The Snowshoed Sibelius

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

Thanks. That Blomstedt set looks very nice, and, IIRC, has received praise here before.  (and, for the record, I somehow thought that you were sarcastic about Tapiola in the pm a while ago)

At least Tapiola from Blomstedt receives a lot of praise pretty often... Cannot check what I wrote in the pm because hmmm... my "sent items" is empty...

[mahler10th]

This was broadcast on UK Radio 3 last November.  50 seconds of Sibelius 8th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/96826210/201.mp3  Right click, etc...

It was on a show called Symphony Question time (about 8 mins into the show here...http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/b017msyl?t=12.045

[eyeresist]

This was broadcast on UK Radio 3 last November.  50 seconds of Sibelius 8th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/96826210/201.mp3  Right click, etc...

It was on a show called Symphony Question time (about 8 mins into the show here...http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/b017msyl?t=12.045

Is is real? The recording sounds quite old, and the music itself sounds suspiciously American 

[eyeresist]

Ok, maybe my last post jumped the gun....

Symphony No. 8 (Sibelius)

For years it was believed that the only traces of the symphony that had survived were some marginalia in a copy of his Seventh Symphony, some sketches of the symphony found in the library of Helsinki University, and Surusoitto, Op. 111b, which Aino claimed was based on material from the symphony.

However, according to Tino Virtanen, the editor-in-chief of the collected edition of Sibelius, the archives donated by Sibelius's family to the University of Helsinki contain extensive drafts which are likely to relate to the missing symphony. Extracts from these were given an orchestral rehearsal in October 2011, and a reconstruction of all or part of the symphony may be possible from them.

[eyeresist]

Just listened to the 7th (Maazel/VPO). It's taken me years to appreciate it, but now I find it incredibly moving. The ending is devastating! I have tears in my eyes....

[Karl Henning]

Just listened to the 7th (Maazel/VPO). It's taken me years to appreciate it, but now I find it incredibly moving. The ending is devastating! I have tears in my eyes....

Outstanding!

[jlaurson]

Another cycle, but on single discs available with all the bonus pieces (all but the Night Ride not with Saraste, btw.).
Interesting early appearances by artists... like Anu Tali, Leonidas Kavakos... but also Sibelius veterans like Okko Kamu and Paavo Berglund (who conducts one of his Tapiolas here).



J. Sibelius
Symphonies No. 1 & 7
Serenades 1 & 2, Valse triste
J-P.Saraste / Finnish RSO
L.Kavakos, J.Lamminmäki, R.Stockholm PO, A.Davis, Kuoppio SO, A.Almila
Finlandia

German link - UK link
European Amazon only


J. Sibelius
Symphony No. 2
Six Humoresques, Oceanides, Wedding March
J-P.Saraste / Finnish RSO
J.Kuusisto, Kuopio SO, A.Almila, NRK SO (KORK), A.Rasilainen
Finlandia

German link - UK link
European Amazon only


J. Sibelius
Symphony No. 3
Romance, Karelia Suite, Tapiola, Impromptu, Presto
J-P.Saraste, P.Berglund / Finnish RSO
Helsinki Strings, G.Szilvay, Ostrobothnian CO, J.Kangas, Helsinki PO, O.Kamu
Finlandia

German link - UK link
European Amazon only


J. Sibelius
Symphony No. 4
Suite for Violin & Strings, En Saga, Rakastava, Finlandia
J-P.Saraste / Finnish RSO
Jari Valo, Ostrobothnian CO, J.Kangas, R.Stockholm PO, A.Davis, Helsinki PO, O.Kamu
Finlandia

German link - UK link
European Amazon only


J. Sibelius
Symphony No. 5
Andante Festivao, Violin Concerto, Swan of Tuonela
J-P.Saraste / Finnish RSO / Miriam Fried
Helsinki Strings, G.Szilvay, Helsinki PO, O.Kamu, Estonian-Finnish SO, Anu Tali
Finlandia

German link - UK link
European Amazon only


J. Sibelius
Symphony No. 6
Scene with Cranes, Swanwhite (Concert Suite), Night Ride & Sunrise
J-P.Saraste* / Finnish RSO
Finlandia Sinfonietta, P.Helasvuo, NRK SO (KORK) A.Rasilainen, Toronto SO*
Finlandia

German link - UK link
European Amazon only

[mahler10th]

Just listened to the 7th (Maazel/VPO). It's taken me years to appreciate it, but now I find it incredibly moving. The ending is devastating! I have tears in my eyes....

Yes!  The 7th is one of the greatest symphonic pieces ever written.  It really is an amazing piece for such a short work - what a way for Sibelius to finish things off before his musical silence.  I am inspired now to put it on....

