Sibelius' tricky 7th symphony

vandermolen · June 05, 2020, 09:29:23 PM

Quote from: vandermolen on January 04, 2008, 08:22:32 AM
Beecham's EMI recording is my favourite. Koussevitsy's is also a fine interpretation. I have also felt that Colin Davis was very overrated as a Sibelius conductor. The Karajan set, mentioned above, is very good and Maazel's Decca recording is fine.

My opinion of Colin Davis as a Sibelius conductor has changed since 2008 and I rate his RCA CD of the tone poems very highly and also have enjoyed his RCA boxed set of the symphonies. I have quite a few CDs of Symphony No.7. Ones that I remember thinking highly of are conducted by Koussevitsky, Beecham, Maazel and Ormandy.

aukhawk · June 06, 2020, 04:17:28 AM

In the (inconclusive, 'cos undersubscribed) Sibelius 7 blind comparison Davis/LSO Live was joint top, being clear 1st choice for two listeners and never rated lower than 4th out of the 10 recordings on offer.
Karajan/BPO scored equally well but was only 1st choice for one listener (since I was DQ'd from taking part!). But as I say, it was all inconclusive really.
I wish now I'd included Magi/Uppsala and Rattle/BPO, I like both these without them quite displacing Karajan.

TheGSMoeller · June 06, 2020, 05:02:34 AM

A few years ago I picked up the 7th by Mravinsky with Leningrad Phil. and in the final bars he gives the B -> C progression to close out the work to the French Horns. It could be balanced better as they scream through the strings.

Cato · June 06, 2020, 05:09:17 AM

Quote from: aukhawk on June 06, 2020, 04:17:28 AM
In the (inconclusive, 'cos undersubscribed) Sibelius 7 blind comparison Davis/LSO Live was joint top, being clear 1st choice for two listeners and never rated lower than 4th out of the 10 recordings on offer.
Karajan/BPO scored equally well but was only 1st choice for one listener (since I was DQ'd from taking part!). But as I say, it was all inconclusive really.
I wish now I'd included Magi/Uppsala and Rattle/BPO, I like both these without them quite displacing Karajan.

AUKHAWK! Did I miss that somehow 3 years ago???!!! Very sorry!

I will listen to your recommendations in a few days!

Symphonic Addict · June 06, 2020, 11:39:45 AM

I've haven't listened to many recordings of this towering masterpiece, but the top ones for me are Karajan/BPO and Berglund/Bournemouth SO. These renditions chisel the right proportions of this work for these ears.

bhodges · June 06, 2020, 11:53:41 AM

Quote from: Cato on June 06, 2020, 05:09:17 AM
AUKHAWK! Did I miss that somehow 3 years ago???!!! Very sorry!

I will listen to your recommendations in a few days!

I was wondering exactly the same -- missed this completely. But looking at the date range in 2017, I was a bit overwhelmed with work at that time. Totally agree with Symphonic Addict: a towering masterpiece.

--Bruce

André · June 06, 2020, 02:40:34 PM

Quote from: TheGSMoeller on June 06, 2020, 05:02:34 AM
A few years ago I picked up the 7th by Mravinsky with Leningrad Phil. and in the final bars he gives the B -> C progression to close out the work to the French Horns. It could be balanced better as they scream through the strings.

Mrawinsky offers a searing, totally unromantic interpretation. Mighty impressive.

TheGSMoeller · June 06, 2020, 05:31:47 PM

Quote from: André on June 06, 2020, 02:40:34 PM
Mrawinsky offers a searing, totally unromantic interpretation. Mighty impressive.

Yes I do enjoy it too.
I also listened to the Beecham/RPO version for the first time, another excellent performance. The album I streamed also included a beautiful rendition of the Pelleas et Melisande suite. Might need to add that to my collection

aukhawk · June 07, 2020, 08:13:18 AM

As a young teenager I taped the Beecham/RPO off our ancient valve 'wireless'. During the swirling climax in the middle of the symphony, a neighbour started up her vacuum cleaner, which caused some interference on the radio - not a constant sound, but sort of up and down buzzing as the motor laboured on her carpet. For years after that, I only knew Sibelius' 7th with this ululating overlay on the swirling climax. I rather miss it, now.

vandermolen · June 08, 2020, 11:52:25 AM

Quote from: aukhawk on June 07, 2020, 08:13:18 AM
As a young teenager I taped the Beecham/RPO off our ancient valve 'wireless'. During the swirling climax in the middle of the symphony, a neighbour started up her vacuum cleaner, which caused some interference on the radio - not a constant sound, but sort of up and down buzzing as the motor laboured on her carpet. For years after that, I only knew Sibelius' 7th with this ululating overlay on the swirling climax. I rather miss it, now.

That's quite funny.

Biffo · June 11, 2020, 12:23:15 AM

Quote from: Mandryka on November 03, 2009, 01:23:01 PM
My own favourite is Karajan's first -- with the Philharmonia.

There's some story about Sibelius saying he liked it.

Anyway, I like it. And that's what matters .

To me.

PS -- Jarvi's pretty good too.

Jarvi kind of makes it all flow nice.

Walter Legge sent copies of Karajan's recordings of Nos 4 & 5 with the Philharmonia. Sibelius sent an appreciative letter -

'Dear Friend
You have perhaps wondered why I have not written to you before and thanked you for the excellent recordings of my Fourth and Fifth Symphony. I have now heard them many times and can only say I am happy. Karajan is a great master. His interpretation is superb, technically and musically.

With kindest regards and all good wishes
Yours sincerely,
Jean Sibelius

(dated Helsinki 11 May 1955)'

No idea if he heard the recording of the 7th.

Sibelius' tricky 7th symphony

bhodges