Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 6

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 3, for orchestra in C major, Op. 52
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy

2. Symphony No. 6, for orchestra in D minor, Op. 104
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 6, Music, Jean Sibelius, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Philharmonic Orchestra, 20th/21st Century Symphony, Classical, Classical Music, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic

Average customer rating:

Elicits a Grin, Not a Groan

Playing of great authority and nobility ...

If you know about other superior performance of the Fifth, please let me know about it!

Unmissable 5th

It seems I've hitched my wagon to Segerstam's Sibelius star.

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7

ASIN: B000632PDQ
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Tracks:

Allegro Moderato
Andantino Con Moto. Quasi Allegretto
Moderato - Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)
Tempo Molto Moderato - Allegro Moderato
Andante Moso. Quasi Allegreto
Allegro Molto

Customer Reviews:

Elicits a Grin, Not a Groan.......2007-07-08

Conductor Leif Segerstam puts his big bearhug around these works in creamily lush and expansive renderings -- steeped in late Romanticism yet brimming with idiomatic Finnish flavor. The Fifth here projects a wonderful, slowly-wrought optimism instead of the abject melancholy found in some other similarly slow performances. The sound from Ondine is absolutely first-rate.

Playing of great authority and nobility ..........2006-10-25

The combination on this album should be ideal: the orchestra that premiered many of Sibelius' own works under the baton of the master himself, led by a Finnish conductor who 'knows his Sibelius', and indeed it proves to be so, at least to the ears of this particular listener.
The orchestral playing on this album - as well as all the others in this truly magnificent cycle of Sibelius' symphonies - is extremely crisp and taut, but at the same time the music is allowed to breath and sing in all its grandure and nobility. Here we have a conductor who really knows how Sibelius should sound, IMHO: noble and with grandure, but completely fresh and natural as if we are witnessing an unfolding and evolving natural phenomenon. If you love Sibelius, then especially the grandiloquent Fifth Symphony will give you goosebumps here, I think.
The orchestral sound is voluminous, resounding and exhilaratingly full-bodied in all instrumental and orchestral registers, helped by a recording that is fairly direct, crystal clear, with all orchestral colors in full focus. All of Sibelius' wonderful melodies are here lovingly caressed in just the right speeds and volumes to give the symphonies a coherence that feels completely convincing and natural (without any disturbing or annoying idiosynchrasies) even when one can't music, like I myself ;-)
But anyway, I do listen to classical music often enough to be able to distinguish between good and not so good out there, I hope, and this recording can indeed IMHO be considered very good, if not simply great.

If you know about other superior performance of the Fifth, please let me know about it!.......2006-02-02

On a Saturday evening in 2003, a great friend of mine, made me listen this version of the Fifth : I must confess after having listened it, I just could not believe it. This is by far, the most amazing, revealing, incandescent and mercurial reading of Sibelius Fifth ever recorded until now.

Segerstam deepened into the essential core of this work, giving us a mythical approach; the epic and strength vision simply has not parallel in the market.

In which the Third concerns, the results are admirable; you would not have to miss this fantastic opportunity to acquire this overwhelming record.

Unmissable 5th.......2005-03-05

The little I heard of Segerstam's earlier Sibelius symphony recordings, on Chandos, din't convince me that he was a distinguished interpreter. Distinctive, yes, with some very slow tempos, but to me it didn't come together. Well, that has changed completely.

This 3rd has some odd tempo choices and some instrumental balances that seem slightly 'off' - but it also has conviction and coherence that are missing from most interpretations. Kamu, Davis' latest, and most of all Vanska are not surpassed, but this is a thought-provoking rendition to complement your favorite.

The gem of this disc is the 5th. Talk about Romantic! Segerstam gets everything right, but more than that, he and the orchestra seem to live this music. I've never before had such a sense of connection with Sibelius' argument and with his emotions. The performance is built as a whole rather than having high and low points, and those chords at the end feel to me like the inevitable conclusion rather than the unsatisfying oddity that they can be. Until now, Karajan's late 70s EMI recording was my favorite 5th, but Segerstam's my man now. If this symphony is up your alley, you owe it to yourself to hear this overwhelmingly beautiful performance.

It seems I've hitched my wagon to Segerstam's Sibelius star........2004-12-01

It began innocently enough, when I first heard Leif Segerstam and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra perform Sibelius's incidental music to Shakespeare's "The Tempest," combined with two seldom-heard tone poems ("The Oceanides" and "Night Ride and Sunrise"). I was impressed more than enough so that, when Ondine later released a CD containing Sibelius's 1st and 7th Symphonies, it was just natural to add them to my then-small collection of Sibelius works by this conductor, orchestra and label. (Segerstam had earlier recorded the symphonies, with a different orchestra - the Danish Radio Orchestra - on a different label [BIS], but I had not heard any.) As far as I was concerned, this was some of the best Sibelius work I had ever heard, and it looked to me like Segerstam was on a roll. Next came another Ondine release, this time coupling the 2nd and 6th Symphonies (a CD I have yet to comment on).

