Top 5 Favorite Sibelius Works

[Marc]

An incredibly fine list, Marc.

I forgot about the violin concerto though... so i made a change. Pity for En Saga... life is harsh, even musical life.

(I learned to really appreciate the violin concerto when Mullova played it once at a concert I attended, with the Minnesota Orchestra and Vänska.)

[Mirror Image]

I forgot about the violin concerto though... so i made a change. Pity for En Saga... life is harsh, even musical life.

En Saga is still a fine work whether it gets the shaft (or not).

[Marc]

En Saga is still a fine work whether it gets the shaft (or not).

True.

Sometimes I suffer from 'symphonic' fever and a few symphony/orchestral boxes are besides my bed, Bruckner, Brahms, Sibelius, Mahler. Lying on my back and enjoying it.

(But it's mostly older and smaller stuff I listen to.)

[Mirror Image]

True.

Sometimes I suffer from 'symphonic' fever and a few symphony/orchestral boxes are besides my bed, Bruckner, Brahms, Sibelius, Mahler. Lying on my back and enjoying it.

(But it's mostly older and smaller stuff I listen to.)

I tend to mix things up a bit: I'll go from listening to a symphony for example to listening to some songs/lieder/mélodies to then listening to a ballet. It depends, but I do think variety is the spice of life and all of the composers I adore have more than one specialty and have written consistently in many genres.

[Marc]

I tend to mix things up a bit: I'll go from listening to a symphony for example to listening to some songs/lieder/mélodies to then listening to a ballet. It depends, but I do think variety is the spice of life and all of the composers I adore have more than one specialty and have written consistently in many genres.

In the right mood, I can switch in 60 mins from Sibelius to Couperin to The Doors. Whatever. As long as my musical soul gets satisfied.

[Mirror Image]

In the right mood, I can switch in 60 mins from Sibelius to Couperin to The Doors. Whatever. As long as my musical soul gets satisfied.

This, of course, is of upmost importance.

[vers la flamme]

I did not see the stipulation about one symphony. Let me try again...:

Symphony No.5
Pohjola's Daughter
Tapiola
En Saga
Violin Concerto (which I need to spend more time with... what's a good recording?)

[Mirror Image]

I did not see the stipulation about one symphony. Let me try again...:

Symphony No.5
Pohjola's Daughter
Tapiola
En Saga
Violin Concerto (which I need to spend more time with... what's a good recording?)

Fine works --- all of them. For a more modern recording, I'd check out Hilary Hahn's recording of the VC on DG (w/ Salonen and the Swedish Radio SO). Another favorite is Ida Haendel on EMI (Warner now --- w/ Berglund and the Bournemouth SO). You can't go wrong with either of these, IMHO.

I wrote a review of the Hahn recording if you want to read it:

Title: Powerful, Thought-Provoking Sibelius

Sibelius' "Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47" is a work that has baffled me for years. Only within the past year or so have I finally come around to what I believe it's about and trying to express. I suppose one problem was trying to find the 'right' interpretation. There have been several great performances (Mullova's on Philips with Ozawa springs immediately to mind, Gil Shaham/Sinopoli was another that impressed me), but I could find none that truly spoke to me until I heard Hilary Hahn's revelatory performance. What struck me almost immediately was this icy/hot approach. Hahn plays with a certain detachment that I believe is beneficial to this concerto and it literally sent a cold chill down my spine. There's so much virtuosity in her playing, but, for me, this isn't what this concerto is all about. There's a narrative that being told and each turn of phrase gets you closer and closer to it's meaning only to have it disappear into something else, which gives it a certainly enigmatic quality. There have been so many violinists that have performed Sibelius' "Violin Concerto" and I certainly don't make the claim that I've heard them all, but I can assure you that if you understand this concerto, and you enjoy Hahn's playing, then you're bound to come away from this performance with a newfound respect and admiration, not only for the work itself, but for Hahn as an interpreter/performer. Esa-Pekka Salonen is also in top-form and leads the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in an accompaniment that's sympathetic and is of the same mindset as Hahn. You couldn't ask for a better team.

A must-hear recording if there ever were one. Highly recommended.

[Review originally published via Amazon on Dec. 9th, 2015]

[vers la flamme]

Fine works --- all of them. For a more modern recording, I'd check out Hilary Hahn's recording of the VC on DG (w/ Salonen and the Swedish Radio SO). Another favorite is Ida Haendel on EMI (Warner now --- w/ Berglund and the Bournemouth SO). You can't go wrong with either of these, IMHO.

