The Snowshoed Sibelius

[karlhenning]

Tangentially, I have the Isokoski disc of Hindemith's Das Marienleben (the revised version), and it is fabulous.

[DavidRoss]

Tangentially, I have the Isokoski disc of Hindemith's Das Marienleben (the revised version), and it is fabulous.

And on the same tangent, her Strauss Four Last Songs is fine also, with sumptuous playing from the BRSO under Janowski.

Let us know how you like the disc, Guido!

[Guido]

And on the same tangent, her Strauss Four Last Songs is fine also, with sumptuous playing from the BRSO under Janowski.

Let us know how you like the disc, Guido!

I will. I have that disc also, it's very fine (although I think I prefer her performance of some of the other songs to the Vier Letzte. Has Morgen! ever been so rapt and understated?)

[vandermolen]

Just ordered this for £5.00 - Erik Tuxen conducting Sibelius Symphony No 5 (Dutton) with the String Quartet. Looks like a really interesting release. Recordings from 1950-52. I like the atmosphere of these historical recordings:

[Guido]

What do people think of the string quartet? I can't decide if it's merely very good and beautiful, or truly profound and one of the great quartets...

[karlhenning]

Darn, I haven't heard it yet, Guido.

Lenny landed first today (before Rattle), so he's in the queue . . . .

[karlhenning]

Sibelius
Symphony № 2 in D, Opus 43 (1902-03)
Wiener Philharmoniker
Lenny

Leonard Bernstein – Sibelius Complete recordings on Deutsche Grammophon

Dave, I owe you hearty thanks for bringing me, by gradual stages, to acquisition of this box-let.  First, some years ago, I "let you talk me into" picking up the Lenny/NY Phil Sibelius set, which I like very well.  And that, over time, set my mind in a place where I could entertain the idea of revisiting these Wiener Philharmoniker recordings . . . which for years I had mentally "binned."  In exactly the same way, I am enjoying these as entirely as I do his recording of the Leningrad with the CSO — if I were conducting it, it's not an approach which would be anywhere near my radar . . . it seems it ought to be a disaster . . . but he (& they) carry it off splendidly. You can't knock success, and shouldn't knock musical success! ; )

[Sergeant Rock]

Dave, I owe you hearty thanks for bringing me, by gradual stages, to acquisition of this box-let.  First, some years ago, I "let you talk me into" picking up the Lenny/NY Phil Sibelius set, which I like very well.  And that, over time, set my mind in a place where I could entertain the idea of revisiting these Wiener Philharmoniker recordings . . . which for years I had mentally "binned."  In exactly the same way, I am enjoying these as entirely as I do his recording of the Leningrad with the CSO — if I were conducting it, it's not an approach which would be anywhere near my radar . . . it seems it ought to be a disaster . . . but he (& they) carry it off splendidly. You can't knock success, and shouldn't knock musical success! ; )

I posted this in the listening thread several days ago:

Karl, I'm waiting for your reaction to Lenny's Sibelius 2, the 18 minute long Andante    That's the movement that really divides opinions. In the yea column: Me, M, David Ross. In any case, I think you'll agree the Vienna brass are simply awesome.

Now with you, we're the Gang of Four 
Sarge

[karlhenning]

I did note that post, Sarge, and I did not mean to seem to neglect it!

[DavidRoss]

Karl --I'm glad you like it, but must give credit to Sarge and Mike for likewise prompting me to give it a shot. 

[karlhenning]

Gladly!

[Brian]

Next month Naxos will inaugurate a new cycle of the Sibelius symphonies, with Pietari Inkinen and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The first volume contains symphonies 1 and 3.



I learn that the cover art photograph was in fact taken in Canada, not Scandinavia. That seems like an unnecessary bit of outsourcing.

[karlhenning]

Hmm. The Ennzed orchestra certainly did a great job with the Copland Third.

[DavidRoss]

Inkinen/NZSO's previous Sibelius recordings have been favorably reviewed and can be heard via Naxos streaming.  Sakari/Iceland's Sibelius cycle is still in the Naxos catalog and is very good so ought we presume the new one's character will differ from the rough-hewn directness of the previous one...?

[Elgarian]

So I'm browsing through a selection of 'Bargains' on Amazon, and I stumble across this:



2 CDs for £6 (with free postage), and containing just the four symphonies that set me on fire, and omitting the three symphonies that put me to sleep. Looks like this pack was made for me. So I thought it was worth a shot at this price, and put the order in. However, reviews of these Jansons/Oslo recordings are hard to come by (tho' the few I've found are positive).

Anyone know these? Am I heading for delight, or disappointment?

Link to the bargain purchase here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sibelius-Symphonies-Nos/dp/B002IR3PRS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1284146834&sr=1-1

[DavidRoss]

I have a different 2-disc set, w/2, 3, &5.  Can't say it's one of my faves.  Jansons gets a big, lush sound from his orchestra, but he tends toward extremes of tempo and what to me are ill-considered rubato and dynamic accents that are just too interventionist and make the music sound more like disjointed patchwork than organic growth, a sequence of romantic gestures rather than a unified whole built of related cells.

[Elgarian]

I have a different 2-disc set, w/2, 3, &5.  Can't say it's one of my faves.  Jansons gets a big, lush sound from his orchestra, but he tends toward extremes of tempo and what to me are ill-considered rubato and dynamic accents that are just too interventionist and make the music sound more like disjointed patchwork than organic growth, a sequence of romantic gestures rather than a unified whole built of related cells.

Doesn't sound too good. But I still haven't yet found a Sibelius interpreter that makes me feel 'yes, finally, this is it', so I'll continue to travel hopefully. It may be that I could be happy with a succession of disjointed romantic gestures, provided there were enough snow and ice and pine forests and cold winds and stuff.

[DavidRoss]

Doesn't sound too good. But I still haven't yet found a Sibelius interpreter that makes me feel 'yes, finally, this is it', so I'll continue to travel hopefully. It may be that I could be happy with a succession of disjointed romantic gestures, provided there were enough snow and ice and pine forests and cold winds and stuff.

Whom do you have in these symphonies, Alan?

[bhodges]

Alan, just curious if you've heard any of Ashkenazy's with the Philharmonia, and whether that might do the trick.  While I haven't heard the entire cycle, I have heard maybe half of the symphonies (along with some of the tone poems), and like the results enormously, especially in some of the more seldom-performed symphonies, e.g., Nos. 1, 4, and 7.

And just saw DavidRoss's query...

--Bruce

[Elgarian]

Whom do you have in these symphonies, Alan?

Sakari, Barbirolli, and Vanska. (I gave away my RCA set of Davis/LSO, as a total washout). And I get along with all of them fine, but feel that the ultimate Sibelius experience is still out there somewhere.

I'm thinking of getting the Rozhdestvensky set when I get back in funds after paying for all my Wagner extravagances. MDT have an offer on that box for the next few weeks.

[@Bruce]
Haven't heard Ashkenazy so far, Bruce. Thanks for the suggestion.