This brand new release of the 3rd and 5th Symphonies has temporarily distracted me from that 2nd/6th Symphony assignment, and for good reason: not that this release is at a quantum level higher than that 2nd/6th one, which is equally fine and "all of a piece" with his Sibelius work on Ondine to date, but more because these two symphonies (the 3rd and 5th) do represent some interesting challenges that Segerstam meets heads-on and succeeds remarkably well.

The 3rd Symphony, along with the 6th on the previous release, are probably my two favorite Sibelius works in the symphonic genre. Relative to the other five symphonies, they are smaller in scale (perhaps explaining why they are frequently coupled on CDs, although they're not here) and pose interesting interpretational challenges if they are to be properly realized.

It seems to me that, given the spareness of the materials found in the 3rd Symphony, a key to interpretational success lies at least in part in carefully shaping the phrases. The actual notes, in and of themselves, hardly suggest the difficulty of properly realizing the work: one gets the sense that this is an "easy" work for an orchestra to perform, at least at some level of mediocrity. But it is a rather difficult work to realize effectively.

Segerstam, I think, succeeds on every level. His is a reading of finely nuanced control of dynamics and tempo and carefully shaped phrasing. Particularly felicitous is his - and the musicians' - way with the woodwind chorales that make up a fair bit of the work; these chorales are rendered with a fine sense of plangency. (The principal clarinetist, for one, is particularly outstanding.) And, in the concluding pages, Segerstam makes a strong case for this as a "logical" ending, whereas in lesser hands it is frequently simply abrupt.

The 5th Symphony presents fewer such challenges (at least until, again, the concluding pages): much of the work "plays itself." Notwithstanding, Segerstam's reading is one of "logical inevitability" as the music grows organically from the motivic cells that are a hallmark of Sibelius's compositional style. Even more than in the 3rd Symphony, the plangency of the individual orchestral choirs - again, the woodwinds, but also (and especially) the brass - is outstanding. And Segerstam paces the closing measures, with their famous "luftpauses," better than any I've heard.

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra could be said to be Sibelius's "home field advantage," and Ondine provides them with crystal-clear sound that readily permits one to follow all the instrumental lines.

This Segerstam cycle represents the fifth - and probably final - Sibelius cycle for me. (Earlier ones include Anthony Collins on British Decca, Colin Davis with the Boston Symphony, Vladimir Ashkenazy, again on Decca, and a rather fine budget cycle on Naxos, with Petri Sakari and the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, a true "sleeper.") It is the finest cycle I've yet heard, and I eagerly await the final installment of the 4th Symphony. Hopefully its filler will include either "En Saga" or "Tapiola" to match the darkness of the 4th. Actually, both works *should* fit, in the event anyone from Ondine is reading this review. :-)

Bob Zeidler

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7 / 'The Tempest' Suite No. 2

Average customer rating:

Excellent Sibelius on Naxos

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7 / 'The Tempest' Suite No. 2

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004YYQQ
Release Date: 2000-11-21

Tracks:

Sym No.6 in d, Op.104: Allegro Molto Moderato
Sym No.6 in d, Op.104: Allegretto Moderato
Sym No.6 in d, Op.104: Poco Vivace
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Ste No.2, Op.109 No.3 'The Tempest': The Naiads
Ste No.2, Op.109 No.3 'The Tempest': Dance Episode
Sym No.7 in C, Op.105

Amazon.com

Once again, Naxos scores big with this collection of two of Jean Sibelius's greatest symphonies, the 6th and the 7th. Maestro Petri Sakari's predilection is to take the 6th at a somewhat accelerated pace, especially in the first and the third movements, injecting an unexpectedly playful element to the music. It's almost as if Sakari is intentionally recalling some of the same playful elements in the 5th Symphony and holding them over into the 6th. Symphony No. 7, however, is more moderated in its pacing, keeping with the standard performance tempos most conductors, living and dead, have imposed. Between the two symphonies is the second suite from The Tempest, which provides an upbeat segue to the more meditative 7th Symphony that follows. All in all, another fine release from Naxos. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Sibelius on Naxos.......2007-03-08

