The Snowshoed Sibelius

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Happy 152th birthday to Janne too

+1

[calyptorhynchus]

Have people watched the Star Wars film, the Last Jedi? In the opening battle the actor who plays the captain of the First Force dreadnought (which is destroyed by the Rebels) is a dead ringer for Sibelius... though he is on the Dark Side.

[Mirror Image]

Cross-posted from the 'Purchases' thread -

Just bought:



I definitely bought this recording for the SQ, "Voces Intimae" as I only had one other recording of it. A masterwork IMHO.

Has anyone heard this recording? The Gabrieli's take the slow movement (Adagio di molto) of Voces Intimae the slowest I've seen at 11 minutes. It'll be neat to do a program of the 3rd and 4th symphonies with Voces Intimae since it came in the middle of these two works.

[Mahlerian]

It'll be neat to do a program of the 4th symphony with Voces Intimae since they were written around the same time.

That would be interesting.  Put Luonnotar on there as well to complete a fine triptych of the introverted side of Sibelius.

[Jo498]

I have the Oslo SQ on cpo with 11'25 and the Tempera Quartet on BIS with 10'51, so 11 min does not seem unusual.

[Mirror Image]

That would be interesting.  Put Luonnotar on there as well to complete a fine triptych of the introverted side of Sibelius.

Actually, I was mistaken. Voces Intimae was written between the 3rd and 4th symphonies. I made the correction in my original post. Yes, Luonnotar would make an interesting coupling, but this work didn't come until two years after the 4th symphony. I'd rather do a program of works that were composed around the same time. If anything, The Dryad would make a better coupling since it was written in 1910.

[Mirror Image]

I have the Oslo SQ on cpo with 11'25 and the Tempera Quartet on BIS with 10'51, so 11 min does not seem unusual.

Ah okay, well this is good then. I see the Emersons take 8 minutes (w/ some seconds) to perform this slow movement.

[vandermolen]

Coincidentally have recently ordered three second hand Sibelius CDs - two of the Lemminkainen Legends (Salonen and Ormandy) and Sir Alexander Gibson's Tone poems on Chandos. I like your appropriately themed new avatar John.

[André]

Hi Jeffrey ! Did you go for the first or second Ormandy recording ? I love that work to pieces. This was my very first Sibelius lp:



I wonder if it would stand up to scrutiny after all these years...

[vandermolen]

Hi Jeffrey ! Did you go for the first or second Ormandy recording ? I love that work to pieces. This was my very first Sibelius lp:



I wonder if it would stand up to scrutiny after all these years...

This one Andre
[asin]B000PGTHRG[/asin]

[André]

Both are excellent, the earlier one more than that, but in (very fine) mono sound. Ormandy also recorded symphonies 4 and 5 in the mid-fifties, both truly fantastic recordings. Sony owns the rights to all these, but won't release them  .

[vandermolen]

Both are excellent, the earlier one more than that, but in (very fine) mono sound. Ormandy also recorded symphonies 4 and 5 in the mid-fifties, both truly fantastic recordings. Sony owns the rights to all these, but won't release them  .

Yes, I've been reading about that Andre.
I'm curious to hear his 'Tapiola' and was tempted to buy the Sony box with multiple copies of Finlandia and the early symphonies but no version of 3 and 6 which were never apparently recorded by Ormandy but which are amongst my favourites. Annoying they also excluded either version of Lemminkainen Legends from the box as well. 

[Mirror Image]

Coincidentally have recently ordered three second hand Sibelius CDs - two of the Lemminkainen Legends (Salonen and Ormandy) and Sir Alexander Gibson's Tone poems on Chandos. I like your appropriately themed new avatar John.

Thanks, Jeffrey. I like the Gibson set of the tone poems. I take it you went with the remastered 2-CD set? I'm not sure if I've heard any of Ormandy's Sibelius even though I do have some of his performances (on RCA). I'd say my favorite Lemminkäinen Suite is with Segerstam/Helsinki PO on Ondine (coupled with a tremendous Tapiola). Segerstam brings this strong, elemental approach to the music that I have yet to hear in any other performance. I can't say I appreciate any of Salonen's Sibelius recordings with the one exception being his recording of the VC with Hilary Hahn. He is on fire in that performance!

[vandermolen]

Thanks, Jeffrey. I like the Gibson set of the tone poems. I take it you went with the remastered 2-CD set? I'm not sure if I've heard any of Ormandy's Sibelius even though I do have some of his performances (on RCA). I'd say my favorite Lemminkäinen Suite is with Segerstam/Helsinki PO on Ondine (coupled with a tremendous Tapiola). Segerstam brings this strong, elemental approach to the music that I have yet to hear in any other performance. I can't say I appreciate any of Salonen's Sibelius recordings with the one exception being his recording of the VC with Hilary Hahn. He is on fire in that performance!

I read a v good review of the Salonen but we will see John! I've always found Ormandy rather underrated and liked his Shostakovich 4th and 10th symphonies. I already have that great Gibson double set but I bought the original single CD issue as I wanted one for the car. I know it's nuts. 

[Mirror Image]

I read a v good review of the Salonen but we will see John! I've always found Ormandy rather underrated and liked his Shostakovich 4th and 10th symphonies. I already have that great Gibson double set but I bought the original single CD issue as I wanted one for the car. I know it's nuts. 

Not nuts at all, Jeffrey! But, then again, I may not be the best judge in these matters. Sometimes if I really like a set (or single issue recording), I'll see if I can find the original release even if I bought a reissue as, sometimes, there are couplings on the original releases that don't make it to the reissues. Naxos, for example, are quite known to do this.

[vandermolen]

Not nuts at all, Jeffrey! But, then again, I may not be the best judge in these matters. Sometimes if I really like a set (or single issue recording), I'll see if I can find the original release even if I bought a reissue as, sometimes, there are couplings on the original releases that don't make it to the reissues. Naxos, for example, are quite known to do this.

Thank you John - I can very much relate to this. I also like the cover image on the earlier Chandos single CD release!

[asin]B000000A83[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Thank you John - I can very much relate to this. I also like the cover image on the earlier Chandos single CD release!

[asin]B000000A83[/asin]

Yeah, the original cover was quite appropriate I think.

The original 2-CD set:

[Biffo]

I already have the complete symphonies and Lemminkainen Suite from Gibson. I have just bought the Tone Poems etc from Chandos as lossless downloads. Many thanks to vandermolen and Mirror Image for the info.

[vandermolen]

I already have the complete symphonies and Lemminkainen Suite from Gibson. I have just bought the Tone Poems etc from Chandos as lossless downloads. Many thanks to vandermolen and Mirror Image for the info.

Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Gibson was a fine sibelian and there is a freshness about his performances which is appealing.

[Jo498]

I am not a huge "Sibelian" and far from a completist but I want to close a few gaps among the Tone Poems, Incidental music etc.
Which ones are more important and which recordings are recommended?

Apart from the question which of these pieces are worth getting I am also quite confused by apparently differing versions of these suites/incidental music selections: Often they are purely instrumental but some, e.g. Segerstam's series on Naxos also includes a few songs or vocal pieces. Should this be a factor when deciding?