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Author Topic: The Snowshoed Sibelius  (Read 336235 times)

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Offline Dancing Divertimentian

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The Snowshoed Sibelius
« on: April 16, 2007, 07:39:57 PM »
What would Sibelius be without his seven symphonies?

How about one of the greatest composers of songs?

It's true.

So good, in fact, that when orchestrated his songs take on a dimension rivaling that of his better-known symphonic works. And the quality is uniformly high.

So run, don't walk to hear what all the fuss is about!


« Last Edit: June 22, 2015, 01:24:02 PM by Dancing Divertimentian »
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Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Harry

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2007, 09:44:53 PM »
Well what about his neglected and underrated piano music, which I have complete on the BIS label. It was always treated as mere play by Sibelius, but I think its pretty darn good.
Than you have the tone poems, apart from his symphonies.
His violinconcerto.
His vocal output is not my cup of tea, so my rating would count for nothing..............
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Offline Florestan

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2007, 10:22:50 PM »
Quote from: Harry on April 16, 2007, 09:44:53 PM
Well what about his neglected and underrated piano music, which I have complete on the BIS label. It was always treated as mere play by Sibelius, but I think its pretty darn good.
Than you have the tone poems, apart from his symphonies.
His violinconcerto.
His vocal output is not my cup of tea, so my rating would count for nothing..............
How about one of his best compositions: The Tempest?

Although written at a very young age, I also enjoy a lot his piano trios and early string quartets. And the Voces intimae SQ is also a masterpiece.
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Harry

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2007, 10:50:38 PM »
Quote from: Florestan on April 16, 2007, 10:22:50 PM
How about one of his best compositions: The Tempest?

Although written at a very young age, I also enjoy a lot his piano trios and early string quartets. And the Voces intimae SQ is also a masterpiece.

All true my friend! :)
Still I could not live without the Symphonies!
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Offline Florestan

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2007, 10:58:32 PM »
Quote from: Harry on April 16, 2007, 10:50:38 PM
All true my friend! :)
Still I could not live without the Symphonies!
Who could?

Actually, I know someone, but I'll keep my mouth shut... :)
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Harry

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2007, 11:14:14 PM »
Quote from: Florestan on April 16, 2007, 10:58:32 PM
Who could?

Actually, I know someone, but I'll keep my mouth shut... :)

Arccchhhhhhhh...........................I know! ;D
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Offline vandermolen

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2007, 01:14:27 AM »
Tapiola
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"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

karlhenning

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2007, 10:08:45 AM »
Lounnotar, Opus 70

Barden, Opus 64

Öinen ratsastus & auringon nousu (Nightride & Sunrise), Opus 55
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Offline Brewski

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2007, 10:16:50 AM »
Quote from: Captain Haddock on April 17, 2007, 01:14:27 AM
Tapiola

One of my favorites, too -- I got to know it through Ashkenazy's Sibelius cycle with the Philharmonia.

And I just heard this live last weekend, by Sakari Oramo and the New York Philharmonic -- wonderful.  Although to my horror, the program notes mentioned that it had not been performed by the orchestra since 1934. 

--Bruce
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karlhenning

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2007, 10:21:28 AM »
Quote from: bhodges on April 18, 2007, 10:16:50 AM
Although to my horror, the program notes mentioned that it had not been performed by the orchestra since 1934. 

That's bad enough on its own, as a raw statistic, Bruce.

But wouldn't that mean that Lenny never touched it with the NY Phil?
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Offline Brewski

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #10 on: April 18, 2007, 10:24:02 AM »
Quote from: karlhenning on April 18, 2007, 10:21:28 AM
That's bad enough on its own, as a raw statistic, Bruce.

But wouldn't that mean that Lenny never touched it with the NY Phil?

That is (amazingly) correct.  (The conductor in 1934 was Rodzinski.)  And to put it another way: you could have attended every NY Philharmonic concert from 1935 to the present -- over 70 years -- and never have heard this piece. 

--Bruce
« Last Edit: April 18, 2007, 10:27:25 AM by bhodges »
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Offline Que

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #11 on: April 18, 2007, 10:24:30 AM »
Quote from: donwyn on April 16, 2007, 07:39:57 PM
What would Sibelius be without his seven symphonies?

