Complete sets versus a la carte: Sibelius symphonies

[JimD]

Are there any views out there on the relative merits of these two approaches to buying the Sibelius symphonies? (By à la carte I mean choosing the individual 'best' recording for each work.) I'm sure some will have every known recording, but this is for those of us who like a bargain (read "cheapskates" or "financially challenged", as you prefer.) Of course there are many other composers for which this question could be asked (for me notably Mahler and VW) but I thought it would be good to focus a bit. Happy to read views on these as well!

[BBMmk2]

There is always room for the the 'a laCarte' method, JimD. For example, with Shostakovich Symphonies, I have a few recordings like that, although, with Sibelius, I do have Ashkenazy and Vanska, as complete cycles.

[Bryn]

Are there any views out there on the relative merits of these two approaches to buying the Sibelius symphonies? (By à la carte I mean choosing the individual 'best' recording for each work.) I'm sure some will have every known recording, but this is for those of us who like a bargain (read "cheapskates" or "financially challenged", as you prefer.) Of course there are many other composers for which this question could be asked (for me notably Mahler and VW) but I thought it would be good to focus a bit. Happy to read views on these as well!

What promises to be a highlight of the year for Sibelius fans is to be released next month:



Berglund's Bournemouth recordings of the symphonies and some other works, including Tapiola.

A snip at £9.00 including p&p from hmv.com or the Amazonians.

[Pabmusic]

Both can be good. A la carte certainly allows you to pick and choose, whereas boxed sets 'force' performances on you. However, you may have favourite conductors (Colin Davis with the Boston SO, Anthony Collins with the LSO, Vänska with the Lahti SO) that are a bit 'special', and you want them for that reason. The Sibelius symphonies are very great music, and any collection can stand different versions.

[BBMmk2]

What promises to be a highlight of the year for Sibelius fans is to be released next month:



Berglund's Bournemouth recordings of the symphonies and some other works, including Tapiola.

A snip at £9.00 including p&p from hmv.com or the Amazonians.

That I think would be the buy of the year for me, Bryn! Thank you!

[Mandryka]

Quite a long time ago now, I can remember reading a summary of complete versions of the Sibelius symphonies - the reviewer gave the palm to, I think, Rattle but concluded that no one conductor's vision of the canon could be definitive. Fair enough, I suppose. Of course, CD prices being what they are these days, it's perfectly possible to go for both complete set and a la carte - I have Ashkenazy and Maazel and individual versions by Jarvi, Bernstein, Davis and Barbirolli.

[ostuni]

If (a) you don't mind downloads and (b) don't mind Amazon, then the biggest Sibelius bargain that I know is the Lahti/Vänskä set (inc Kavakos in the Vln Conc, Lemminkäinen, Tapiola etc etc plus all symph inc both versions of S5) for £5.99. I have quite a few of the Berglund Bournemouth symphonies, and love their cragginess & occasional rough edges. But for me, the Lahti set is without equal - and at a ridiculous price!

[Pabmusic]

... for me, the Lahti set is without equal - and at a ridiculous price!

Seconded!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes; the chief advantage of buying complete sets is that they're so cheap - you can pay as much for a single CD as you can for some of the boxed reissues: and, in the case of the excellent Lahti, considerably less. (I bought the download that ostuni mentions - magnificent performances, but very low levels when burnt to CD - some of the Fifth Symphony is inaudible!) There's a Barbirolli set as well that's worth its place in any collection, and I heartily second Pabs' choices in #4.

The sets by Ashkenasy and Rattle never really "did it" for me, and Maazel's DECCA set I find very variable (Excellent in 1, 2, 4 & 7; good in 5; don't like 3 or 6). Don't know the Berglund, so that's going on the New Year's Honours List!

Individually, I'd recommend Karajan's DG recordings of 4 - 7 as indispensible, and Beecham's Fourth. But this is moving out of the "financially challenged" territory.

[Barbirollians]

Yes; the chief advantage of buying complete sets is that they're so cheap - you can pay as much for a single CD as you can for some of the boxed reissues: and, in the case of the excellent Lahti, considerably less. (I bought the download that ostuni mentions - magnificent performances, but very low levels when burnt to CD - some of the Fifth Symphony is inaudible!) There's a Barbirolli set as well that's worth its place in any collection, and I heartily second Pabs' choices in #4.

The sets by Ashkenasy and Rattle never really "did it" for me, and Maazel's DECCA set I find very variable (Excellent in 1, 2, 4 & 7; good in 5; don't like 3 or 6). Don't know the Berglund, so that's going on the New Year's Honours List!

Individually, I'd recommend Karajan's DG recordings of 4 - 7 as indispensible, and Beecham's Fourth. But this is moving out of the "financially challenged" territory.

Barbirolli's set is the one that despite having a number of a la carte versions from Ashkenazy,Beecham,rattle,Karajan and Sir Colin before it - cemented my love for these works .

His RPO 1962 second together with the Kletzki stands above all others to my ears .

[mathias broucek]

Barbirolli's set is the one that despite having a number of a la carte versions from Ashkenazy,Beecham,rattle,Karajan and Sir Colin before it - cemented my love for these works .

His RPO 1962 second together with the Kletzki stands above all others to my ears .

One of the joys of Sibelius cycles is that some are on just 3 discs and can be purchased VERY cheaply :-)

[richardfinegold]

Fanfare critic Richard Kaplan wrote an extesive review of all Sibelius recordings ever issued about a year ago that is worth a read.
If you have no Sibeius recordings and are starting from scratch then I recommend a complete cycle, many of which are so cheap now that you can't go wrong, and then supplement individual recordings as needed. Davis/BSO would be my starting point-

[LeMartinPecheur]

I got to know the Sib symphs back in LP days (early/mid-70s) and definitely adopted then the a la carte approach - attempting to get the 'best' version of each - starting with the Halle/Barbirolli 2 as a mono HMV deletion when I was still at school.

My other first purchases were IIRC Maazel for 1, Kamu (3), Berglund (Decca SXL!) (4), Rattle/PO (5) and Karajan (6/7). Single purchases continued into quite a few supplementary versions on LP and CD, the most being for No 2, a key work for me, currently 9 versions.

But as others have said, the ridiculous prices of complete cycles has lately prompted the purchase of the Barbirolli and Collins sets. I really shouldn't indulge any further for reasons of space...but I might!

[cloughie]

I got to know the Sib symphs back in LP days (early/mid-70s) and definitely adopted then the a la carte approach - attempting to get the 'best' version of each - starting with the Halle/Barbirolli 2 as a mono HMV deletion when I was still at school.

My other first purchases were IIRC Maazel for 1, Kamu (3), Berglund (Decca SXL!) (4), Rattle/PO (5) and Karajan (6/7). Single purchases continued into quite a few supplementary versions on LP and CD, the most being for No 2, a key work for me, currently 9 versions.

But as others have said, the ridiculous prices of complete cycles has lately prompted the purchase of the Barbirolli and Collins sets. I really shouldn't indulge any further for reasons of space...but I might!

I agree with you about No2 being a key work and sticking to cycles omits eg RPO Barbirolli, CAO Szell, LSO Monteux and two by Mackerras.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I agree with you about No2 being a key work and sticking to cycles omits eg RPO Barbirolli, CAO Szell, LSO Monteux and two by Mackerras.

cloughie: re Symph 2 I do have the RPO/Barbirolli and the CAO/Szell. Probably won't rush to snap up the other three unless they shout at me at silly prices in a charity shop!