- Original Release Date: 10 May 2011
- Label: Bis
- Copyright: 2011 Bis
- Total Length: 7:27:34
- Genres:
- ASIN: B004Z4O440
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,908 in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 in MP3 Albums)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By T. J. Byford
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
You look at the price for this download and do a double take. £[] for all the 7 Symphonies, Violin Concerto, the complete Lemminkainen Suite, Karelia Suite, Finlandia, Valse Triste, En Saga, Snofrid, Tapiola and an Overture in E Major?
And then you think that there must be a catch? But, no, there isn't, and you really can get all these for just £][ and, what is more, these are the highly rated Vanska performances that have met critical acclaim as possibly the best overall SET of the Sibelius symphonies. I highlighted "SET" as many, as I, may have individual performances that they prefer, but as a set Vanska is close to the top of the tree, if not at the top.
The sound quality of the recordings is remarkably consistent from work to work and, as has already been mentioned in another review, the bitrate used by Amazon for the transfers is pretty good. The bitrates indicated in Windows Media player run from 204kbps to 337kbps, which indicates that Amazon use variable bitrate encoding using a lower rate in less demanding sections, where it won't be noticed, and increasing this to accommodate, usually, the loudest passages. And it shows in the sound here, which is clear and open with a well defined bass where necessary. The loudest passages are accommodated with ease.
All the performances are first rate, and so are the recordings, but I would draw attention to the balance of Kavakos in the Concerto, in case you are used to a soloist being projected in the foreground. He is placed within the orchestra, but from live concerts I've attended, this actually sounds more natural and, fortunately, he still comes through and is not lost within the orchestra.
All in all, a super bargain. Christmas has come early and I would recommend you download ASAP before Amazon realise their mistake!
And then you think that there must be a catch? But, no, there isn't, and you really can get all these for just £][ and, what is more, these are the highly rated Vanska performances that have met critical acclaim as possibly the best overall SET of the Sibelius symphonies. I highlighted "SET" as many, as I, may have individual performances that they prefer, but as a set Vanska is close to the top of the tree, if not at the top.
The sound quality of the recordings is remarkably consistent from work to work and, as has already been mentioned in another review, the bitrate used by Amazon for the transfers is pretty good. The bitrates indicated in Windows Media player run from 204kbps to 337kbps, which indicates that Amazon use variable bitrate encoding using a lower rate in less demanding sections, where it won't be noticed, and increasing this to accommodate, usually, the loudest passages. And it shows in the sound here, which is clear and open with a well defined bass where necessary. The loudest passages are accommodated with ease.
All the performances are first rate, and so are the recordings, but I would draw attention to the balance of Kavakos in the Concerto, in case you are used to a soloist being projected in the foreground. He is placed within the orchestra, but from live concerts I've attended, this actually sounds more natural and, fortunately, he still comes through and is not lost within the orchestra.
All in all, a super bargain. Christmas has come early and I would recommend you download ASAP before Amazon realise their mistake!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By RR Waller
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
At £5.99, if this download turned out to be inferior recordings with a less than good quality orchestra, it would still be worth listening just to discover different ways of playing Sibelius to help you appreciate better ways. I do not usually download, preferring to have the CDs as a fail safe and fall-back but I was looking for a Sibelius set and saw this. The later symphonies and "Finlandia" and the "Karelia Suite" (both of which I heard in school for the first time and have loved ever since) have been favourites for many years and I already had CDs, but I thought I would take the risk with the early symphonies.
It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made looking for CDs. Osmo Vänskä and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra have produced a wonderful set which turned out to be more than "just" the symphonies. I did not know what to expect and bought this on trust - and a few reviews from Amazon!
Buy it quickly and, if you do not write reviews, start today to help other people.
Highly recommended
It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made looking for CDs. Osmo Vänskä and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra have produced a wonderful set which turned out to be more than "just" the symphonies. I did not know what to expect and bought this on trust - and a few reviews from Amazon!
Buy it quickly and, if you do not write reviews, start today to help other people.
Highly recommended
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
Others have commented on the bargain that this represents: all the symphonies, plus the orginal version of the 5th, the Violin Concerto and a good selection of the tone poems, including a work new to me, Snofrid. And all for less than half the price of a normal BIS CD release. Moreover these have been recorded well within the last decade, and some - like the two versions of the 5th symphony - have been highly praised elsewhere. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra is less well-known than other leading Scandinavian ensembles, but under Osmo Vanska, a leading Sibelian, they have shown themselves to be no whit inferior. Highly recommended.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
excellent recording
Excellent recording of Sibelius symphonies and very good value for the amount of music that you get.
Download straight forward to the cloud.
Download straight forward to the cloud.
Published 2 months ago by Chas
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great buy
This is a very well reviewed set of all the Sibelius symphonies, plus some extras including the violin concerto. Read more
Published 3 months ago by John HOLLAS
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a gift
a gift to me, that is. Read the other reviews, please, because I really need to keep listening to this absolute bargain. One download and Finland's there for you.
Published 3 months ago by Joe Paumgartten
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not really about the music
I downloaded this a few days ago and what I got was a selection of Movements from various symphonies, no violin concerto. Read more
Published 4 months ago by A. M. Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars
beautiful music at a bargain price
Prior to purchasing this collection of Sibelius,I had only previously heard Finlanda which I enjoyed so thought I would take a punt on hearing some more from this artist. Read more
Published 5 months ago by jasongleefarr
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super Sibelius!
This is a wonderful survey of the symphonies, violin concerto and some top drawer fillers. Exemplary playing and typically high quality BIS sound and production values. Read more
Published 5 months ago by M. L. Cruse
5.0 out of 5 stars
A splendid set at any price
Make no mistake this set is up there with the very best Sibelius cycles and in some cases trumps the lot. Read more
Published 9 months ago by david mcdade
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lean, Fresh and Original
Everyone else has said it so I shouldn't need to, but this is such a steal! What about the recordings themselves? Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mr. A. R. Boyes
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good value, but Symphony 2 faulty
There's a lot of music here for the price and the recordings are of good quality. There is though a fault with Symphony No. 2. Read more
Published 19 months ago by AP
5.0 out of 5 stars
BARGAIN ALERT !!!!
This and the Vaughan Williams (Decca/Boult @£[]) complete symphonies downloads are stunning bargains.Cheers Amazon. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Hitch22
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