This is a very nice coupling of Sibelius' last two Symphonies. Petri Sakari conducts the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in very fine fashion. They play with a heartwarming fervour, especially the woodwinds. The outer movements of No. 6 have plenty of fire. The performance of Sibelius single-movement 7th is no less attractive. Gramophone Magazine gave this recording their monthly Editor's Choice Award. The Penguin Guide gave this 3 stars, which is "an outstanding performance and recording in every way". Also, the French magazine La Monde de la Musique gave it their highest "Special Award CHOC symbol". As if not enough, Naxos throws in a very likable account of the rarely heard Second Suite from Sibelius' 1925 incidental music from The Tempest. At a wonderful low price, Naxos provides an excellent 71-plus minutes from the great Finnish composer. Warmly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Music that touches your soul
Sober Second, Very Fine Third
Revealed Sibelius

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7
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ASIN: B0000016PI
Release Date: 2000-08-05

Tracks:

I. Allegretto
II. Tempo Andante, Ma Rubato
III. Vivacissimo - Attacca
IV. Finale. Allegro Moderato
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andantino Con Moto, Quasi Allegretto
III. Moderato - Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)

Customer Reviews:

Music that touches your soul.......2007-04-07

This must be one of the best Sibelius recordings. The second symphony must be a challenging piece, but Osmo Vanska takes great care of each detail that every time I listen to it, I am moved to near tears. It took me a while to get familiar with the music, though, as I am not a classical music academic. But be patient. Listen to it again and again, if you are a regular music lover like me. All the rest of Sibelius symphony recordings by Vanska and Lahti Orchestra on Bis label are recommended. Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor (Original Version); Violin Concerto in D minor

Sober Second, Very Fine Third.......2007-03-27

The Symphony No. 2 is probably Sibelius' most popular and it receives a very broad and expansive rendering here -- much too sober and polite to recommend for a novice. The limitations of the orchestra are apparent, but the performance is committed if somewhat episodic and lacking natural flow. My favorite recording of No. 2 is by John Barbirolli and the Royal Philharmonic on the Chesky label, which I'd wholeheartedly recommend.

The No. 3 here is a personal favorite with a beautifully melodic and melancholy middle movement. This digital disc is also warmly and transparently recorded.

Revealed Sibelius.......1999-11-14

The second and the third symphonies are among the most popular works of Jean Sibelius, and it's a true and pleasant surprise to notice that a symphonic group of a small city as Lathi and a conductor not yet belonging to the star-system like Osmo Vanska has succeeded in offering a really original interpretation of these works, perhaps the best today available on CD. Accustomed to the somptuos but sometimes rhetorics interpretations of some great conductors (Karajan, Maazel, Davis, Ormandy, Jarvi, etc.) in wich we can find, together to moments of big charm, some trespasses (especially in the second symphony) to superficiality, the interpretative approach of Vanska and the Lathi Symphony Orchestra appears revealing: never before we have noticed a care of the particular so deep and an idiomatic language so absolute to make perfectly sensitive the "white heat" so typical of the Finnish composer, to testimony of a study really meticolous and accurate of the score from the interpreters. The splendid quality of the recording makes once more recommended the acquisition of this CD. Thanks to the Lathi Symphony Orchestra, to its conductor Osmo Vanska and to Bis for have given us this splendid and fundamental recording.

Average customer rating:

The young Jansons and his eager orchestra acquit themselves well
Robust Sibelius.........

Jean Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5

Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sibelius: Symphony in D No. 2; Valse Triste Opus 44
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ASIN: B000002RVR
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

Sym No.3 in C, Op.52: I. Allegro Moderato
Sym No.3 in C, Op.52: II. Andantino Con Moto, Quasi Allegretto
Sym No.3 in C, Op.52: III. Moderato - Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)
Sym No.5 in E flat, Op.82: I. Tempo Molto Moderato -
Sym No.5 in E flat, Op.82: Allegro Moderato - Presto
Sym No.5 in E flat, Op.82: II. Andante Mosso, Quasi Allegretto
Sym No.5 in E flat, Op.82: III. Allegro Molto - Un Pochettino Largamente

Customer Reviews:

The young Jansons and his eager orchestra acquit themselves well.......2007-06-24

This 1994 coupling of the Sibelius Third and Fifth has now been reissued in a budget two-fer by EMI, along with the Second Sym. All performances are vivid and well played. As the reivewer below says, the Oslo Phil. displays an affinity for this music. They are eager and committed, two things that can't be said for Colin Davis's three cycles with the Boston Sym. (Philips) and the LSO (on rCA and the orchestra's house label, LSO Live), which seem a bit stuffy and over-refined at times. Here the music-making is quite fresh. Jansons' tempos stay on the fast side of conventional, which also helps.

Weaknesses? The orchestra's tone lacks weight, and there is a lack of power at times. And although talented, the young Jansons wasn't the equal of Bernstein when he recorded both works in grand style with the NY Phil. on Sony. Jansons' instincts are conventional; therefore you can't expect the originality or supreme authority displayed by such varied conductors as Bernstein, Karajan, Barbirolli, or Beecham. In the bargain two-fer, however, the issue of price comes up, and for the price, these are fine performances. I'd rank them on a par with Rattle and the CBSO, also on EMI.

