Historic Nielsen and Sibelius

[Nick Armstrong]

I really enjoyed the segment this morning with Andrew Mellor about the above - the Nielsen discussion, if anything, more than the Sibelius.

The highlight for me (and, he said, of the 30 CD set): the extract from the Nielsen 4th under Launy Grøndahl with the Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra, which sounded so right and brilliantly recorded for 1951.

I liked some of Andrew Mellor's turns of phrase - e.g. "Jensen had what today's Nielsen police are looking for" ...also the expression "fissile energy" - and the way he deftly slotted in what I take to be his personal 'top three' among modern Nielsen symphony cycles: Schønwandt, Oramo, Chung... (studiously avoiding AMcG's reference to the Gilbert cycle...).

[teamsaint]

I really enjoyed the segment this morning with Andrew Mellor about the above - the Nielsen discussion, if anything, more than the Sibelius.

The highlight for me (and, he said, of the 30 CD set): the extract from the Nielsen 4th under Launy Grøndahl with the Danish State Radio Symphony Orchestra, which sounded so right and brilliantly recorded for 1951.

I liked some of Andrew Mellor's turns of phrase - e.g. "Jensen had what today's Nielsen police are looking for" ...also the expression "fissile energy" - and the way he deftly slotted in what I take to be his personal 'top three' among modern Nielsen symphony cycles: Schønwandt, Oramo, Chung... (studiously avoiding AMcG's reference to the Gilbert cycle...).

Sounds a lot more fun than Xmas shopping.
Good heads up,must give this a listen.

[HighlandDougie]

See my post 1208 in the 'New Releases' thread. Highly recommended.

[visualnickmos]

avoiding AMcG's reference to the Gilbert cycle...).

One way of getting to work, I suppose!

[Conchis]

I've had the Sibelius box in my amazon tray for a few weeks now but still haven't pressed. I liked the bits I heard, especially the Marian Anderson song, but the reviewers said it was 'inessential'.

[cloughie]

I've had the Sibelius box in my amazon tray for a few weeks now but still haven't pressed. I liked the bits I heard, especially the Marian Anderson song, but the reviewers said it was 'inessential'.

Is this the Warner/EMI set with the Kajanus doing 1 2 3 & 5 etc. If so the reviewers are wrong - it's good!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Is this the Warner/EMI set with the Kajanus doing 1 2 3 & 5 etc. If so the reviewers are wrong - it's good!

If I understood correctly, the "inessential" was used in contrast to the Nielsen set, where all the recordings are made generally available on CD for the first time (therefore "essential" to all Nielsen enthusiasts) whereas most of the Sibelius box is readily available elsewhere (the NAXOS transfers of the Kajanus recordings was specified) so "inessential" from that point of view.

[Tevot]

Sounds a lot more fun than Xmas shopping.
Good heads up,must give this a listen.

In agreement with TS, Caliban. Thanks for posting

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[AmpH]

See my post 1208 in the 'New Releases' thread. Highly recommended.

My copy is on the way.

[Conchis]

Is this the Warner/EMI set with the Kajanus doing 1 2 3 & 5 etc. If so the reviewers are wrong - it's good!

I enjoyed the feature and the high quality of the criticism (it's a rare privilege to be able to listen to 'real' critics for a change); and, actually, some of the negative points made me want to hear the set - particularly Koussevitsky's 'episodic' 7th Symphony. Hearing something done' wrong' can often give you an interesting new perspective on a work.

[cloughie]

I enjoyed the feature and the high quality of the criticism (it's a rare privilege to be able to listen to 'real' critics for a change); and, actually, some of the negative points made me want to hear the set - particularly Koussevitsky's 'episodic' 7th Symphony. Hearing something done' wrong' can often give you an interesting new perspective on a work.

I agree with you -some things are magnificent in their waywardness, provided they don't hurt the ears - vocal items are more likely to do this.

[seabright]

I enjoyed the feature and the high quality of the criticism (it's a rare privilege to be able to listen to 'real' critics for a change); and, actually, some of the negative points made me want to hear the set - particularly Koussevitsky's 'episodic' 7th Symphony. Hearing something done' wrong' can often give you an interesting new perspective on a work.

I have the Koussevitzky / BBCSO / Sibelius 7th on a single Naxos CD where it is coupled with two other "first recordings": Stokowski and his Philadelphians in the Sibelius 4th (1932) and Schneevoigt and the Finnish National Orchestra in No. 6 ...

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.111399

I've no idea why the Koussevitzky was dismissed in CD Review but I found it a terrific performance. Anyway, there are plenty of alternative opinions on the internet, so one doesn't have to take as gospel those uttered into a microphone by a BBC employee and A.N. Other. For example, John Quinn's review on Music-Web International of an earlier all-Koussevitzky Sibelius CD, uses words like "most remarkable" to describe the 7th and adds: "It’s a tremendous performance and its reputation amongst collectors as a classic Sibelius reading is amply justified." So there, CDR! ...

Read more: http://www.musicweb-international.co...#ixzz3tcXq8gKr