Greatest Sibelius Symphony

[North Star]

Greatest I don't know, but favorites: 4, 5, 6


Sarge

Well, I voted for my greatest favourites 

I think it is most likely that no-one really thinks greatest and favourite mean the same things, and probably people vote for their favourites.
But, objectively one can say that any Mahler symphony (1-9) is greater than Sibelius's 7th   

[Karl Henning]

Great poll; I demand the fruit option.

As you were . . . .

[fridden]

My current favorites are 2, 5 and 6.

[Karl Henning]

Barring t. f. o., this is a poll with (for me) either too few options (seven would be about right) or too many.  So, as with the Wagner poll, I cast one vote: the Sixth.

[Sergeant Rock]

1,2,3.

Those would be Mrs. Rock's choices.

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

Favorite? Greatest?

Is that similar to saying the Greatest Film ever made is Citizen Kane...
...but my favorite film is Weekend at Bernie's.   

Anyway, thanks for those who are participating and those who eventually will.

And love the insight ukrneal! 

And, Karl, I'm sorry...I ate all the fruit. 



(which btw I don't find either of those film statements to be true)

[Karl Henning]

The sock monkey ate all the bananas?!

[Sergeant Rock]

What is going on here? Is this more of a pastoral symphony

Well, the horn theme (first heard 1:25 in the clip) came to Sibelius after he witnessed a large flock of swans taking off. If not a pastoral symphony, certainly one inspired by nature.

And then an odd ending. I like odd endings, and rather enjoyed this one, but I cannot see how it connects to anything in the symphony.

It's actually a normal cadence (cementing the home key) but made unusual by the staggering of the chords and the silence between. It's both a shocking ending and, I think, a brilliant one.

Sarge

[DavidW]

2 tied with 6 < 5 < 4 for me.

[not edward]

Good to see love for the 6th, a work I have a lot of time for, and one of those pieces that leave all the important questions unanswered at the end.

Plus--has there ever been a more beautiful opening to a symphony? I think not.

[TheGSMoeller]

Plus--has there ever been a more beautiful opening to a symphony? I think not.

I think you may have suggested a good idea for a new poll.

[mszczuj]

Those would be Mrs. Rock's choices.

What a incomparable good taste!

[starrynight]

The last 4 are arguably the best, but they are all so different I'm not sure there's much point picking one out.

[Mirror Image]

I hope you don't mind, but I am going to use this thread to try and gain a bit of insight into Sibelius. If Bruckner and Prokofiev came naturally to me, I had to work a bit with Shostakovich and Mahler. But Sibelius is a bit of a mystery to me. I enjoy some of his tone poems and I have thoroughly enjoyed his piano works. But his symphonies are still quite far away for me. When I listen to this clip above, I am not trasnported anywhere, but am more often than not confused.

What is going on here? The structure seems all over the place. Strings like bees, than that is abandoned and we are somewhere else. There is a moment about 3/4 of the way through when the trumpets have an achingly beautiful melody, but this doesn't go anywhere either (though I believe it was repeated, so maybe I need to go back and listen again) and the impact of that beauty seems lost to me. The good news is, I don't dislike the music. I just cannot see what it is trying to say. Is this more of a pastoral symphony (like Beethoven 5) - should i approach it from that angle (is that why they revealed the landscape behind, which I also didn't understand unless it is indeed a pastoral)? And then an odd ending. I like odd endings, and rather enjoyed this one, but I cannot see how it connects to anything in the symphony. I actually have #5, so could listen the whole way through (with Karajan on EMI). I would be interested to hear what others are hearing and perceiving here.

Later I will listen to the clip of #7, which I don't have and have never heard.

Sibelius is, for many listeners I've spoken with, a difficult nut to crack because his music can be quite elusive. It doesn't always hit you. But Sibelius was one of the first composers that spoke to me. I think one of the things I admire most about his music is the fact that it's not always about direct emotional impact, it's about the feelings we have that are sometimes hidden that we don't always want to reveal because of their insensitive nature, but sooner or later we must unburden ourselves. This unburdening are the emotional releases (climaxes) found in his music and they, quite frankly, cut through me like a knife. Like the nature that Sibelius loved, there was always a truth in his music. I urge you to watch the DVD documentary titled Early Years/Maturity & Silence. This DVD covers Sibelius' life in a very straightforward way. Each time I listen to Sibelius, I walk away for an even greater appreciation for his music. It must mean something to me or else I wouldn't own 18 complete symphony cycles.

[Wanderer]

This poll lacks Kullervo... and a fruit option.

[DieNacht]

Voted 1,4,6.

But they are all good: I find the 7th a bit difficult to appreciate, concering Sib´s late style I prefer Tapiola and the 6th, Have never found that truly perfect recording that makes the 7th undeniably impressive, would like a really sentimental recording underlining the melodic lines and sweeping sound of strings etc.

[TheGSMoeller]

This poll lacks Kullervo... and a fruit option.

And, Karl, I'm sorry...I ate all the fruit. 

Lack of fruit option explained above...

And I purposely created it with only the seven numbered symphonies.

[Scion7]

This poll lacks the  glacier  option.

[TheGSMoeller]

This poll lacks the  glacier  option.

Good point...

...my next poll will be,"Best Sibelius Album Cover Featuring A Glacier or Snow."

...followed by, "Best Britten or Vaughan-Williams Album Cover Featuring The Ocean."

[Wanderer]

And I purposely created it with only the seven numbered symphonies.

I'm sure Rob wouldn't have charged you extra for the soloists and choir.

Lack of fruit option explained above...

Eating all the fruit? Not cool.