How about one of the greatest composers of songs?

It's true.

So good, in fact, that when orchestrated his songs take on a dimension rivalling that of his better-known symphonic works. And the quality is uniformly high.

So run, don't walk to hear what all the fuss is about!

Donwyn, I already had my eye on these - would you recommend them?

Q

 
                                                     SIBELIUS Complete Songs
                                                     Elisabeth Söderström, Tome Krause,
                                                     Vladimir Ashkenazy, Irwin Gage, Carlos Bonell, Decca 4cds
« Last Edit: April 18, 2007, 10:30:03 AM by Que »
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Offline Dancing Divertimentian

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2007, 05:12:05 PM »
Quote from: Harry on April 16, 2007, 09:44:53 PM
Well what about his neglected and underrated piano music, which I have complete on the BIS label. It was always treated as mere play by Sibelius, but I think its pretty darn good.

Thank you for bringing his piano music to my attention, Harry. Up 'till now I've not given it a second thought.

Would like to remedy that.



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Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Offline Dancing Divertimentian

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2007, 05:49:23 PM »
Quote from: Que on April 18, 2007, 10:24:30 AM
Donwyn, I already had my eye on these - would you recommend them?

Q

Q,

That Decca set I've never seen before! :o But how I'd dearly like to get my hands on it! Unfortunately I can't seem to locate it this side of the Atlantic (Stateside). Must be one of those releases that never made it abroad.

I admit I've never heard Söderström outside of her Janacek opera recordings (w/ Mackerras). So I can only comment on the high quality of her singing there. But based on that I'd jump on this Sibelius set if I ever came across it.

As far as that Isokoski disc goes, I recommend it without reservation, Q! Her rendition of Luonnotar is worth the asking price of this disc alone.

Another good one is the Mattila disc below. There's some duplication including Luonnotar. Though duplicating Luonnotar is no bad thing!




« Last Edit: April 18, 2007, 05:50:56 PM by donwyn »
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Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Offline vandermolen

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2007, 03:22:45 AM »
Quote from: karlhenning on April 18, 2007, 10:08:45 AM
Lounnotar, Opus 70

Barden, Opus 64

Öinen ratsastus & auringon nousu (Nightride & Sunrise), Opus 55

I agree+Tapiola (I just bought a fine Vanguard CD with Adrian Boult giving an excellent Tapiola).  By the way, if you like Tapiola, try Moeran's Symphony in G which effectively has a "Tapiola-like" moment in the last movement.  The whole symphony should appeal to admirers of Sibelius.
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"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

karlhenning

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2007, 03:43:25 AM »
Truly, Capt, I meant Tapiola nothing remotely like a slight.
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Offline vandermolen

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #16 on: April 19, 2007, 06:30:46 AM »
Quote from: karlhenning on April 19, 2007, 03:43:25 AM
Truly, Capt, I meant Tapiola nothing remotely like a slight.

Of course, none taken  :)

Luonnotar is a marvellous piece (EMI Dorati)
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"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

karlhenning

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #17 on: April 19, 2007, 06:31:51 AM »
Quote from: Captain Haddock on April 19, 2007, 06:30:46 AM
Luonnotar is a marvellous piece (EMI Dorati)

Who sings?
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Offline vandermolen

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #18 on: April 19, 2007, 08:11:18 AM »
Quote from: karlhenning on April 19, 2007, 06:31:51 AM
Who sings?

It is Gwyneth Jones (LSO Dorati). It is a really good EMI CD (long deleted I fear) with Nielsen Symphony 5 (Danish RSO, Kubelik) and Luonnotar, Night-ride and Sunrise and The Oceanides (LSO Dorati). All are excellent performances, including a magnificent Nielsen Symphony 5 (the anarchic side-drummer gets appropriately carried away in his free cadenza!)

The number is/was CDM 5 65182 2
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"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

karlhenning

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Re: The Snowshoed Sibelius
« Reply #19 on: April 19, 2007, 08:15:57 AM »
Good news is, that the Sibelius component of that has been reissued on this Gemini two-fer.
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