I wrote a review of the Hahn recording if you want to read it:

Title: Powerful, Thought-Provoking Sibelius

Sibelius' "Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47" is a work that has baffled me for years. Only within the past year or so have I finally come around to what I believe it's about and trying to express. I suppose one problem was trying to find the 'right' interpretation. There have been several great performances (Mullova's on Philips with Ozawa springs immediately to mind, Gil Shaham/Sinopoli was another that impressed me), but I could find none that truly spoke to me until I heard Hilary Hahn's revelatory performance. What struck me almost immediately was this icy/hot approach. Hahn plays with a certain detachment that I believe is beneficial to this concerto and it literally sent a cold chill down my spine. There's so much virtuosity in her playing, but, for me, this isn't what this concerto is all about. There's a narrative that being told and each turn of phrase gets you closer and closer to it's meaning only to have it disappear into something else, which gives it a certainly enigmatic quality. There have been so many violinists that have performed Sibelius' "Violin Concerto" and I certainly don't make the claim that I've heard them all, but I can assure you that if you understand this concerto, and you enjoy Hahn's playing, then you're bound to come away from this performance with a newfound respect and admiration, not only for the work itself, but for Hahn as an interpreter/performer. Esa-Pekka Salonen is also in top-form and leads the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in an accompaniment that's sympathetic and is of the same mindset as Hahn. You couldn't ask for a better team.

A must-hear recording if there ever were one. Highly recommended.

[Review originally published via Amazon on Dec. 9th, 2015]

Sounds like a winner. Thanks. I have actually heard that recording before, along with the Schoenberg it's coupled with, great performances both, but I don't have the CD. Looks like I'll be picking it up soon.

[Mirror Image]

Sounds like a winner. Thanks. I have actually heard that recording before, along with the Schoenberg it's coupled with, great performances both, but I don't have the CD. Looks like I'll be picking it up soon.

[Mirror Image]

Time for another list (in no particular order):

Tapiola, Op. 112
Five Pieces, "The Trees", Op. 75
Eight Songs, Op. 57
Jokamies (Everyman), Op. 83
Symphony No. 6, Op. 104

[vandermolen]

Time for another list (in no particular order):

Tapiola, Op. 112
Five Pieces, "The Trees", Op. 75
Eight Songs, Op. 57
Jokamies (Everyman), Op. 83
Symphony No. 6, Op. 104

But which recording of Tapiola?

[Mirror Image]

But which recording of Tapiola?

Segerstam on Ondine.

[vandermolen]

Segerstam on Ondine.

Probably my choice too! Although I do like Berglund's Philharmonia recording and Segerstam's earlier Royal Danish SO version on Chandos. Kajanus also rates highly for me.

[Mirror Image]

Probably my choice too! Although I do like Berglund's Philharmonia recording and Segerstam's earlier Royal Danish SO version on Chandos. Kajanus also rates highly for me.

I can't say I know Segerstam's earlier recording (I know he recorded the whole symphony cycle on Chandos also). Berglund's Philharmonia recording is top-notch, but I love his earlier Bournemouth performance, too.

[Mirror Image]

Time for another list (in no particular order):

Tapiola, Op. 112
Five Pieces, "The Trees", Op. 75
Eight Songs, Op. 57
Jokamies (Everyman), Op. 83
Symphony No. 6, Op. 104

A new list (in no particular order):

Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63
Five Pieces, "The Trees", Op. 75
Night Ride and Sunrise, Op. 55
Voces intimae, Op. 56
Luonnotar, Op. 70

This list is always subject to change per usual.

[Biffo]

Difficult to cut it down to five as I would want to include all seven numbered symphonies and several tone poems and suites but here goes -

Symphony No 7
Tapiola
Symphony No 2
Karelia Suite (for nostalgic reasons)
En Saga

Tomorrow might be different

[Mirror Image]

Difficult to cut it down to five as I would want to include all seven numbered symphonies and several tone poems and suites but here goes -

Symphony No 7
Tapiola
Symphony No 2
Karelia Suite (for nostalgic reasons)
En Saga

Tomorrow might be different

To make people's lists more challenging and fun (well, for me anyway), I have asked if people would only choose one symphony.

[Christo]

Again, no doubt, from scratch:

Symphony No. 6
Luonnotar
Tapiola
Kullervo
En Saga

[Brian]

Pohjola's Daughter
Violin Concerto
Luonnotar
Karelia Suite
Symphony No. 5


===ACTUAL TOP FIVE===
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 7
Pohjola's Daughter
Violin Concerto

Five years later...

Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 7
Violin Concerto
Luonnotar
En Saga

Not a ton of change!