Sibelius- Bournemouth/Berglund set observations ?

[Barbirollians]

Going back to the Berglund . I am getting a great deal of enjoyment from these performances . The orchestra were evidently in tip top shape . The recordings are excellent and the unvarnished nature of the readings seem very idiomatic to me .

The Seventh is particularly fine to my ears as is tapiola - I still have to listen to 3 and 4 though .

[umslopogaas]

I have the LP set of the Kullervo symphony, with Berglund and the Bournemouth SO, which was apparently the first recording. I thought it was excellent and have never wanted another (assuming there is one, this seems to be the only one in my 2010 Penguin Guide).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

(assuming there is one, this seems to be the only one in my 2010 Penguin Guide).

Quite a few others, umslops: Berglund re-recorded it, Colin Davis has recorded it twice, and there are recordings by Neemi Järvi, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Paavo Järvi, Osmo Vanska, Jorma Panula and Leif Segerstrom.

[umslopogaas]

Thanks fhg, I will investigate the Davis versions, I like his way with the other symphonies.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thanks fhg, I will investigate the Davis versions, I like his way with the other symphonies.

IIRC, the "LSOLive" version "won" a Building a Library edition.

[Barbirollians]

IIRC, the "LSOLive" version "won" a Building a Library edition.

So it did but I was not moved by it at all - it took buying the Bournemouth/Berglund to convert me to Kullervo .

[Hornspieler]

So it did but I was not moved by it at all - it took buying the Bournemouth/Berglund to convert me to Kullervo .

HS

[Sir Velo]

IIRC, the "LSOLive" version "won" a Building a Library edition.

From what I can see from the BBC's own pages, the most recent library choice for Kullervo is the Berglund/Bournemouth version. The LSO live version was a coupling with the fifth symphony, which was the actual symphony under review. Having auditioned both, I must say I share the view of HS and Barbirollians: the Berglund is to be preferred both in terms of performance and sonics.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The LSO live version was a coupling with the fifth symphony, which was the actual symphony under review.

Where did you find this, SirV? The Fifth Symphony has always been coupled with the Sixth on LSOLive, it comes with Kullervo only in the complete 4 CD set of Sibelius symphonies. Stephen Johnson recommended this Fifth on 16th Jun, last year. The earlier, RCA Kullervo was coupled with the Seventh Symphony on a 2 CD set.

The Kullervo BaL to which I was referring was from many years ago: broadcast on the last Saturday of a November (I heard it whilst travelling to Huddersfield), possibly before the current BaL archive begins. And, as I said "IIRC": it might have been the Berglund that was recommended, or the earlier Davis - it was a female reviewer, if that's any help!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

No; you're quite right, my apologies:

On Saturday, 23rd November, 2002, Hilary Finch chose the Berglund/Bournemouth recording from 1970. The Davis LSOLIVE couldn't even have been mentioned, as it wasn't recorded until four years later!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Essential Classics

Forumites might be interested to note that Berglund's recording with the Helsinki Philharmonic of the Sibelius Sixth Symphony is being broadcast on Essential Classics next week. So "essential", in fact, that according to Radio Times Sarah is playing it twice (on Monday and Friday mornings)!

[Barbirollians]

Forumites might be interested to note that Berglund's recording with the Helsinki Philharmonic of the Sibelius Sixth Symphony is being broadcast on Essential Classics next week. So "essential", in fact, that according to Radio Times Sarah is playing it twice (on Monday and Friday mornings)!

Now if she was playing the Helsinki on Monday and Bournemouth on the Friday that might be interesting.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Now if she was playing the Helsinki on Monday and Bournemouth on the Friday that might be interesting.

- "essential", even!

[amateur51]

No; you're quite right, my apologies:

On Saturday, 23rd November, 2002, Hilary Finch chose the Berglund/Bournemouth recording from 1970. The Davis LSOLIVE couldn't even have been mentioned, as it wasn't recorded until four years later!

Nonsense ferney, I'm sure that Hilary Finch is quite physic

[Barbirollians]

Nonsense ferney, I'm sure that Hilary Finch is quite physic

I cannot imagine what Hilary Finch could be a "physic" for ?