. I copied it into a word processor and did some editing to make it more readable. Not being a huge Sibelius fan I hardly consult it anymore but I got a few discs according to his recommendations, like Karajan's early #6, one of Ormandy's... And I have to respect the work he did with such a huge amount of listening and he also managed to convey his impressions, criticisms and praises rather well.
I was reminded of that review because that reviewer really likes Davis/Boston while Mirror Image mentioned Davis with a rather criticial comment.

[André]

I've read it before, and another time thanks to your posting of the link  . I must admit being in accord with a lot of his choices, esp his endorsement of the Davis Boston cycle and Ormandy interpretations (mono 4 and 5, early stereo 2 and 7, late stereo 1 and 7).

I must admit some of my own preferences come from the left field, like the Stokowski National Philharmonic 1, the Rozhdestvensky set, the Abendroth 2nd, the von Garaguly 1 and 7 for example. And no mention of Barbirolli's scorching stereo RPO recording? For shame !

[Mirror Image]

No Segerstam for me, not yet, though I am curious to explore his recordings. Sakari is worth a listen I think. If you ever see one of the CDs at a used shop go for it. Not sure whether it's worth going out of your way to collect his cycle if you already have your favorites.

Well, I own all of Sakari's Sibelius cycle on Naxos. Very good performances, but not a cycle I return to very often.