I thought the old Naxos Sibelius symphony cycle from Petri Sakari and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra was pretty impressive not to mention their splendid Legends Suite (Lemminkainen) then Naxos really set the Sibelius recording world going by beginning a second symphony cycle. Pietari Inkinen and his fine New Zealand Symphony Orchestra are now half way through their's. Symphonies 1 and 3 were super. The new 4 and 5 are even finer: I would put the 4th up among my favourites with Barbirolli, von Karajan and Vanska. I love the orchestra's subtly contrasting mix of richness and icy brittleness in this symphony, one where I have to turn up the heater: an old friend even has to put on his coat. Inkinen really has things to tell us, yet says them with no baggage. He builds the 5th symphony clearly and the famous transition in the first movement goes with great sweep leading to a magnificently judged gradual accelerando. A beautiful recording helps. I shall be very interested to hear what King Christian II has to say.