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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Symphony No 1: i. Andante, ma non troppo | |||
| 2. Symphony No 1: ii. Andante (ma non troppo lento) | |||
| 3. Symphony No 1: iii. Scherzo: Allegro | |||
| 4. Symphony No 1: iv. Finale (Quasi una fantasia): Andante | |||
| 5. Symphony No 4: i. Tempo molto moderato, quasi adagio | |||
See all 8 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Symphony No 2: Allegretto | |||
| 2. Symphony No 2: Tempo Andante,ma rubato | |||
| 3. Symphony No 2: Vivacissimo | |||
| 4. Symphony No 2: Finale: Allegro moderato | |||
| 5. Symphony No. 3: I. Allegro moderato | |||
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See all 7 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 3 | |||
| 1. Symphony No. 5: I. Tempo molto moderato; Allegro moderato | |||
| 2. Symphony No. 5: II. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto | |||
| 3. Symphony No. 5: III. Allegro molto | |||
| 4. Symphony No. 6: I. Allegro molto moderato | |||
| 5. Symphony No. 6: II. Allegro moderato | |||
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See all 8 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 4 | |||
| 1. Kullervo: I. Introduction | |||
| 2. Kullervo: II. Kullervo's Youth | |||
| 3. Kullervo: III. Kullervo and his Sister | |||
| 4. Kullervo: IV. Kullervo goes to battle | |||
| 5. Kullervo: V. Kullervo's death | |||
Product Description
Review
First, some background: Davis championed Sibelius’s music in the UK and America before it became mainstream. Cue the lazy PR spiel that he’s among the world’s leading interpreters of the Finn’s music. In truth, Davis’s early Sibelius recordings with the Boston Symphony Orchestra have dated. Added to that, audiences have recently begun to accept as definitive the cool, often sparse interpretations offered by Finnish artists that reveal more of the inherent darkness and light in the music.
But none of that lessens the impact of these recordings, which are at best very fine indeed. The mature Davis has a way with the music’s architecture like few other conductors. The pace of the expansive Second and Fifth Symphonies is masterful. Combined with the innate warmth and pretty much faultless playing of the LSO, it makes for some of the most readily satisfying performances available.
So, when Sibelius’s ‘big tunes’ arrive, they seem to do so just at the right time. In the Fifth symphony’s final movement, Davis holds back at the moment the Swan theme modulates, but other than that the tempo doesn’t change: it’s emotionally effective, but also steers a satisfying course between the purist Finns and the schmaltzy Americans.
A sense of structure and direction impresses in the more elusive symphonies too, particularly the eerie Fourth, which hangs together as well as Karajan’s. Kullervo is an unmitigated triumph: LSO Live’s sometimes boxed-in sound engineering can impede elsewhere, but here it only adds to a vivid sense of earthbound journeying. The Chorus delivers uncannily authentic Finnish pronunciation.
Vladimir Ashkenazy’s ongoing cycle with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic is a clear current rival: it offers a Seventh symphony of greater vulnerability and more clarity and balance elsewhere. But any cycle boils down to musical sense and structure. The LSO’s consistent confidence and warmth can exhaust, but wrapped up in it is an unshakeable stamp of authority. --Andrew Mellor
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The Observer (UK), Symphony No 2
Disc of the Month
'There is so much about these performances that is ear-opening - or just plain magnificent.'
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Customer Reviews
Though the acoustic of the Barbican is dryish and lacking a little in depth of perspective, it is better suited to Sibelius than the plush sound of, say, "Decca' in Vienna and is not really a problem. If the best sound is a must, then go for the "Bis" recordings.
There is another version conducted by Rozhdestvensky on "Melodyia" which I would place even higher than Davis's, despite the relatively high price and the less-than-perfect playing and recording, the latter giving too much prominence to the brass occasionally. However, these readings have an overwhelming epic sweep and are incredibly exciting. They evoke the dark forests and the snow-covered landscapes to a sometimes quite frightening degree, which make them my personal preferred versions of these mighty symphonies.
The symphonies were recorded live during concerts in the Barbican, and the recorded sound is exemplary. For me the icing on the cake is the glorious version of "Kullervo" - a massive five-movement, 72-minute epic that was the composer's first symphonic work. I haven't heard this piece since I had the Paavo Berglund set on EMI vinyl when I lived in South Africa in the early '80s, so it's a real joy to hear it again.
This is music to entertain, to excite, to move you to the depths of your soul. If you want just one, really complete, set of the Sibelius symphonies, this is definitely the one - and at the asking price, what a bargain!
My music collection has been full of it with performances of varying quality. Somehow the music always transcended the quality of the recording or the musicians performing it - I thought. But this year, as a result of the the BBC's Symphony series, I replayed one of my recordings and changed my mind. It was awful and had to be replaced.
I was looking for a complete series and as soon as I saw Colin Davis' name I knew this had to be the one. What a great choice. I bought MP3 as I play music increasingly on my PC and I haven't stopped playing it since.
These performances have raised the hair on the back of my neck, brought tears to my eyes and lifted my spirit. They have reinforced my love of Sibelius and shown me the difference between an average and a truly great interpretation.
Whether or not you already love Sibelius, and whether or not it has been recommended on CD Review, I don't care. I recommend this recording unreservedly and I know you'll love it.
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