The Snowshoed Sibelius

[Cato]

I wonder if the young host was working at a college radio station? 

PD

Many moons ago, from a college radio station which played classical music, I heard the announcer say:

"And now, the Symphony #2, by Gene Cybil Leeus."       

[vers la flamme]

Is there a good biography/life-and-works type book of Sibelius out there?

[Madiel]

I had my eye on the one by Andrew Barnett but I don't THINK I've actually read it...

[Scion7]

Is there a good biography/life-and-works type book of Sibelius out there?

I have these - I greatly enjoy the man's work but am not a fanatic and have not poured over these tomes in the same manner I would for, say, Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, etc.  One day I suppose I need to spend a week and read them cover to cover. 

Sibelius - Andrew Barnett
Sibelius: A Composers Life and the Awakening of Finland - Glenda Goss
Sibelius: Illustrated Lives of the Great Composers - David Burnett-James
Sibelius - Robert Layton

There is the New Grove entry on him, of course - fairly extensive.

I wish that R.A. Leonard had done a whole chapter on Sibelius in his authoritative book, The Stream of Music, but we just have his short entry:

[vers la flamme]

I have these - I greatly enjoy the man's work but am not a fanatic and have not poured over these tomes in the same manner I would for, say, Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, etc.  One day I suppose I need to spend a week and read them cover to cover. 

Sibelius - Andrew Barnett
Sibelius: A Composers Life and the Awakening of Finland - Glenda Goss
Sibelius: Illustrated Lives of the Great Composers - David Burnett-James
Sibelius - Robert Layton

There is the New Grove entry on him, of course - fairly extensive.

I wish that R.A. Leonard had done a whole chapter on Sibelius in his authoritative book, The Stream of Music, but we just have his short entry:

Thanks!

[Symphonic Addict]

For some reason I had never properly paid attention to Sibelius' The Tempest. Listening to the two suites on the Ondine recording (Segerstam and the Helsinki P.O.) I realized I was missing a masterpiece. This is top-drawer Sibelius, and very different from his symphonies; here the use of the orchestra is a little more adventurous and a tad of aggressiveness is added, but the music is not devoid of totally beautiful and subdued moments, where Berceuse from the First Suite has rapturing gorgeousness, it's one of the purest music I've heard from him. That First Suite sounded much more interesting than the Second one, where each number had really strong ideas. The next step will be to listen to the complete incidental music.

[kyjo]

For some reason I had never properly paid attention to Sibelius' The Tempest. Listening to the two suites on the Ondine recording (Segerstam and the Helsinki P.O.) I realized I was missing a masterpiece. This is top-drawer Sibelius, and very different from his symphonies; here the use of the orchestra is a little more adventurous and a tad of aggressiveness is added, but the music is not devoid of totally beautiful and subdued moments, where Berceuse from the First Suite has rapturing gorgeousness, it's one of the purest music I've heard from him. That First Suite sounded much more interesting than the Second one, where each number had really strong ideas. The next step will be to listen to the complete incidental music.

Oh yes, the two suites from The Tempest contain some of Sibelius' finest and most individual music. It's definitely his most interesting score of incidental music IMO, though I very much like the Swanwhite suite as well. I don't recall the First Suite from The Tempest being significantly more inspired than the second one, after all the latter contains the hauntingly beautiful movement titled Miranda.

[Madiel]

IIRC, The Tempest is also the one case where there's quite a lot of difference between the suites and the complete score.

[Symphonic Addict]

Oh yes, the two suites from The Tempest contain some of Sibelius' finest and most individual music. It's definitely his most interesting score of incidental music IMO, though I very much like the Swanwhite suite as well. I don't recall the First Suite from The Tempest being significantly more inspired than the second one, after all the latter contains the hauntingly beautiful movement titled Miranda.

King Christian II and Belshazzar's Feast have great music as well.

