The Snowshoed Sibelius

[Madiel]

This is up to the listener of course. Does anyone know what Sibelius thought about it or what kind of program (if any) that's attached to it?

Well, the material I was reading the other day seemed to indicate that this wasn't a piece with a specific mythological inspiration or specified program, unlike many of Sibelius' other works.

[North Star]

"Night ride and sunrise. On horseback from Suojärvi to Värtsilä through the moonlit forest."
This is how conductor Jussi Jalas wrote in his noteslip in July 1942 Sibelius' revelation of the programmatic roots of his tone poem that received it's premiere in 1909. Sibelius had ridden to Värtsilä in the summer of 1892 on his travels collecting poetry in Karelia. The nocturnal mood had infested his subconscious for a long while. The ride from Suojärvi to Värtsilä would have been extremely long, though, and researcher Markku Hartikainen has suggested that Sibelius might have actually ridden from Soanlahti to Värtsilä.

There might have been other sources of inspiration, as well. Sibelius sketched the themes of the composition already in Rome in the spring of 1901, according to his recollections after seeing the Coliseum in the moonlight. Sibelius' secretary Santeri Levas thought that the composition was also related to a nightly horse ride from Kerava to Helsinki in the turn of the century. Sibelius reminisced in 1953 that the sunrise during that ride was sublime, with the sky bathing in colours.

Most important could be the idea the composer pointed out to Rosa Newmarch. According to Sibelius, music concerns 'the internal sensations of a regular human being while riding alone through a dusky forest, altering between states of happiness about being alone in the nature, and frightened by the silence or sounds breaking it - not with unnecessary omens, but grateful and glad of the dawn.

http://www.sibelius.fi/suomi/musiikki/ork_oinen_ratsastus.htm
Translated by me.

[Brian]

BIS CEO Robert von Bahr explains why he recorded the complete Sibelius.

"It is with a feeling of immense pride and happiness that I am in the position to offer you this. Please consider the following so that you understand what Sibelius has meant to my family: My Great-great-grandfather was a cantor and luthier who actually tended to Sibelius's violin in his early years, his son was a violist, music critic (with the pen-name "bis"), who premièred several works by Sibelius and, on top of that, became Sibelius's first music publisher! His son, my Grandfather, was solo cellist in the Helsinki Phil and also premièred several works by Sibelius (and often went on drinking bouts with him), and his daughter, my Mother, being prima ballerina assoluta at the Finnish Opera, several times danced for him, incl. the Valse Triste.

"And I hereby close the circle with this Edition. So this isn't just editorial, it is also deeply personal and I am proud that the Sibelius Family has put to my disposal absolutely all material they have access to."

And RvB also explains that over at eClassical.com, each of the Big Sibelius Edition Boxes will roll out as a download version, one per month, until December 2015.

"The first Box/Bundle is here. In the Anniversary Year (150 years since he was born) of 2015 you will be treated to another Box every month up to the last one in December 2015. Pricewise this is how it goes: we will price every Box so that those who buy all 13 Boxes in the month of the release will pay together $363 for the whole thing - that is actually the same price as the Daily Deal, which means $4:50 per hour of music or half the usual price for single CDs!! Every month, at the change of Box, the previous Box will increase in price with 20% to its official listed price."

[knight66]

A new disc of Sibelius No 2 with Andris Nelsons conducting the Boston SO is due out tomorrow on their own label. It is a live recording from a very enthusiastically reviewed concert. Best make the best of him while he is with you Bostonians, the rumours are that Berlin would like him to follow Rattle.

As an aside, he is in a new live concert version of Wagner's Dutchman, again ecstatically reviewed.

Mike

[jlaurson]

Updated (on the website)  with John Storgårds' new cycle, recorded live with the BBC Philharmonic on Chandos and the new edition of Rattle's cycle.




Survey of Sibelius Symphony Cycles

Of course not. Not need. Wantz! With 18 cycles, you've shown a history of zero ability to resist a temptation... so that's a pretty good indication you'll get this one, too. Which ones do you not have, in any case? 

I've updated for the Berglund below...

