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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I mentioned in my review of the Naxos CD of symphonies 1 and 3Sibelius: Symphony No1, Op39; Symphony in C No3, Op52 that I felt that this combination of orchestra and conductor got better as they went further in to the Sibelius "cycle" of symphonies - this CD bears my point out, I think.
Recorded a year after the aforementioned CD, perhaps the combination of artists had "bedded in" by November 1997, when these recordings were made in Reykjavik. The performances certainly seem much more assured. This confidence is necessary in the rather dark Sibelius 4. A bout of throat cancer clouded his life for a time, occasioned, apparently, by his gargantuan intake of vodka and tobacco, and this comes through in this music. Many say that this is perhaps his finest work and, although I particularly love Sibelius 3, who am I to argue? I could not say that this recording is the "best", but It's pretty fine. Perhaps Vanska Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4 and/or Sir Colin Davis Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc. [Box Set] vie for the highest recommendation, but these recordings cost rather more, and the Naxos version of Sibelius 4 is very good.
The romantic Sibelius 5 reflects, I figure, happier times and everyone familiar with this composer loves the "big tune" in the third section of the symphony! Sakari and the Icelanders do quite well, but, in fairness, it seems few conductors and orchestras can match BernsteinSibelius: The Complete Symphonies or Rattle Sibelius: Symphonies 1-7 [Box Set]. I have to confess that I have only heard these two recordings once or twice!
Well worth the modest price, this Naxos CD is almost the best in their Sibelius symphony cycle.
Recorded a year after the aforementioned CD, perhaps the combination of artists had "bedded in" by November 1997, when these recordings were made in Reykjavik. The performances certainly seem much more assured. This confidence is necessary in the rather dark Sibelius 4. A bout of throat cancer clouded his life for a time, occasioned, apparently, by his gargantuan intake of vodka and tobacco, and this comes through in this music. Many say that this is perhaps his finest work and, although I particularly love Sibelius 3, who am I to argue? I could not say that this recording is the "best", but It's pretty fine. Perhaps Vanska Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4 and/or Sir Colin Davis Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc. [Box Set] vie for the highest recommendation, but these recordings cost rather more, and the Naxos version of Sibelius 4 is very good.
The romantic Sibelius 5 reflects, I figure, happier times and everyone familiar with this composer loves the "big tune" in the third section of the symphony! Sakari and the Icelanders do quite well, but, in fairness, it seems few conductors and orchestras can match BernsteinSibelius: The Complete Symphonies or Rattle Sibelius: Symphonies 1-7 [Box Set]. I have to confess that I have only heard these two recordings once or twice!
Well worth the modest price, this Naxos CD is almost the best in their Sibelius symphony cycle.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This excellent Sibelius series by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra under Petri Sakari continues with the Symphonies 4 and 5. I already have the Finlandia and Karelia Suites (a recommended choice in Radio 3's Building a Library.
I have loved this music since I heard first heard it on BBC Children's, Hour in the late 1940s! It made such an impression I can still recall the icy shivers (real as well as imagined in those cold wartime winters!).
These Symphonies are performed with just that sense of heroic desolation and icy wilderness, which is the hall mark of Sibelius.Naxos has really done us proud by producing these recordings. I cannot wait until the Symphonies No 6 and 7 drop through my letter box!
I have loved this music since I heard first heard it on BBC Children's, Hour in the late 1940s! It made such an impression I can still recall the icy shivers (real as well as imagined in those cold wartime winters!).
These Symphonies are performed with just that sense of heroic desolation and icy wilderness, which is the hall mark of Sibelius.Naxos has really done us proud by producing these recordings. I cannot wait until the Symphonies No 6 and 7 drop through my letter box!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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2 reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Four and a Half
10 Oct 2004
Format:Audio CD
Very good performances...such passion and power. For the most part this is an awesome cd with a lot of GREAT artistic quality. However the sound quality is not great. This is a really sweet cd and I highly recomend it for the quality and price!
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful
An average perfromance
7 May 2004
Format:Audio CD
A good and relatively inexpensive introduction to anyone new to Sibelius and these two very different symphonies. The fourth is a dark and sombre piece and is one of the more difficult of Sibelius' symphonies to interpret and understand with its intense sense of welling despair which persists throughout the symphony, most noticeably in the first and third movements. This performance by the Iceland SO is average and somewhat formulaic though Petri Sakari does successfully keep all his orchestral forces together to give a consistent interpretation that perhaps many more well known conducters have failed to do so in the past. So in summary an average performance which is just lacking that extra bit of inspiration to make it a worthwhile addition to any Sibelius libary. The Fifth is world apart from the sombre Fourth and is a piece of much more hope and of actual joy in life. It has been described as heroic in nature and it has certainly proved over time to be one of Sibelius' more popular works. The final third movement and its main theme which occurs twice in the movement is widely familiar, and when performed at its best is a powerful and forceful sequence. The fifth is one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century without a doubt. The performance by Sakari's Iceland SO is committed and well held together though again, like the Fourth, a little formulaic. The first two movements particularly suffer from a lack of inspiration, but the concluding movement does redeem the recording somewhat and adequately gets across the power of the movements central theme. In summary a good introduction to the great Finnish composers music for those unfamiliar with his works, but otherwise one to miss for any serious collector.
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