The Snowshoed Sibelius

[aukhawk]

In the stereo era, HvK recorded nos 4,5,6,7 with the BPO for DG in the '60s.
He recorded nos 1,2,4,5,6 again with the BPO for EMI, some of these were late enough to be digital recordings.  The original cover art for these was exceptionally striking in their 12" guise.

[relm1]

I have a Sibelian itch that I can't stop scratching.  The result being that I have more sets of the symphonies than I can rationally justify.  Not that that has stopped me in the past or indeed probably the future.  The main ones I don't have are;

Collins/LSO
Vanska/Minnesota
that new young guy/Oslo
Dausgaard(?)/BBC PO
Rattle/Berlin

I have just about all the other main conductor sets.  Favourites are;

Kamu/Lahti
Berglund/Bournemouth
Bernstein/NYPO
Sanderling/Berlin RSO
Gibson/SNO

You have a pretty good set but I'd ditch Collins/LSO from your not yet have list and put Collins/Boston on your must own list.  It might not knock the others away but deserves to be listed among those. 

[vers la flamme]

You have a pretty good set but I'd ditch Collins/LSO from your not yet have list and put Collins/Boston on your must own list.  It might not knock the others away but deserves to be listed among those. 

Do you mean Colin Davis/Boston? I've been looking at grabbing that set for a looong time, because I always see it so cheap on Ebay. But I've got more than enough Sibelius at the moment. I haven't heard any of Anthony Collins' Sibelius; it seems to divide opinion.

The ones I have and like are Berglund/Bournemouth, Ashkenazy/Philharmonia, and Maazel/Vienna.

[Irons]

In the stereo era, HvK recorded nos 4,5,6,7 with the BPO for DG in the '60s.
He recorded nos 1,2,4,5,6 again with the BPO for EMI, some of these were late enough to be digital recordings.  The original cover art for these was exceptionally striking in their 12" guise.

The recordings Karajan made with the Philharmonia are the freshest in my view. Walter Legge, the producer, famously disliked stereo and insisted in mono. We do have the Philharmonia 5th Symphony in stereo though.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The recordings Karajan made with the Philharmonia are the freshest in my view. Walter Legge, the producer, famously disliked stereo and insisted in mono. We do have the Philharmonia 5th Symphony in stereo though.

Oh, interesting!  I'll try and listen to/find more of them. 

PD

[relm1]

Do you mean Colin Davis/Boston? I've been looking at grabbing that set for a looong time, because I always see it so cheap on Ebay. But I've got more than enough Sibelius at the moment. I haven't heard any of Anthony Collins' Sibelius; it seems to divide opinion.

The ones I have and like are Berglund/Bournemouth, Ashkenazy/Philharmonia, and Maazel/Vienna.

Sorry, you're right.  I switched conductors on you.  I meant Colin Davis/Boston preferring it to Colin Davis/LSO.

[relm1]

Fascinating.  Newly discovered score of Karelia Suite.

"According to Hannikainen, the notation discovered in the spring is exceptionally perfected and significantly different from the previously known Karelia Overture and Suite: the polyphony is richer, details more accurate, orchestration fuller, tempos more varied and articulations livelier. Entirely new bars have also been added to the overture."

https://helsinkifestival.fi/en/event/helsinki-philharmonic-orchestra-tuomas-hannikainen-sibelius-new-karelia/

Sibelius is an endlessly fascinating composer who keeps revealing surprises.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Fascinating.  Newly discovered score of Karelia Suite.

"According to Hannikainen, the notation discovered in the spring is exceptionally perfected and significantly different from the previously known Karelia Overture and Suite: the polyphony is richer, details more accurate, orchestration fuller, tempos more varied and articulations livelier. Entirely new bars have also been added to the overture."

https://helsinkifestival.fi/en/event/helsinki-philharmonic-orchestra-tuomas-hannikainen-sibelius-new-karelia/

Sibelius is an endlessly fascinating composer who keeps revealing surprises.

I hope that they broadcast it as I'd love to hear it!

PD

[Madiel]

I had to go hunting for information about the Concert Overture they mention. Apparently it's music from the opera The Maiden in the Tower.

[Roasted Swan]

You have a pretty good set but I'd ditch Collins/LSO from your not yet have list and put Collins/Boston on your must own list.  It might not knock the others away but deserves to be listed among those. 

I missed your reply a month ago - sorry!  I have Davis/Boston already but its not as favourite a cycle for me as I know it is for others.

[Maestro267]

Fascinating that the Sixth Symphony doesn't have a slow movement. In that sense it's a lot like Beethoven 8.

[Brian]

Fascinating that the Sixth Symphony doesn't have a slow movement. In that sense it's a lot like Beethoven 8.