Robust Sibelius................2001-04-02

In August of 1994, Mariss Jansons and the Oslo Philharmonic recorded the Third and 5th Symphonies of Sibelius. This is an orchestra that has an affinity for Sibelius. You can hear it in the opening of the the Third Symphony...low strings articulate yet robust in tone. This pretty well describes the entire performance of the symphony. It is not an excessively fast performance, but one with a sense of energy and motion. The Oslo Philharmonic is in top form here, with all sections of the orchestra giving their all. The Fifth Symphony is equally well played, with tempi well judged, but the recording seems slightly recessed in comparison with the Third Symphony. Despite this, it makes an attractive coupling, and is well worth having.

Average customer rating:

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000DO9U
Release Date: 1991-10-11

Tracks:

Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 43: I. Allegretto
Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 43: II. Tempo andante, ma rubato
Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 43: III. Vivacissimo
Sym No. 2 in D, Op. 43: IV. Finale (Allegro moderato)
Sym No. 3 in C, Op. 52: I. Allegro moderato
Sym No. 3 in C, Op. 52: II. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
Sym No. 3 in C, Op. 52: III. Moderato-Allegro (ma non tanto)

Average customer rating:

The most tender and personal Sibelius cycle
Stunning
Vintage Collection!!!
The only Sibelius box you'll ever need?
Splendid Sibelius

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1-7

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00003ZKRM
Release Date: 2000-05-09

Tracks:

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Tracks:

Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: I. Andante, Ma Non Troppo - Allegro Energico
Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: II. Andante (Ma Non Troppo Lento)
Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: III. Scherzo (Allgro)
Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: IV. Finale: Quasi Una Fantasia (Andante - Allegro Molto)
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: I. Tempo Molto Moderato, Quasi Adagio
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: II. Allegro Molto Vivace
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: III. II Tempo Largo
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: IV. Allegro

Tracks:

Sym No.2 in D, Op.43: I. Allegretto
Sym No.2 in D, Op.43: II. Tempo Andante, Ma Rubato
Sym No.2 in D, Op.43: III. Vivacissimo
Sym No.2 in D, Op.43: IV. Finale (Allegro Moderato)
Sym No.3 in C, Op.52: I. Allegro Moderato
Sym No.3 in C, Op.52: II. Andantino Con Moto, Quasi Allegretto
Sym No.3 in C, Op.52: III. Moderato - Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)

Tracks:

Sym No.5 in E Flat, Op.82: I. Tempo Molto Moderato - Allegro Moderato - Presto
Sym No.5 in E Flat, Op.82: II. Andante Mosso, Quasi Allegretto
Sym No.5 in E Flat, Op.82: III. Allegro Molto - Un Pochettino Largamente
Pelleas Et Melisande - Ste From The Incidental Music, Op.46: 1. At The Castle Gate
Pelleas Et Melisande - Ste From The Incidental Music, Op.46: 2. Melisande
Pelleas Et Melisande - Ste From The Incidental Music, Op.46: 7. Melisande At The Spinning Wheel
Pelleas Et Melisande - Ste From The Incidental Music, Op.46: 9. The Death Of Melisande
Sym No.7 in C, Op.105: Adagio
Sym No.7 in C, Op.105: Un Pochettino Meno Adagio - Vivacissimo - Adagio
Sym No.7 in C, Op.105: Allegro Molto Moderato
Sym No.7 in C, Op.105: Vivace - Presto - Adagio

Tracks:

Scenes Historiques - Stes I & II: All' Overtura Op.25 No.1
Scenes Historiques - Stes I & II: The Hunt Op.66 No.1
Scenes Historiques - Stes I & II: Scena Op.25 No.2
Rakastava, Op.14: 1. The Lover
Rakastava, Op.14: 2. The Way Of The Lover
Rakastava, Op.14: 3. Goodnight, My Beloved, Farewell
Romance in C, Op.42
Sym No.6 in d, Op.104: I. Allegro Molto Moderato
Sym No.6 in d, Op.104: II. Allegretto Moderato
Sym No.6 in d, Op.104: III. Poco Vivace
Sym No.6 in d, Op.104: IV. Allegro Molto

Customer Reviews:

The most tender and personal Sibelius cycle.......2006-09-09

Until late in his career, Barbirolli was overshadowed by Beecham, the greatest champion of Sibelius in Britain (perhaps the world). Their performances are very different, Beecham being more confident, extroverted, and showy in his approach, Barbirolli more moody, tender and personal. He was in general a personal musician, taking a long time to gather his thoughts about each score. Certain symphonies here, such as the 4th and 7th, come across with total conviciton--you feel and think along with the conductor.