Better viewed her: http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/05/survey-of-sibelius-cycles.html

- - - -
Survey of Sibelius Symphony Cycles

Time to update: New version of Maazel II, first boxed CD incidence of Davis I.
The spot freed up by the formerly necessary second volume of Davis is taken by Sixtus Ehrling's Stockholm cycle that had not been included previously.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*V. Ashkenazy I, Philharmonia Decca ~$40,- C. Davis I, Boston SO Decca ~$25,- A. Gibson, Royal ScO Chandos (oop) L. Segerstam I, Danish NSO Chandos/Brilliant ~$46,- N. Jaervi I, Gothenburg SO BIS ~$62,- A. Collins, LSO Decca (Japan) ~$44,- *L. Maazel II, Pittsburg SO Sony ~$25,-

*L. Segerstam II, Helsinki PO Ondine ~$54,- S. Ehrling, Royal Stockholm PO Finlandia $50,- (Germany only) H.v. Karajan / Kamu, Berlin Phil DG ~$24,- *L. Bernstein, NY Phil Sony ~$50,- P. Berglund I, Bournemouth SO EMI (back in print!) J.P. Saraste, Finnish RSO Finlandia (oop) ~$60,- G. Rozhdestvensky, Moscow RSO Melodyi. ~$45,-

*O. Vanska, Lahti SO BIS ~$65,- *L. Maazel I, Vienna Phil. Decca ~$24,- *K. Sanderling, Berlin Berlin Cl. ~$33,- *Sir J. Barbirolli, Hallé Orchestra EMI ~$35,- (sale) P. Berglund II, Helsinki PO EMI ~$35,- (sale) *C. Davis III, LSO v.1-v.2-v.3-v.4 LSO live (4 à ~$16,-) S. Oramo, CoBirm.O Erato ~£30,-

*H. Blomstedt, S.F.SO Decca ~$31,- *P. Sakari, Iceland SO Naxos ~$36,- N. Järvi II, Gothenburg SO DG ~$56,- *S. Rattle, Birmingh.SO EMI ~$34,- *P. Berglund III, Chamber OoE Finlandia ~$40,- (Germany only) *C. Davis II, LSO RCA ~$41,- A. Watanabe, Japan PhilO (Japan only) Denon ~$31,-

[Moonfish]

Updated (on the website)  with John Storgårds' new cycle, recorded live with the BBC Philharmonic on Chandos and the new edition of Rattle's cycle.




Survey of Sibelius Symphony Cycles

Love your survey/compilation of Sibelius cycles! Thank you for all the work! 

[jlaurson]

Love your survey/compilation of Sibelius cycles! Thank you for all the work! 

Thanks kindly! Much appreciated and gratifying to hear that it's being thought of as useful.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Are any of Sibelius's symphonic poems (outside of Finlandia, Swan of Tuonela and Tapiola) part of standard repertoire in other countries? It probably depends on the country, I've read Jean wasn't that well liked in German-speaking countries opposed to more favorable reception in english ones. And that one french dude even called Sibelius the worst composer in the world. Sorry for being ignorant, I've heard very different opinions about Sibelius abroad, I know many foreign classical music fans who barely even know who the guy is, but also many who think of him as one of the greatest composers ever. Of course every composer has its critics but are his works (Symphonies, symphonic poems, Violin concerto, Tempest, maybe even Voces intimae etc.) , generally speaking, well known/liked in Europe or USA for ex.? Hell, in Finland many people can't say any works from him outside of Finlandia, Valse triste, violin concerto and The Swan of Tuonela.

[Brian]

I think we might see Pohjola's Daughter more than Finlandia in the USA...maybe. But he is not especially popular overall: probably, in order, Second Symphony, Violin Concerto, First Symphony, a short work like PD or Valse triste, and very rarely you will see Symphony 5 or 7, but that's all, except in the largest and most adventurous American symphonies.

I have seen Nos. 1, 5, and 7 live in Texas, but personally haven't seen any tone poems live here.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Thank you for answering! Shame no love shown to other symphonic poems or 4th symphony which IIRC Tawastjerna thinks is his supreme masterpiece. Of course, whether or not composition is masterpiece or not, does not necessarily mean that it is performed frequently and known by everyone.

[Karl Henning]

I've heard the BSO play The Bard and the Third Symphony in Symphony Hall.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Currently, I think Bard is that one symphonic poem by Sibelius that I don't really love. It may be I haven't heard it enough times. Dryad is very nice, though.

[vandermolen]

Am enjoying the Ehrling cycle.

[not edward]

Currently, I think Bard is that one symphonic poem by Sibelius that I don't really love. It may be I haven't heard it enough times. Dryad is very nice, though.

It is a bit of an oddly uneventful piece; but that's partly why I like it. Sibelius is very good at music that doesn't do quite what you expect it to.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, I'm very appreciative for what Jens has done for ol' Jean. Great and informative survey. Keep up the good work my man!

