The Snowshoed Sibelius

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Thank you, I'll read it.
Personally, I have only few knowledge about his symphonies, I've bought the Blomstedt SFSO cycle and the Rozhdestvensky/Moscow SO.

But I'm absolutely fascinated by his tone poems. At the top of all, there's the wood nymph op. 15. What a great piece of more than 20 minutes of music. What a powerful earthquake like conclusion! There are probably just two cd releases out there, the best known is the BIS one. A must. Too sad, lot of people do not know it!



Also on my top recommendations list: The Rozhdestvensky/LSO interpretation of the Finlandia. It's different from others, at some points staccato like. To me, it's as it has to be... This interpretation transports all the finlandia feelings best. The sadness, the tragic, the war, the victory, the peace... all it has.... The Rozh/LSO can e.g. be found here:

[Kullervo]

Thank you, I'll read it.
Personally, I have only few knowledge about his symphonies, I've bought the Blomstedt SFSO cycle and the Rozhdestvensky/Moscow SO.

But I'm absolutely fascinated by his tone poems. At the top of all, there's the wood nymph op. 15. What a great piece of more than 20 minutes of music. What a powerful earthquake like conclusion! There are probably just two cd releases out there, the best known is the BIS one. A must. Too sad, lot of people do not know it!



Also on my top recommendations list: The Rozhdestvensky/LSO interpretation of the Finlandia. It's different from others, at some points staccato like. To me, it's as it has to be... This interpretation transports all the finlandia feelings best. The sadness, the tragic, the war, the victory, the peace... all it has.... The Rozh/LSO can e.g. be found here:

Thanks for the recommendations, Wurstwasser -- I was not familiar with Op. 15. I'll have to add that disc to my wishlist. 

[longears]

Wow--doesn't Sibelius get any play around here anymore?  (Found this thread buried on the 8th page!)

I'd just like to report that I finally heard the Rattle recording of Night Ride & Sunrise that Mike has praised to the heavens.  Capital Public Radio played it the other morning.  I ordered a copy that night. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I'd just like to report that I finally heard the Rattle recording of Night Ride & Sunrise that Mike has praised to the heavens.  Capital Public Radio played it the other morning.  I ordered a copy that night. 

Rattle's was the very first Sibelius cycle I ever bought moons ago. Though, sadly, I never really warmed to it.

But being moons ago I couldn't say with much authority just what Rattle did that rubbed me so wrong. So could be time for a fresh reassessment.

Thoughts on Rattle's Sibelius, LongE?

[longears]

The only Rattle Sibelius I have at present is the CBSO 5th, which I've heard only once, finding it so bland that I've never returned.  I'm not a Rattle fan anyway, and admit to taking potshots at him when he seems overpraised.  Nor am I a fan of Night Ride and Sunrise -- possibly the only orchestral piece by Sibelius I don't love.  Mike has suggested that hearing Rattle's Night Ride might change my mind about both.

It has.

I heard it in the car on my way to work--and not even the whole thing, as I had an early telecon preventing me from sitting in the car and listening till the end.  What I heard in the first 4 minutes was an orchestral balance that favored the winds rather than the repetitive rhythmic figure in the strings, somewhat liberal rubato rendering the figure less mind-numbingly boring, and very liberal dynamics that really made the piece come alive.  I ordered a copy from BRO and when it arrives will let you know if I like the rest of it as much!

Nice to hear from you, Don.   

[Greta]

I like Rattle's Sibelius, actually I love his 3rd, just a very nice recording with a lot of color and life...and I like his 7th too, and Night Ride and Sunrise, which really is a great performance. The 5th is good, but there are so many other awesome 5ths around. Same for his 2nd. I think you'll really like that disc.

I'm still listening over here, longears, though hampered by school now, going to start on Ashkenazy I think next, and also Sanderling. Also looking forward to Mackerras's 2nd and 5th in the "to listen to" pile.

For live Sibelius, LA Phil and Salonen are doing a full cycle in September/October, in L.A. and London, with some nice pairings, I wish I could make it out for that. But as consolation I will at least hear this fall our local orchestra in the 2nd, and Houston is doing the 7th and Finlandia, which is great, I adore the 7th particularly and am so glad to see it live.

Also worth mentioning, Hilary Hahn has recorded the Violin Concerto, and Schoenberg's, with Salonen and SRSO, to be released next year. I look forward to hearing her playing on that piece. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

The only Rattle Sibelius I have at present is the CBSO 5th, which I've heard only once, finding it so bland that I've never returned.  I'm not a Rattle fan anyway, and admit to taking potshots at him when he seems overpraised.  Nor am I a fan of Night Ride and Sunrise -- possibly the only orchestral piece by Sibelius I don't love.  Mike has suggested that hearing Rattle's Night Ride might change my mind about both.

