Favourite Sibelius cycle

[richardfinegold]

I understand there is a live 4 on Urania but considering how stupendous his recordings of Sibelius 2 it’s a shame Szell appears to have recorded no other Sibelius symphonies .

Didn’t know that about the Fourth. Listening right now

[Barbirollians]

David Atherton pre-dates my numerous work trips to HK since 2014, although I seem to remember him returning to conduct concerts from time to time. I have experienced some very dull HKPO concerts, Jaap van Zweden being the chief culprit. Their new chief (Tarmo Peltokoski) from 2026 onwards) is anything but dull. I wonder if he can persuade HK to play Vaughan Williams symphonies as he has done with his other orchestra in Toulouse.

Yes these were mid 1990s pre handover I think but possibly one in 1998.

[Barbirollians]

David Atherton pre-dates my numerous work trips to HK since 2014, although I seem to remember him returning to conduct concerts from time to time. I have experienced some very dull HKPO concerts, Jaap van Zweden being the chief culprit. Their new chief (Tarmo Peltokoski) from 2026 onwards) is anything but dull. I wonder if he can persuade HK to play Vaughan Williams symphonies as he has done with his other orchestra in Toulouse.

Hasn't TP announced that the Sea Symphony is to be his next DG recording ? He is some talent judging by his 2024 Prom.

[Roslynmuse]

I only heard David Atherton conduct in Hong Kong - the concerts I heard (admittedly only three ) made me feel as if he wanted to be somewhere else . They sounded pretty routine.

When he was principal conductor in Liverpool he seemed to galvanise the orchestra - this was in the early 80s, and I can remember routine performances under other conductors and then the orchestra came to life under him. I don't think they liked him, particularly, but he certainly got the best out of them. His programming was attractive - complete RVW and Ravel cycles as well as the Sibelius symphonies. I was going to say that for that orchestra and at that time it was striking programming, but of course Groves had already done some really imaginative work with them, as had John Pritchard before him. My concert going started in Groves' last year as principal conductor and he conducted the first concert (other than a school's concert) that I went to.

[Barbirollians]

I saw Groves conduct them in the late 1980s at Sheffield City Hall . I remember a terrific Elgar 2 - such a shame he never had an opportunity to record the symphonies.

[Mandryka]

Been enjoying 6 more than ever - especially Jarvi

[richardfinegold]

The First tends to not be discussed here. I’ve read criticism elsewhere that it’s to derivative of Tchaikovsky. I love it and it was the gateway into Sibelius for me. I remember the Colin Davis-Boston record with that brooding clarinet solo followed by those shimmering strings and then the brass chords that seemed to come out of the floorboards and and envelop the room. I was hooked. I quickly bought the Second on a budget Philadelphia-Ormandy reissue (have just acquired it on CD as one of those big Ormandy reissue box). I didn’t explore any further for years, and then all my lps were destroyed in a flood just as LPs were disappearing. I probably caught the odd appearance of the other 5 on the radio, and then rather quickly explored the remaining 5 in the early nineties.

I have a few admirable sets but in general I prefer the mix and match approach

[LMcD]

Nobody has mentioned 'Kullervo', I notice.

[smittims]

Well, I mean... s'not really a symphony , innit?

I was thrilled by the old Berglund set when it first appeared, and i'm not surprised t seeit was produced by Brian Culverhouse. There's a man who knew how to record an orchestra!

I don't think any more recent one has quite caught the spirit of the work, not even Colin Davis' fine LSO recording.

[Barbirollians]

Nobody has mentioned 'Kullervo', I notice.

Bournemouth /Berglund - unmatched IMO.

[Barbirollians]

The First tends to not be discussed here. I’ve read criticism elsewhere that it’s to derivative of Tchaikovsky. I love it and it was the gateway into Sibelius for me. I remember the Colin Davis-Boston record with that brooding clarinet solo followed by those shimmering strings and then the brass chords that seemed to come out of the floorboards and and envelop the room. I was hooked. I quickly bought the Second on a budget Philadelphia-Ormandy reissue (have just acquired it on CD as one of those big Ormandy reissue box). I didn’t explore any further for years, and then all my lps were destroyed in a flood just as LPs were disappearing. I probably caught the odd appearance of the other 5 on the radio, and then rather quickly explored the remaining 5 in the early nineties.

I have a few admirable sets but in general I prefer the mix and match approach

Re Sibelius 1 - most fond of the very late Stokowski and the Kletzki on Testament.

[Nick Armstrong]

The First tends to not be discussed here. I’ve read criticism elsewhere that it’s to derivative of Tchaikovsky. I love it and it was the gateway into Sibelius for me. I remember the Colin Davis-Boston record with that brooding clarinet solo followed by those shimmering strings and then the brass chords that seemed to come out of the floorboards and and envelop the room. I was hooked. I quickly bought the Second on a budget Philadelphia-Ormandy reissue (have just acquired it on CD as one of those big Ormandy reissue box). I didn’t explore any further for years, and then all my lps were destroyed in a flood just as LPs were disappearing. I probably caught the odd appearance of the other 5 on the radio, and then rather quickly explored the remaining 5 in the early nineties.

I have a few admirable sets but in general I prefer the mix and match approach

I agree with the last sentence. In terms of sets, it’s the Vanska / Lahti SO on BIS which would get my clear vote. Unmatched in 5 & 6 to my ears, the rest very good although I often think only Colin D gets the ‘right’ feel and pulse of 3. And I love the recent Rouvali/Gothenburg No 1

[Slightly off-topic, I’m in the happy position of playing in both 3 and 5 in the next few weeks - always fascinating being in the centre (well, as trombone 1, centre back) of a Sibelius orchestra, experiencing his unique compositional approach and contributing a bit of heft as & when required ]

[richardfinegold]

I agree with the last sentence. In terms of sets, it’s the Vanska / Lahti SO on BIS which would get my clear vote. Unmatched in 5 & 6 to my ears, the rest very good although I often think only Colin D gets the ‘right’ feel and pulse of 3. And I love the recent Rouvali/Gothenburg No 1

[Slightly off-topic, I’m in the happy position of playing in both 3 and 5 in the next few weeks - always fascinating being in the centre (well, as trombone 1, centre back) of a Sibelius orchestra, experiencing his unique compositional approach and contributing a bit of heft as & when required ]

Davis/Boston was my first Third but for some reason it was Jukka Saraste and a Helsinki orchestra that really grabbed me. I love the stuttering strings in the Finale.
Vanska/Lahti my favorite 6; Minnesota remake disappointing.
Karajan on EMI in 4; the slow movement is terrifyingly intense. I don’t have a favorite 5 because there are to many excellent choices. In 7 Ashkenazy/Philharmonia, Ormandy or Vanska/Lahti. Tapiola is again Karajan with Vanska as a lighter textured alternative.
I heard Vanska conduct Tapiola in Chicago and have never heard a recording that rivaled the concert in intensity

[Barbirollians]

Couldn’t agree more about HVK’s extraordinarily bleak Sibelius 4 . Kletzki also recorded a fine Third coupled with the First . His thrilling Second is long since nla.

vanska has never done it for me . Highly proficient but no more to my ears .

[richardfinegold]

Couldn’t agree more about HVK’s extraordinarily bleak Sibelius 4 . Kletzki also recorded a fine Third coupled with the First . His thrilling Second is long since nla.

vanska has never done it for me . Highly proficient but no more to my ears .

His recorded Tapiolas don’t begin to approach the aforementioned concert. Of course, the Chicago Symphony may have had something to do with that.