Sibelius Sixth

[PJPJ]

The BBC Phil did the full cycle - 7 symphonies and nothing else - in 3 concerts conducted by John Storgards last year in Manchester's Bridgewater Hall. No 6 was in the last concert, sandwiched between nos 3 and 7 and it certainly did not sound the poor relation to the others. The cycle was generally well reviewed and deserves to be recorded. Why the concerts were so poorly attended is beyond me, though. The BBC Phil never gets anything like the attendances it deserves at its main home and by no means all the concerts go out live on R3 - many are recorded for Afternoon on 3 which I for one cannot listen to. R3 at work - probably a disciplinary offence !

It was recorded, and is out on Chandos, for download now, or on CD in a couple of weeks.

Sibelius BBC PO

[Barbirollians]

Funny that. I find Sibelius 6 one of the most profound evocations of depression and emptiness out there—a great piece, but one I rarely listen to because it makes me feel like I've been crying for hours and the only reason my eyes are dry is because I've run out of tears. The end is heartbreaking. (At the same time, I admire his control of "rage and passion" in the piece—they do not lead to a great epiphany or a catastrophic downfall, they simply expend themselves and are gone, and leave us back where we started, as also happens in real life.)

I have Saraste/Finnish Radio Symphony which has always served me well enough, and have also heard Rattle/CBSO, though not recently enough to be able to compare.

Heavens above - not how I hear the Sixth at all - the bleak work is surely the Fourth especially in Karajan's EMI version.

[Barbirollians]

I don't know the Sarasate recording.

Now that would be a combination Sarasate conducting Sibelius - perhaps he could give us the Carmen Fantasy to cheer us up afterwards !

[richardfinegold]

Funny that. I find Sibelius 6 one of the most profound evocations of depression and emptiness out there—a great piece, but one I rarely listen to because it makes me feel like I've been crying for hours and the only reason my eyes are dry is because I've run out of tears. The end is heartbreaking. (At the same time, I admire his control of "rage and passion" in the piece—they do not lead to a great epiphany or a catastrophic downfall, they simply expend themselves and are gone, and leave us back where we started, as also happens in real life.)

I have Saraste/Finnish Radio Symphony which has always served me well enough, and have also heard Rattle/CBSO, though not recently enough to be able to compare.

Interesting. Great music can move people in different ways.
I had the Saraste recording of the 3rd and I loved it. It was difficult to find any of his other Sibelius recordings over here.

[richardfinegold]

Heavens above - not how I hear the Sixth at all - the bleak work is surely the Fourth especially in Karajan's EMI version.

I agree. That is, imo, Karajan's greatest recording.

[richardfinegold]

I am not familiar with Abravanel's Sibelius, but I very much admire his recording of Milhaud's L'homme et son desire, and some of his Mahler, so have just ordered the Vanguard set of Sibelius Symphonies in "Used: Very Good" condition for £3.25 including p&p. That's even less that I paid for the excellent Gibson recordings of the same works when I spotted them in the bargain bin at Steve's Sounds, back in the '80s.

I wonder if the DVD-A are available in the UK. If not, my guess is that these will soon appear as High Res downloads, since the technology is basically the same.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Now that would be a combination Sarasate conducting Sibelius - perhaps he could give us the Carmen Fantasy to cheer us up afterwards !

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Heavens above - not how I hear the Sixth at all - the bleak work is surely the Fourth especially in Karajan's EMI version.

Which one? (Philharmonia '50s or BPO '70s?)

[Barbirollians]

Which one? (Philharmonia '50s or BPO '70s?)

BPO 70s the 1950s is Columbia .

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

BPO 70s the 1950s is Columbia .

- ah, yes: I was probably thinking of the Wieniawski recording.

(Good call, by the way.)

[Barbirollians]

- ah, yes: I was probably thinking of the Wieniawski recording.

(Good call, by the way.)

There is of course nothing to match the Vieuxtemps recording of Tapiola .

[silvestrione]

BPO/Rattle will be playing it in London at start of next year, I believe...but already sold out!

[akiralx]

I am very fond of Segerstam's Danish recording on Chandos, c/w a great En Saga with the great clarinet solo at the end uniquely well done.

[mikealdren]

If you like En Saga, I recommend Beecham, he paces it magnificently giving it and urgency and excitement that I haven't heard elsewhere. Old sound of course but you soon forget it.

Mike

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

prompted by this thread i have just downloaded this bargain and now listening to the 6th Symphony