For many listeners, Barbirolli's Sibelius may now have risen above Beecham's for that reason--it's highly ocmmunicative. His pace is usually measured, and he emphasizes the atmospheric wind solos that flavor this music. Beecham had a superior orchestra in the Royal Phil., but the Halle was sensitive to Barbirolli's nuances of phrasing (we hear a lot of that in the mystical Fourth). The bigger, more popular works, such as the Second and Fifth Sym., can't hold their own for execution against versions from powerful, world-famous ensembles like the Berlin and NY Phil. led by powerhouse conductors like Bernstein and Karajan. But Barbriolli wasn't aiming for the grand effect, even in these works, so there's a special niche for his versions, too.

Relegated to Pye, a secondary British label, these recordings now find a rightful place on EMI. I'm giving five stars even though I am not enamored of Barbirolli's somewhat stodgy Third and underpowered Sixth, nor do I have a fondness for some of the routine incidental music that fills out the set. But it's impossible to over-praise the best of these readings, and the sonics are generally fine.

Stunning.......2004-08-14

(THIS IS A REVIEW OF DISC I ONLY) Believe it or not, I had this as an album (does that give away my age or what?). I played it so much the records became worn so when someone offered to let me borrow the first CD of this set, I jumped at the chance.

There is just the right amount of wintry chill and evocative melodies that personified the the great late-Romantic artist. This was an Angel (EMI) recording that still shines with lots of class. I loved the Karelia-Suite as well as the many short pieces that accompanied the major works.

The Halle Orchestra seems almost perfect in this outing.

Vintage Collection!!!.......2004-01-24

I have this set of splendid Sibelius Symphonies for over a year now.I consider myself lucky to have stumbled upon choosing this set ahead of other more "Reputed"performances by TOP Orchestras under Great Conductors.I have been listening to this set for over a year and the least i can say is that it is nothing short of a Revelation.No other conductor or orchestra matches Sir John Barbirolli's understanding and Passionate intensity(sorry Eugene Ormandy,Leonard Bernstein,Mariss Janson)in these performances with the Halle Orchestra.The Halle Orchestra perform splendidly individually as well as collectively,The strings have an intensity ,the woodwinds have an ethereal character and the Brass are quite simply Majestic.Barbirolli brings out the Heroics,the passionate intensity,the poignance,the Mystical quality,the gay abandon and folklike singing quality in these marvellous orchestral works of Sibelius.The pacing is just right ,lingering in passages of great beauty like in the slow movement of the Fifth Symphony,moving with urgency when required.The music is ever flowing in a seamless way and not just pieced together with studied musicianship.The orchestra breathes a free air with an element of spontaneous music making.
Remember how Bruno Walter turned out splendid performances of Beethoven and Brahms Symphonies with a handpicked Columbia sympony Orchestra!Quite the same here.I am yet to listen to Sir Colin Davis Boston Symphony Orchestra's Performances of these works.I am not sure whether they will measure upto this splendid performance by Sir John.It is not about efficiency or discipline.It is all about BEING INSPIRED!!!Sir John Barbirolli and his splendid Halle Orchestra Musicians are on a different plane,the rarefied realms of the spirit!Noble and Sublime.

The only Sibelius box you'll ever need?.......2002-07-25

"Glorious John" Barbirolli wasn't as well-known for his Sibelius as a couple of other British conductor-knights (Colin Davis and the late Thomas Beecham). But this generous set--all the strictly instrumental symphonies (I don't believe Barbirolli ever recorded the choral symphony "Kullervo"), several of the tone poems, and some of Sibelius' incidental music--shows that he was AT LEAST the equal of Sir Colin or Sir Thomas in this repertoire. And the late '60s recordings still sound fresh today--just like the performances.

Splendid Sibelius.......2001-07-27

Besides being a superb interpreter of Delius, Elgar and Vaughan Williams Barbirolli shows himself in this set to be a most worthy Sibelian. Some may complain that his tempi are slow at times but Barbirolli never fails to make these symphonies interesting and often gloriously inspiring. A big plus is the crystal clear sound; you can really hear those woodwinds (so important in Sibelius) and what an impact those cellos make at the beginning of the bleak and somber 4th symphony. There is also a generous allotment of some of the shorter pieces. Whether this is a top choice will depend on the listener but I think it holds its own against some of the top choices out there including Davis--Boston Symphony (Philips Duo) and Ashkenazy--Philharmonia (London).