[DavidRoss]

I have the Saraste box set of symphonies but have never heard the recordings of the companion pieces on these discs. Some not-so-usual suspects and some surprising tone poem omissions from the usual accompanying pieces. Quite an array of fiddlers as well! Kuuisisto, Kavakos, Fried,

Did Amazon EU discover a stash of these old Finlandia discs in the warehouse, or is Warner reviving the label, I wonder...? And couldn't they find anything more photogenic for the covers than those snaps of the Sibelius monument? No wonder they didn't sell!

[CRCulver]

Did Amazon EU discover a stash of these old Finlandia discs in the warehouse, or is Warner reviving the label, I wonder...?

Certainly not reviving the label. Warner only acquired the Finlandia label because it came along with what Warner really wanted, the Fazer music publishing company. The label was generally considered a nuisance to its new owner, and except for a few recordings re-released in the Apex budget line, it was abandoned remarkably fast.

[DavidRoss]

At least Tapiola from Blomstedt receives a lot of praise pretty often... Cannot check what I wrote in the pm because hmmm... my "sent items" is empty...

Many of us praise the Blomstedt set (sift back through this thread and on the old forum archive as well). Perhaps we can thank one of our former members for its release, which happened a few weeks after Benji finally found and paid something like ₤30 for a used copy of the last single issue he needed to complete the cycle. If I could take only one symphony cycle to the desert island--and weren't allowed all the extras in the BIS "Essential Sibelius"--I would choose this one.

Just listened to the 7th (Maazel/VPO). It's taken me years to appreciate it, but now I find it incredibly moving. The ending is devastating! I have tears in my eyes....

As Karl noted, "Outstanding!"

It took me years, too, (decades, actually) to appreciate Sibelius, but when his music finally clicked, my world changed. Repeated listening to Maazel's WP cycle in an effort to understand why some regard Sibelius so highly is what finally did the trick. That, and whatever spiritual growth I needed before I was able to appreciate his music.

Heard casually, pieces like the 7th seem little more than sonic bon-bons. Heard deeply, they're like smooth granite stones plunging through the surface of our consciousness and stirring waves that ripple endlessly through the marrow of our souls.

[Sergeant Rock]

Heard deeply, they're like smooth granite stones plunging through the surface of our consciousness...

That sounds painful 

Sarge

[mahler10th]

....
Heard casually, pieces like the 7th seem little more than sonic bon-bons. Heard deeply, they're like smooth granite stones plunging through the surface of our consciousness and stirring waves that ripple endlessly through the marrow of our souls.

That kind of writing on the 7th is a brilliant capture of it.  I wish I wrote that.   

[DavidRoss]

That sounds painful 

Not if they're smooth.  Think curling stones rather than jagged shards of granite splitting off the face of El Capitan after a freeze.

That kind of writing on the 7th is a brilliant capture of it.  I wish I wrote that.   

Gosh, thanks, John.

[Karl Henning]

(* pounds the smooth granite table with a rubber mallet *)

[eyeresist]

Heard casually, pieces like the 7th seem little more than sonic bon-bons. Heard deeply, they're like smooth granite stones plunging through the surface of our consciousness and stirring waves that ripple endlessly through the marrow of our souls.

For me the 7th is like a journey. The traveller sets out across land both rough and smooth, droughts and storms, past love scenes and cataclysms, noting all but proceeding past, until finally the ultimate ending is achieved - reaching something ultimately unknowable but certainly final.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Anyone have any thoughts on Kletzi's 2nd with the Philharmonia, from the mid-50s and recorded in stereo?



[asin]B000002SC4[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Have you heard his Snofrid?  It is in my top 5 favourite Sibelius works.

Sorry I missed this post, Johnny Boy. Yes, I've heard Snofrid many times. I have several performances of it. I think my favorite is Paavo Jarvi's on Virgin Classics. It's certainly been quite some time since I've heard this work.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Finally, the Berglund/Bournemouth cycle appears set to be reissued. So far UK only, apparently.

I have nothing but the 5th from this cycle (along with the violin concerto) but if the rest is as gloriously recorded as this one (which I don't have on the original EMI) I'd say it's almost a must-buy.

[DavidRoss]

Finally, the Berglund/Bournemouth cycle appears set to be reissued. So far UK only, apparently.

I have nothing but the 5th from this cycle (along with the violin concerto) but if the rest is as gloriously recorded as this one (which I don't have on the original EMI) I'd say it's almost a must-buy.

That's great news, Don! It's a terrific cycle, a must-buy for Sibelius addicts, with a broader, more full-bodied approach than Berglund took in later years. I have the old Royal Classics reissue (licensed from EMI) but at the price listed on AmazonUK I'll probably get a copy of this reissued reissue, too!

Edit: I just pre-ordered it, scheduled for release in January