Yes! I don't like when conductors try to turn the second movement into a slow one artificially.

[vers la flamme]

Anyone familiar with Sibelius' (only?) opera, Jungfrun i tornet? Wondering if it's worth a listen.

[relm1]

Anyone familiar with Sibelius' (only?) opera, Jungfrun i tornet? Wondering if it's worth a listen.

I enjoyed it but I love all Sibelius.  It's worth a listen to hear a rare stage effort from him.  I wouldn't classify it as great Sibelius but interesting ideas from a great composer.

[Madiel]

Anyone familiar with Sibelius' (only?) opera, Jungfrun i tornet? Wondering if it's worth a listen.

I have it in the BIS box set for voice and orchestra. I'm not wild about the BIS recording, it's rather on the harsh side as they themselves acknowledge, which unfortunately just emphasises the screeching qualities of the soprano. It's a bit better if you listen to the alternative recording (Paavo Jarvi, rather than his Dad).

[Roasted Swan]

I always keep an eye out for Classic Selects weekly free downloads.  This week they are interesting and well-worth hearing - 2 volumes of Adrian Boult conducting Sibleius tone poems with the LPO moonlighting as "The London Promenade Orchestra" or somesuch.  Really interesting and dynamic performances yet again proving that Boult was so much more than 'just' a patrician conductor who did Elgar and the German Romantics.....

https://www.classicselectworld.com/products/sibelius-tone-poems-vol-1-adrian-boult-philharmonia-promenade-orchestra-of-london



https://www.classicselectworld.com/products/sibelius-tone-poems-vol-2-patriotic-and-nature-pieces-adrian-boult-london?variant=44633470337274



These can be downloaded as FLAC files and the sound is really pretty good - don't miss out, these freebies are only around for a few days each.....

[vandermolen]

I always keep an eye out for Classic Selects weekly free downloads.  This week they are interesting and well-worth hearing - 2 volumes of Adrian Boult conducting Sibleius tone poems with the LPO moonlighting as "The London Promenade Orchestra" or somesuch.  Really interesting and dynamic performances yet again proving that Boult was so much more than 'just' a patrician conductor who did Elgar and the German Romantics.....

https://www.classicselectworld.com/products/sibelius-tone-poems-vol-1-adrian-boult-philharmonia-promenade-orchestra-of-london



https://www.classicselectworld.com/products/sibelius-tone-poems-vol-2-patriotic-and-nature-pieces-adrian-boult-london?variant=44633470337274



These can be downloaded as FLAC files and the sound is really pretty good - don't miss out, these freebies are only around for a few days each.....

I like Boult's Sibelius recordings.

[Madiel]

I mentioned on the WAYLTN thread a vague dream of someone doing a decent series of Sibelius' orchestral works that wasn't so focused on the symphonies, but also wasn't BIS' approach of stuffing boxes with every sketch and alternate version.

And then I started trying to map such a series out. This is what I came up with, in a form that covered symphonies, tone poems, works for violin and orchestra and then some solo vocal works got added because they were fitting (ones originally for orchestra, not orchestrations of solo songs though if you want to squeeze them in there).

If someone did something like these 10 volumes I'd be chuffed. I'm going to try these sequences out, which in a few cases put symphonies with their original couplings. Dates might occasionally be slightly off.

Volume 1: Kullervo (1892)

Volume 2: Overture in E minor and Scene de Ballet (1891), Spring Song (1894/5), 4 Legends (Lemminkainen Suite) (1896/7)

Volume 3: The Wood Nymph (1894/5), Serenade (1894/5), The Rapids-Riders' Brides (1897) Symphony No.1 (1899/1900)

Volume 4: En Saga (1892/1902), Overture in A minor (1902), Symphony No.2 (1902/3)

Volume 5: Cassazione (1904/5), Violin Concerto (1903-5), Romance in C (1904), Pohjola's Daughter (1906)

Volume 6: Symphony No.3 (1907), The Dryad (1910), Dance-Intermezzo (1904/7), Cortege aka D-I number 2 (1905), Pan and Echo aka D-I number 3 (1906), Night Ride and Sunrise (1908)

Volume 7: Scenes Historiques 1 (1899/1911), Scenes Historiques 2 (1912), Arioso (1911), Symphony No.4 (1911)

Volume 8: Rakastava (1893-4/1911-12), In Memoriam (1909-10), 2 Serenades for violin and orchestra (1912-3), Symphony No.5 (1915-9)

Volume 9: Luonnotar (1913), The Bard (1913-4), The Oceanides (1914), Humoresques for violin and orchestra (1917-8), Symphony No.6 (1923)

Volume 10: Tapiola (1926), 3 Suites of op.98/100 (1921-2), Suite for Violin and Orchestra (1929), Andante Festivo (1922/38), Symphony No.7 (1924)

And that's my nerdy project for the evening.