It has.

I heard it in the car on my way to work--and not even the whole thing, as I had an early telecon preventing me from sitting in the car and listening till the end.  What I heard in the first 4 minutes was an orchestral balance that favored the winds rather than the repetitive rhythmic figure in the strings, somewhat liberal rubato rendering the figure less mind-numbingly boring, and very liberal dynamics that really made the piece come alive.  I ordered a copy from BRO and when it arrives will let you know if I like the rest of it as much!

Interesting. So Rattle takes a checkered piece and breathes new life into it. Score one for Rattle!

Nice to hear from you, Don.   

Don't be a stranger.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

...going to start on Ashkenazy I think next...

This cycle seems to divide GMGers.

Some object to Ashkenazy's romantic/hothouse tendencies, turning what ought to be austere and shimmering into bubbling late romantic excess.

For myself, I've frequently come to the defense of Ashkenazy while recognizing that others are better at capturing that Nordic chill so integral to the music - Vänskä and Blomstedt for starters.

But for what it is Ashkenazy's cycle certainly makes its mark. It's not for lack of an 'angle' or forethought that Ashkenazy tackles these works. They've been thoroughly thought out.

Whether or not one warms to them is entirely a personal thing, however.

[George]

This cycle seems to divide GMGers.

For myself, I've frequently come to the defense of Ashkenazy while recognizing that others are better at capturing that Nordic chill so integral to the music - Vänskä and Blomstedt for starters.

But for what it is Ashkenazy's cycle certainly makes its mark. It's not for lack of an 'angle' or forethought that Ashkenazy tackles these works. They've been thoroughly thought out.

Whether or not one warms to them is entirely a personal thing, however.

As usual, well put Don. I am a big fan of Ashkenazy's Sibelius, but then I am a bleeding heart romantic. 

[karlhenning]

The first I heard Night-Ride and Sunrise, it was the Segerstam recording on Ondine, so of course I've always loved that tone-poem :-)

[bhodges]

Here's an article about The Sibelius Edition on BIS, which will be 70 CDs. 

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Here's an article about The Sibelius Edition on BIS, which will be 70 CDs. 

Lemminkainen's Return

Lemminkainen Returns, Again

Just When You Thought Lemminkainen Wouldn't Go Elsewhere No More . . . .

[M forever]

Here's an article about The Sibelius Edition on BIS, which will be 70 CDs. 

--Bruce

The New York Times Doesn't know how to do the umlauts in names such as Vänskä or Lemminkäinen? Pretty provincial.

[bhodges]

The New York Times Doesn't know how to do the umlauts in names such as Vänskä or Lemminkäinen? Pretty provincial.

I have noticed that, too, over the last few years.  Must be something to do with their "house style," since I'm sure if they chose to do it, they could. 

--Bruce

[Greta]

I'm in the middle of listening to Maazel's 1st with Vienna, just finished the 1st two mvmts...

 

I think, my eyes possibly rolled back in my head. Wow. It, very literally, left me breathless. The horns/low brass sound completely amazing, so intense they knock the wind out of you. Well, the whole orchestra, of course. It's just incredible. Have you ever heard a recording and thought, man it's too bad there's only ONE "first time", because the first time is so overwhelming?

The crashing accelerandos, spinning the Viennese into a frenzy, the sinewy strings, round clear winds, and towering unshakable horns, this is perhaps the dream 1st, so far, for me.

I am gleeful listening to this. The way the strings bite into the ends of the phrases in the 3rd mvmt, how they play up the fugal nature of the writing. The extremely exuberant timpani. The impassioned opening of the last mvmt.

I'm going to save the 4th for tomorrow, I have to digest this a bit...I'm speechless!

[longears]

   It is a good cycle--in fact, the one that made me fall in love with Sibelius.  Your post inspired me to move it up in the batting order.  Maybe I'll start the day off tomorrow with the first!

[Keemun]

Is THIS the Maazel/Vienna cycle you are referring to?  I'm interested in listening to it, and at that price, it's quite a bargain.   

[karlhenning]

That's it.

[not edward]

Of course, once you have the Maazel cycle, then you need the single Legends disc to get his Tapiola too, thus duplicating 4 & 7. Bah.

[Kullervo]

Of course, once you have the Maazel cycle, then you need the single Legends disc to get his Tapiola too, thus duplicating 4 & 7. Bah.

Thankfully you can find it for just a few bucks used. Still, paying for one track...