The Sibelius Forum

kullervopete · Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:28 pm Post subject:

David Revilla wrote:

My opinion:

Vänskä is the best. It sound Sibelius, not Vänskä. With this recording I can listen the work, not the recording. I like his style: cameristic, modern, different colours at the same time (not a homogeneous color), nervous and exact tempos... And the right finnish style. I love the finnish interpretation of Sibelius: it's for me like historic instruments for baroque music.

I've heard Saraste only one time (I bought the CDs the last month) and maybe it could be my second favorite recording.

I like very much the Sibelius' Bernstein. Maybe it's the opposite to Vänskä: he isn't faithful to the scores. But he gives a transcendental meaning to the music. A little bit of Mahler of course but... it's terrific! The first cycle is complete, the Fourth is amazing. The second isn't full, the First and the Second are too much slow, the Fifth and de Seventh are my favourites like singles of the whole of the Sibelius recordings!

Segerstam has the finnish style, but I think that he's very slow (in the Chandos' recording too much slow) and romantic. However the Ondine cycle is quite good.

Berglund is fantastic, but I find that his colour is too dark and homogeneous. I love his intensity and strengh, but his colour isn't good for me. However all of his three cycles is pretty good.

Colin Davis is fine, either the Boston than LSO cycle.

I'm hearing the Barbirolli's cycle in these days (this evening it will sound the fifth) and he's good, but it sounds a bit old fashioned to me.

Ashkenazy is quite irregular (the Decca recordings). The First is one of the best First for me (the most russian of the symphonies), the Forth is bad.

Neeme Järvi is better for the Sibelius small pieces. His cycle for Bis is good, the DG is... psicodelic?

Karajan sometimes... no right style, but he loved Sibelius. I like very much the Kamu's recordings, they are in the same box. Okko Kamu is a wonderful Sibelius conductor!

Kajanus is very very interesanting. A pity the age of his recordings, but they're a historic document!

I don't like Simon Rattle.

I hate Rozhdestvensky. He thought that Sibelius must to be conducted like Tchaikovsky.

I haven´t hear Maazel, Blomstedt or Saderling.

Osmo Vänskä is the Sibelius symphonies cycle.

I'm so pleased that you admire Bernsteins Newyork cycle from the 1960's. L.B. was no mean Sibelian and his recording of the fourth Symphony was said to be Erik Tawaststjerna's favourite. Bernstein was especially good in No's 1,4,5,6 and 7.

Sergerstam I have heard in concert, a tremendous Sibelian and superb in No's 6 and 7.

Jarvi's No.3 from Gothenburg is amongst the front runners.

Kajanus is of course essential listening for all lovers of Sibelius.

David, nice to see that we have another Colin Davies fan on this forum, in my opinion of similar stature to Osmo Vanska.

Barbirolli old fashioned--no way!

Ashkenazy's Philharmonia set is patchy, but he has his moments.

Sibelius thought very highly of Karajans recordings and I would not wish to be without many of them.

Poor Simon Rattle, I have heard him give some fine accounts of Sibelius. His recording of No.5 with the Philharmonia is very fine indeed and a great Oceanides. Lets hope that we will get a new Sibelius cycle from Rattle in Berlin.

I agree with you that Vanska is scrupulous to the score and his Sibelius pedigree is pretty impressive. I've said this before but the first movement of No.1 [Lahti] sounds terribly rushed to me and his recording of Jordens sang could be better.

By the way, Sanderling is worth looking out for.--kp

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Peter Frankland