[jlaurson]

Are any of Sibelius's symphonic poems (outside of Finlandia, Swan of Tuonela and Tapiola) part of standard repertoire in other countries? It probably depends on the country, I've read Jean wasn't that well liked in German-speaking countries opposed to more favorable reception in english ones. And that one french dude even called Sibelius the worst composer in the world. Sorry for being ignorant, I've heard very different opinions about Sibelius abroad, I know many foreign classical music fans who barely even know who the guy is, but also many who think of him as one of the greatest composers ever. Of course every composer has its critics but are his works (Symphonies, symphonic poems, Violin concerto, Tempest, maybe even Voces intimae etc.) , generally speaking, well known/liked in Europe or USA for ex.? Hell, in Finland many people can't say any works from him outside of Finlandia, Valse triste, violin concerto and The Swan of Tuonela.

Outside the nordic and anglophone countries, Sibelius has taken a considerable dive since WWII. Not all the blame goes to Adorno & René Leibowitz ("Sibelius, le plus mauvais compositeur du monde"), but some.




That's incredibly unfortunate, not because he had actually been a much-played superstar in pre-war Germany, but because continental audiences are being denied (or are denying themselves) the work of one of the best symphonists. Never mind the tone poems... even the symphonies are rarely played and often badly, when at all. Only the violin concerto and maybe symphony no.2 have more than a toe in the repertoire.

[Karl Henning]

The challenge of catching up with a malicious rumor . . . .

[Drasko]

But he is not especially popular overall: probably, in order, Second Symphony, Violin Concerto, First Symphony ...

This pretty much mirrors my experience. Here's what Sibelius Belgrade Philharmonic played over last 12 seasons:

2003/04 Symphony No.6 (Dorian Wilson), Violin Concerto (Ilya Gringoltz, Andres Orosco-Estrada)
2004/05 /
2005/06 /
2006/07 /
2007/08 Symphony No.2 (Peter Leonard)
2008/09 /
2009/10 Violin Concerto (Hagai Shaham, Uros Lajovic), Lemminkainen Legends (Fabrice Bollon), Tapiola (Jaakko Kuusisto), Symphony No.5 (Ronald Zollman), Symphony No.1 (Uros Lajovic)
2010/11 /
2011/12 /
2012/13 Finlandia, Symphony No.1 (Vladimir Kulenovic), Violin Concerto (Siao Ming Vang (sp?), Muhai Tang), Symphony No.2 (Daniel Raiskin)
2013/14 Karelia, Symphony No.5 (Kristiina Poska)
2014/15 Symphony No.2 (Muhai Tang)

Three programmings for VC and 2nd Symphony (they even toured with 2nd), two for 1st & 5th, what else is played once. In brackets are conductors and violinists.

[snyprrr]

So I got ALL the Gibson Sibelius Tone Poems on Chandos, which includes the 'Tone Poems' proper, the 2CD set with

En Saga............................not sure this is something for me, eh...
Luonnatar
Finlandia
Spring Song
The Bard
The Dryad
Pohjola's Daughter.............I'm not sure I like the next two pieces...
Night Ride and Sunrise
Tapiola..............................I responded better to this than I have in the past

and the two discs including:

Lemminkainen and the Maidens of Saari
The Swan of Tuonela.......................................the two inner movements are quite dark, but the whole thing is wonderful.
Lemminkainen in Tuonela
Lemminkainen's Homeward Journey

Scenes Historiques 1-2............altogether a quite light, yet extremely good Sibelius recital.
Rakastava...............................like this one
Valse Lyrique

and then Jarvi with Andante Festivo.......ahhhhhhh....




What are some other non-Symphony Sibelius I'd like? I don't know if Swanwhite/King Christian will put me to sleep?

[vandermolen]

So I got ALL the Gibson Sibelius Tone Poems on Chandos, which includes the 'Tone Poems' proper, the 2CD set with

En Saga............................not sure this is something for me, eh...
Luonnatar
Finlandia
Spring Song
The Bard
The Dryad
Pohjola's Daughter.............I'm not sure I like the next two pieces...
Night Ride and Sunrise
Tapiola..............................I responded better to this than I have in the past

and the two discs including:

Lemminkainen and the Maidens of Saari
The Swan of Tuonela.......................................the two inner movements are quite dark, but the whole thing is wonderful.
Lemminkainen in Tuonela
Lemminkainen's Homeward Journey

Scenes Historiques 1-2............altogether a quite light, yet extremely good Sibelius recital.
Rakastava...............................like this one
Valse Lyrique

and then Jarvi with Andante Festivo.......ahhhhhhh....




What are some other non-Symphony Sibelius I'd like? I don't know if Swanwhite/King Christian will put me to sleep?

Try the complete Karelia music - a revelation to me, recommended by a friend. I prefer the Ondine CD to the BIS but they are both cheap on UK Amazon and both excellent:
[asin]B0007IP5OG[/asin]
PS it is certainly not cheap on US Amazon, so don't follow the link with the photo. 
It is available second hand at under £4.00 on the UK site.

Here is the BIS:
[asin]B0000267FX[/asin]