Average customer rating:

Great recording from Iceland
Finland and Iceland: Music forged in fire...and ice

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 3

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000DMYY
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: Andante ma non troppo - Allegro energico
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: Andante (ma non troppo lento)
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: Scherzo (Allegro)
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: Finale (Quasi una fantasia)
Symphony No. 3 In C Major, Op. 52: Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 3 In C Major, Op. 52: Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
Symphony No. 3 In C Major, Op. 52: Moderato - Allegro (ma non tanto)

Customer Reviews:

Great recording from Iceland.......2004-03-11

Petri Sakari and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra combine forces here for an inspiring performance of two of Sibelius' more upbeat symphonies, the First and the Third. The seldom-played First Symphony, in E minor, written in 1898, is kind of a loner among Sibelius' longer orchestral works. Unabashedly romantic, it shows virtually none of the almost minimalist feel of the composer's "maturer" symphonies. Here he combines earthy Finnish landscape-tones (symbolized by the lingering solo clarinet at the beginning) with wonderful evocations of the distant Nordic sunlight, all mixed together with fate-charged allusions to fin-de-siecle Vienna and Paris. The Third Symphony, written in the uncharacteristically cheerful key of C major, is an equally interesting work, unique for Sibelius' use of old chorale themes at the center of each movement. The chorales give this music a lovely Renaissance feel at times. The melancholy chorale in the Andantino 2nd movement also evokes some of Tchaikovsky's tenderer, more snow-bedecked, marvelously Mother Russia moments, and Sibelius uses the brass in inspiring fashion throughout this impressive and only occasionally long-winded symphony.

Sakari and the Icelanders pull off a great performance in spite of a couple of minor flaws. The conductor highlights the harp and the timpani in the First Symphony, giving this recording a more sparkling and "crackling" feel than some of the better-known ones, but he needs to cut down the tempo and increase the volume in some of the spots where the brass dominates, like Karajan in his acoustically marred recording for EMI.

All in all, though, a great disc, and at a budget price!

Finland and Iceland: Music forged in fire...and ice.......2002-07-01

SIBELIUS's First and Third Symphonies are handled admirably by Mr. Sakari and his orchestra. Unlike the latter's reading of the Second Symphony (not a bad performance even though it seems to lack concentration and is not "the last word" in orchestral equilibrium) this coupling has several merits in terms of pertinence and technical value. As one of the finest cds in this cycle, this record sits, justifiably, next to the one of the Sixth and Seventh Symphonies (also including the 2nd suite to 'The Tempest'). In bare comparison, the performance of the crucial Second Symphony, for some reasons, is only moderately good for the most part (movements III and IV require more fire, while movement II could make for more spacious, atmospheric sound). Similar "interpretive issues" were detected in the rendition of the Fifth Symphony.

With the First and Third Symphonies, however, things seem to be different. Although I assume it's been made "in the same vein" as the Second, the approach seems to work quite a lot better ; here there's a clearer sense of poise---something i didn't feel much in the case of the Second. In the First and Third, the Iceland Symphony's rendition is more compliant, though never lingering, and the so vital sense of a Nordic work is stunningly characterized. For some reasons, the "alchemy" worked rather well when they did this coupling : The overall result, if not faultless, closes the gap between these and the top notch Sibelians (think of Beecham, Vanska, Davis and a few others).

My perception and empathy for the First and Third Symphonies, from that viewpoint, led me to conclude that the Naxos recording on this page should be granted a full five stars. I believe Sakari deserves praise for his work, done according to the "rules of art" (owing to a great job from the deftly trained Iceland performers). As Rob Barnett wisely remarked in his comments (MusicWeb), the Finnish conductor "patently loves this music as his way with the end of the second movement of the First Symphony shows. Many smaller details register with finely calculated compulsion. He has the benefit of a Nordic orchestra and the clear-eyed transparency of Naxos's most natural recording. The music is imbued with vitality - the vibration and the icy quickening of the best Sibelius interpretations."

The Inkpot (www.inkpot.com/classical) has reported in one of their reviews of Sibelius's symphonies that "the result is readings which feel confident and highly charged [ . . . ]. The performance of the Third Symphony is likewise superlative : It exudes the strength and confidence already heard in the reading of the First. The vital contribution of the Iceland strings is evidenced by the detailed violins, the singing violas, the doublebass march - all dealing with the splendid primary theme of the first movement." I couldn't agree more. On this terrain, the Iceland Symphony, a small, "provincial-type" orchestra, is able to challenge the greatest orchestras in the world.

With respect i must object to Roger Dettmer (classical cdreview.com) who wrote that "Sakari pulls both symphonies to pieces," also implying that "he seems never to have heard the pioneering discs" (Kajanus, etc.). Well, Sakari's orchestral direction is, surely, not without a few little flaws, but he doesn't fail to provide Sibelius with integrity and dignity. He also helped greatly the Iceland Symphony to get recognition as a world-class orchestra. An especial strength is in their subtle, intelligent use of the brass section, versus the strings---they, too, excel in their attempt to obtain a good orchestral balance.

