The Snowshoed Sibelius

[Madiel]

No that didn't work either. Do you all just spend your time listening to the symphonies on repeat?

Ahem.

Any recommendations for Night Ride and Sunrise? I want to try alternative versions.

[MusicTurner]

Jarvi/DG is nice and has plenty of energy in that work, but I haven't done any comparing.

[Jo498]

Lemminkäinen: Ormandy/EMI or Kamu/DG

don't know that song and don't care for the repetitive night ride.

[Roasted Swan]

No that didn't work either. Do you all just spend your time listening to the symphonies on repeat?

Ahem.

Any recommendations for Night Ride and Sunrise? I want to try alternative versions.

Horst Stein with L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - wall-to-wall great disc;

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Horst Stein with L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - wall-to-wall great disc;

+1 for Horst Stein.  A friend of mine recommended this Decca Double to me which I enjoy:




PD

[Biffo]

Night Rides etc -

Dorati/LSO
Vanska/Lahti SO
Jarvi, P/ Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
Anthony Collins/LSO
J-P Saraste/Finnish Radio SO
Rattle/Philharmonia (edit)

Dorati/LSO is my favourite, probably because I have known it longest and still have the LP

[Maestro267]

Night Ride is too close to minimalism for my liking

[Madiel]

A minimalist would never make the harmony so unstable.

[Madiel]

I've just finished listening to four Night Rides and Sunrises:

1. Stein/Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Decca, 14:24)

2. Vanska/Lahti SO (BIS, 17:35)

3. Neeme Jarvi/Gothenburg Symphony (DG, 14:49)

4. Segerstam/Helsinki PO (Ondine, 16:40)

And I think I probably like Vanska the best - which I own on CD but I would argue I really am not very familiar with until now from a handful of listens over the years between other works. Followed by Segerstam.

In the Night Ride, Stein feels strikingly aggressive in the riding. The others are more hushed, especially Vanska where it's almost ghostly at times. To my ears the repetitive nature of the riding is easier to listen to when it's more atmospheric.

The difference in timing is largely due to differences in the Sunrise portion rather than the Night Ride. Stein just feels too matter-of-fact and glib here. For me, Jarvi made a much better case for the faster tempo. But I think the slower tempi from Segerstam and Vanska are more emotionally moving, allowing the brass to make an impact. Vanska is definitely sloooow, but I think it works, the sun is in no hurry.

[Spotted Horses]

No that didn't work either. Do you all just spend your time listening to the symphonies on repeat?

Ahem.

Any recommendations for Night Ride and Sunrise? I want to try alternative versions.

One of the rare occasions where the Rattle/Birmingham recording stands out in my mind.

[vandermolen]

I've just finished listening to four Night Rides and Sunrises:

1. Stein/Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Decca, 14:24)

2. Vanska/Lahti SO (BIS, 17:35)

3. Neeme Jarvi/Gothenburg Symphony (DG, 14:49)

4. Segerstam/Helsinki PO (Ondine, 16:40)

And I think I probably like Vanska the best - which I own on CD but I would argue I really am not very familiar with until now from a handful of listens over the years between other works. Followed by Segerstam.

In the Night Ride, Stein feels strikingly aggressive in the riding. The others are more hushed, especially Vanska where it's almost ghostly at times. To my ears the repetitive nature of the riding is easier to listen to when it's more atmospheric.

The difference in timing is largely due to differences in the Sunrise portion rather than the Night Ride. Stein just feels too matter-of-fact and glib here. For me, Jarvi made a much better case for the faster tempo. But I think the slower tempi from Segerstam and Vanska are more emotionally moving, allowing the brass to make an impact. Vanska is definitely sloooow, but I think it works, the sun is in no hurry.

Interesting - the only one that I know well is Stein which I owned on LP. I think that your comments on it are fair.

[Madiel]

Interesting - the only one that I know well is Stein which I owned on LP. I think that your comments on it are fair.

Do you have any other recordings of the work that you're partial to?

[vandermolen]

Do you have any other recordings of the work that you're partial to?

Hi. Yes, when I saw your post with the images I realised that I had all but the Jarvi recordings. Segerstam's is probably my favourite but Vanska is always good. I like the Colin Davis (RCA) recording on a fine CD of Sibelius's music.

[Madiel]

Hi. Yes, when I saw your post with the images I realised that I had all but the Jarvi recordings. Segerstam's is probably my favourite but Vanska is always good. I like the Colin Davis (RCA) recording on a fine CD of Sibelius's music.

Thanks. I see that Davis is another slow one (between Segerstam and Vanska in overall timing). I'll check it out.

[vandermolen]

Thanks. I see that Davis is another slow one (between Segerstam and Vanska in overall timing). I'll check it out.

Yes, do. It's a really nice disc. Colin Davis is not one of my favourite conductors but I think that the RCA Sibelius disc of shorter works was something special. I don't think that you will be disappointed. I remember thinking very highly of the 'Tapiola'.

[Mapman]

One of the rare occasions where the Rattle/Birmingham recording stands out in my mind.

I was going to ask, "What Rattle/Birmingham recording?", as I have the Rattle/CBSO box and don't remember that. It looks like that was actually with the Philharmonia.

[Karl Henning]

My entrée to the Op. 55 was Segerstam/Helsinki on Ondine, which I find so satisfying, I've not looked elsewhere. I see, though, that I also have the Rattle, and Doráti leading the LSO

[vandermolen]

Night Rides etc -

Dorati/LSO
Vanska/Lahti SO
Jarvi, P/ Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
Anthony Collins/LSO
J-P Saraste/Finnish Radio SO
Rattle/Philharmonia (edit)

Dorati/LSO is my favourite, probably because I have known it longest and still have the LP

That Dorati disc was very fine, featuring my favourite Luonnotar I think.

[Madiel]

Does anyone have any recommendations for song recitals? As in piano and voice, not the orchestral versions.

I'm beginning to feel that Tom Krause takes the same dramatic, slightly operatic approach to absolutely everything. And while there are songs that certainly are big dramatic things that are breaking the boundaries of what a piano can do, and sound like they were conceived with an orchestra in mind before an orchestration ever happened... there are also songs where I can't help wondering what a slightly more melodious singer would do.

[Leo K.]

I know Hurwitz (on his YouTube channel) really hates the Colin Davis London Symphony set - but I REALLY love that set now. I love all of Davis's Sibelius.