[LKB]

I mentioned on the WAYLTN thread a vague dream of someone doing a decent series of Sibelius' orchestral works that wasn't so focused on the symphonies, but also wasn't BIS' approach of stuffing boxes with every sketch and alternate version.

And then I started trying to map such a series out. This is what I came up with, in a form that covered symphonies, tone poems, works for violin and orchestra and then some solo vocal works got added because they were fitting (ones originally for orchestra, not orchestrations of solo songs though if you want to squeeze them in there).

If someone did something like these 10 volumes I'd be chuffed. I'm going to try these sequences out, which in a few cases put symphonies with their original couplings. Dates might occasionally be slightly off.

Volume 1: Kullervo (1892)

Volume 2: Overture in E minor and Scene de Ballet (1891), Spring Song (1894/5), 4 Legends (Lemminkainen Suite) (1896/7)

Volume 3: The Wood Nymph (1894/5), Serenade (1894/5), The Rapids-Riders' Brides (1897) Symphony No.1 (1899/1900)

Volume 4: En Saga (1892/1902), Overture in A minor (1902), Symphony No.2 (1902/3)

Volume 5: Cassazione (1904/5), Violin Concerto (1903-5), Romance in C (1904), Pohjola's Daughter (1906)

Volume 6: Symphony No.3 (1907), The Dryad (1910), Dance-Intermezzo (1904/7), Cortege aka D-I number 2 (1905), Pan and Echo aka D-I number 3 (1906), Night Ride and Sunrise (1908)

Volume 7: Scenes Historiques 1 (1899/1911), Scenes Historiques 2 (1912), Arioso (1911), Symphony No.4 (1911)

Volume 8: Rakastava (1893-4/1911-12), In Memoriam (1909-10), 2 Serenades for violin and orchestra (1912-3), Symphony No.5 (1915-9)

Volume 9: Luonnotar (1913), The Bard (1913-4), The Oceanides (1914), Humoresques for violin and orchestra (1917-8), Symphony No.6 (1923)

Volume 10: Tapiola (1926), 3 Suites of op.98/100 (1921-2), Suite for Violin and Orchestra (1929), Andante Festivo (1922/38), Symphony No.7 (1924)

And that's my nerdy project for the evening.

Definitely worthy of any Sibelius nerd.
🤓

My own project would be assembling every extant recording of En Saga, and setting the finest to appropriate imagery.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I mentioned on the WAYLTN thread a vague dream of someone doing a decent series of Sibelius' orchestral works that wasn't so focused on the symphonies, but also wasn't BIS' approach of stuffing boxes with every sketch and alternate version.

And then I started trying to map such a series out. This is what I came up with, in a form that covered symphonies, tone poems, works for violin and orchestra and then some solo vocal works got added because they were fitting (ones originally for orchestra, not orchestrations of solo songs though if you want to squeeze them in there).

If someone did something like these 10 volumes I'd be chuffed. I'm going to try these sequences out, which in a few cases put symphonies with their original couplings. Dates might occasionally be slightly off.

Volume 1: Kullervo (1892)

Volume 2: Overture in E minor and Scene de Ballet (1891), Spring Song (1894/5), 4 Legends (Lemminkainen Suite) (1896/7)

Volume 3: The Wood Nymph (1894/5), Serenade (1894/5), The Rapids-Riders' Brides (1897) Symphony No.1 (1899/1900)

Volume 4: En Saga (1892/1902), Overture in A minor (1902), Symphony No.2 (1902/3)

Volume 5: Cassazione (1904/5), Violin Concerto (1903-5), Romance in C (1904), Pohjola's Daughter (1906)

Volume 6: Symphony No.3 (1907), The Dryad (1910), Dance-Intermezzo (1904/7), Cortege aka D-I number 2 (1905), Pan and Echo aka D-I number 3 (1906), Night Ride and Sunrise (1908)

Volume 7: Scenes Historiques 1 (1899/1911), Scenes Historiques 2 (1912), Arioso (1911), Symphony No.4 (1911)

Volume 8: Rakastava (1893-4/1911-12), In Memoriam (1909-10), 2 Serenades for violin and orchestra (1912-3), Symphony No.5 (1915-9)

Volume 9: Luonnotar (1913), The Bard (1913-4), The Oceanides (1914), Humoresques for violin and orchestra (1917-8), Symphony No.6 (1923)

Volume 10: Tapiola (1926), 3 Suites of op.98/100 (1921-2), Suite for Violin and Orchestra (1929), Andante Festivo (1922/38), Symphony No.7 (1924)

And that's my nerdy project for the evening.

Cool project!   

PD