When it comes to the First Symphony, my current favorites are Neeme Jarvi (Gothenburg S.O., coupled with one of the finest readings of 'Finlandia', on the BIS label) and Eugene Ormandy (Philadelphia, on Sony Classical). Jarvi is incredibly forceful and convincing. His reading is fleet and firm, with a sense of authority. Ormandy has the measure of the work ; the towering melodic motif which triggers the last movement of the First Symphony is simply unrivaled. In evidence, the Naxos offering does not surpass---nor does it equal---the peerless performances of, say, Jarvi, Vanska, Ormandy or the mesmerizing Sanderling (one of the great readings on disc). The First Symphony, while a bit on the 'Romantic' side of the composer, achieves austere, wintry and desolate sounds. The Third is somewhat warmer, but still retains a bit of that trademark "Nordic Sibeliana." The Naxos reading succeeds, in both, in conveying those inevitable aspects. My personal references for these two symphonies are those by Kajanus (made 1930-32), unrivaled on many aspects (sound quality excepted).

Albeit "uneven", this is one of the best Sibelius cycles. Personally, i was rather unimpressed by Sakari's traversal of the Fourth and Fifth Symphonies. The music does not seem to bounce, like a geyser, as it actually does in the First and Third Symphonies. The cd containing the Sixth and Seventh Symphonies (also with 'The Tempest' No.2) is another stunner from the Naxos label : Those are strong readings, indeed, especially the Sixth---a challenge for the best Sibelian conductors past and present.

In brief, these typically northern-sounding interpretations have fire---and ice... Here is music with warmth (not superimposed, only when called for), where sonics are "responsive", this with a handful of thrusting dynamic bursts. As one of the most beautiful recordings of these symphonies, this fine Naxos disc should be taken upon consideration. The sound is transparent and the musical content is crafted artfully by a bunch of dedicated Icelandic musicians. *****

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 7 [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

A Sibelius specialist in familiar territory
Sibelius to keep your blood pressure down

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 7 [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Lso Live UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sibelius: Kullervo [Hybrid SACD]
Brahms, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0006A6986
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Customer Reviews:

A Sibelius specialist in familiar territory.......2007-01-27

Colin Davis has recorded all the Sibelus symphonies a couple times. This version mates two of the composer's less well known symhonies. The SACD is typical of LSO Live -- deep and broad-ranging with little brilliance.

English critics loved this when it came out and Americans called it too low pressure compared to his earlier recording. Another pairing of these symphonies recently arrived via England's new conductorial darling, Simon Rattle.

I enjoy this CD in part because the pressure is low in this performance in keeping with the composer's thoughts during the period. The Symphony No. 3 was written at a time when the composer was rattled, you might say. Russia owned Finland in that period and they were dominating his country. In addition, Sibelius had throat cancer surgery about that time that forced him to quit drinking and smoking cigars, both of which were among his favored pastimes.

The symphony preceded his Symphony No. 4 which is sparsely orchestrated in opposition to more richly orchestrated works by Strauss and Elgar. You hear some of that thinking to lesser extent in this performance. Finally, the Sibelius Symphony No. 7, with no program, is unlike anything in his arsenal insofar as it does not represent any known traditional musical style. It is Sibelius at his most adventuruous.

At almost $20 this is an expensive CD with less than an hour's music on it. I find it a satisfying reading of the scores that refelcts both the conductor and composer's maturity. If you seek white heat, I'd say acquire the condutor's earlier version.

Sibelius to keep your blood pressure down.......2006-05-20

Here's a little lament for Sir Colin Davis, a firebrand conductor (by English standards) when he was young, and now after 47 years before the microphones, an elder statesman of the becamed sort. How his vibrancy drained away is a mystery. He decamped from England in the Eighties, spending a long exile in Munich and Dresden, where his conducting became habitually unimaginative.

His return to London as head of the LSO in 1995 brought back some of the old sparkle, but as this LSO Live recording demonstrates, Davis's mastery of Sibelius, a composer he championed brilliantly with the Bsoton Sym. on Philips in the Seventies, has deteriorated into sonorous boredom. The orchestra plays nicely, the sounds are pleasant, the rhythms are slack, and the listener's interest level hovers near zero. I am only giving this CD three stars for old time's sake. Any random selection of competing performances would have more life.

P.S. - Having heard Davis with the BSO in a program of Vaughan Williams and Beethoven, I'm happy to report that he can be on form quite impressivley, despite a rash of tedious recordings that lowered my opinion.