It was curious to notice the differences between the two suites of The Tempest given that they belong to the same work, but yes, the First Suite has the best music overall methinks. In the Second Suite, the numbers Intermezzo, Song I and II were a little anonymous to me.

[Symphonic Addict]

His string quartets opp. 4 and 56 have been some phenomenal revelations I've heard lately. Previously I was more familiar with the Voces intimae quartet and on revisiting it today struck me like an extraordinary composition with the composer's hallmarks. That central Adagio di molto is the heart of the piece, a genuinely profound slow movement. I think that the whole piece is his supreme chamber work, no other chamber composition of his reaches the greatness it possesses. However, it was the String Quartet in B-flat major, op. 4 (1889-90) that gave me the most special surprise since I don't recall hearing it before, it was a very fresh listen. This thoroughly charming work has to be one of the most idyllic, lovely, endearing, life-affirming works in the whole literature, and even being an early piece, a few gestures seem to foreshadow the distinctive ideas to come. Each of its 4 movements ooze good vibes and light, hence it may lack a little of drama to allow more contrast, but it is undeniable that it is simply gorgeous. A winner in my book.

Another interesting detail I noticed on hearing this recording of his 4 complete string quartets (the day before yesterday I gave a listen to the first two quartets) is the clear progression from one quartet to the next, the refinement and the inspiration improve from one to another.

The first three quartets are played by the Sibelius Academy Quartet and the Voces intimae by the New Helsinki Quartet. When one listens to these works played with such conviction and like if these players had the music in their bloods, their impact really gets you.

[Madiel]

I don't think I knew there was a release that packaged them all together.

[Mirror Image]

The next step will be to listen to the complete incidental music.

There are three fabulous recordings of the complete Tempest to choose from. I'm not sure which one I'd recommend over the other since I love each of them, but here they are:

[Mirror Image]

I don't think I knew there was a release that packaged them all together.

Aside from the set that @Symphonic Addict mentioned, this set has all of the SQs under one roof:




I bought this set, which is OOP years ago, but I don't remember the performances. I should revisit it at some point. Aside from this set, I also own the recordings with the Tempera Quartet, which were a part of The Sibelius Edition on BIS, which I acquired years ago.

[Symphonic Addict]

There are three fabulous recordings of the complete Tempest to choose from. I'm not sure which one I'd recommend over the other since I love each of them, but here they are:

The BIS recording is the one I have. Not sure when I'll give it a listen (not for now), but I do plan to listen to the whole piece in the near future.

[vandermolen]

There are three fabulous recordings of the complete Tempest to choose from. I'm not sure which one I'd recommend over the other since I love each of them, but here they are:

I really like the middle one which is the complete incidental music.

[Skogwald]

Is there a version of the Fourth Symphony that really emphasizes the dissonances? I'm looking for a very modernist version to sample.

[Mirror Image]

I really like the middle one which is the complete incidental music.

Very nice, but, actually, all three discs are the complete music for The Tempest. I haven't done any side-by-side comparisons, but the Kamu on Naxos is the most complete one of the three.

[Mirror Image]

Is there a version of the Fourth Symphony that really emphasizes the dissonances? I'm looking for a very modernist version to sample.

Osmo Vänskä's recording with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra on BIS is a rather modernist view of the work. All three of Paavo Berglund's accounts will also fit the bill nicely. Colin Davis' first go around with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on Philips is also worth looking into.

[DavidW]

Is there a version of the Fourth Symphony that really emphasizes the dissonances? I'm looking for a very modernist version to sample.

Vanska I is modernist, and II takes it to the breaking point.


But so far that you might regret the listen!  It is an acquired taste.  I had to acquire it, but I have now.

[Mirror Image]

Vanska I is modernist, and II takes it to the breaking point.


But so far that you might regret the listen!  It is an acquired taste.  I had to acquire it, but I have now.

I should revisit Vänskä's Minnesota cycle. It is excellent and rather different than his earlier one with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. His view of Sibelius is certainly that of a modernist, which is a completely valid viewpoint.