Average customer rating:

My "imprint" set ...
This and that Sibelius
Inconsistent, but sometimes spectacular

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, 6 & 7
Jean Sibelius , Vladimir Ashkenazy , and London Philharmonia Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sibelius: Finlandia/Karelia Suite/The Symphonies Nos. 1, 2 & 4
Dvorák: The Symphonies
Brahms: The Complete Symphonies / Karajan, Berlin PO

ASIN: B0000042GW
Release Date: 1998-01-13

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In C Major, Op. 52: I. Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 3 In C Major, Op. 52: II. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
Symphony No. 3 In C Major, Op. 52: III. Moderato - Allegro (ma non tanto)
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Op. 104: I. Allegro molto moderato
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Op. 104: II. Allegretto moderato
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Op. 104: III. Poco vivace
Symphony No. 6 In D Minor, Op. 104: IV. Allegro molto
Tapiola, Op. 112

Tracks:

Symphony No.5 In E Flat Major, Op.82: 1. Tempo molto moderato
Symphony No.5 In E Flat Major, Op.82: 2. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto
Symphony No.5 In E Flat Major, Op.82: 3. Allegro molto
Smphony No.7 In C Major , Op. 105: ut majeur . C - Dur
En Saga, Op. 9

Customer Reviews:

My "imprint" set ..........2006-03-08

so I'm maybe a little biased, but I love Ashkenazy's Sibelius. Yes, he makes it overly romantic at times, but the music can take it, and in some cases (like the "difficult" 7th) it needs it. The 6th in this set, which is my favorite work by the composer and my favorite recording by this conductor, is a stunning achievement. The weak link of Ashkenazy's Sibelius is the 4th from the other half of the complete set, but this pairing is excellent throughout.

This and that Sibelius.......2001-01-28

Any compilation of symphonies by a single director is bound to disapoint at some level. After all, the director, as any human being, has his favorites, changes his ideas through the process etc.... So joining Symphonies recorded over time, and breaking them apart from their original pairing is risky. For example the original pairing for the 4th of Sibelius was the 5th. For some reason Ashkenazy was able to make a connection between those two dissimilar works, yet key works in a major transition in the life of Sibelius while he composed them. Thus originally the icy cold, unbearably detached performance of the 4th (now somewhere else) was followed by the buoyant quest of the 5th. The pairing made wonders for each work as each one was enriched in the contrast. Now, well, we just have a collection. It is too bad that a brilliant 5th just cannot shine through as it should do. Other collections (Colin Davis e.g.) are to be considered if you just want "all" Sibelius. Otherwise look in the used CD section for the original pairing which deserved a 5 star on its own.

Inconsistent, but sometimes spectacular.......2000-05-13

Ashkenazy is not the greatest Sibelius conductor around, but he has moments of brilliance, and he is aided by a great orchestra and great sound. You could, however, make a case for the interpretation being too "warm" to fully suit Sibelius. While I think this is true in parts, it writes off Ashkenazy too easily.
The Symphony No. 3 is wonderful, perhaps the greatest performance ever. Rugged and idiomatic in the first movement, it reaches levels of almost indescribable beauty in the second movement before finishing with brilliance. Symphony No. 6 is on the same level, with the clarity and transparency of detail of an ice scuplture. The Tapiola that follows is, unfortunately, a disappointment. Ashkenazy seems lost and not quite sure how to develop this almost impressionistic piece.
The second disc opens with a good 5th symphony. Parts of the first and last movements are beautiful and unforgettable, but the middle of the first movement drags and other parts of the symphony seem similarly uninspired. The 7th Symphony reminds me of the Tapiola - Ashkenazy just does not seem to feel comfortable with the music or how to develop it. The disc closes well, with a strong En Saga that has a great string tone and a great sense of the work's sturdy but flowing rhythms.
In conclusion, not as consistent as the companion disc of Ashkenazy Sibelius on Decca. However, while this set has lower lows, it also has higher highs. Highly recommended if you are interested in the 3rd or 6th.

Average customer rating:

One of the most surprisingly satisfying budget recordings.

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

Allegro Moderato
Andantino Con Moto, Quasi Allegretto
Moderato-Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)
Tempo Molto Moderato, Quasi Adagio
Allegro Molto Vivace
Il Tempo Largo
Allegro

Customer Reviews:

One of the most surprisingly satisfying budget recordings........1999-03-24

Of the set of Sibelius symphonies conducted by Adrian Leaper for Naxos, the 3rd & 4th are by far the only worth listening to. The sound quality is shockingly good. This is made apparent by listening to the opening movement of the 4th Symphony. I compared the tempos in this recording to the one on BIS conducted by Neeme Jarvi and I was taken aback by how Leaper takes his time and allows the haunting and disturbingly beautiful sonics of the Scandinavian Arctic regions to creep over us on an even more expansive level than Jarvi's. The opening to the 3rd is exciting as the strings take us on a worshipful journey comparable to Beethoven's introduction to his Pastoral Symphony. I have read many unfairly derisive reviews of Naxos recordings in regards to recording quality. These statements hold true for the other Sibelius symphonies on Naxos (#1, 2, 5, and 6). However, #3 and #4 on this recording are a glorious exception.

Music Review:

Music Review

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