Anyone familier with the great Koussevitzky's Sibelius.
I've been listening to the Fifth Symphony with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, recorded December 1936.--One word 'electrifying'.
The Bostonians are in terrific form with glowing strings, pungent woodwind and particuarly rich brass.

In the huge first movement, Sibelius confines the strings for some time to mysterious muted oscillations [for want of a better word] but Koussevitzky puts so much life into them. Even in the final bars of the first movement, when the brass are given full reign in barbaric and majestic splendour--listen to the strings, with their rushing crotchets.
The second movement, Andante mosso quasi allegretto is one of the finest that I have heard, just listen to the brass at the very end.
My only quibble in the finale is reserved for the very last six chords or hammar blows. Koussevitzky is here, strangly reticent. Each chord very close together and no timpani reinforcing the final two chords. Still, performance traditions are never static and this account of the 5th is as good as it gets! Any other views on Koussevitzky.--kullervopete.

I have never heard these recordings...but they sound great. Where can you get them?

Koussevitzsky's Sibelius is rarely out of circulation. A quick glance on the internet reveals a great album.
Symphonies 2,5,7, Pohjola's Daughter, Tapiola and Swanwhite.
Pearl Cd 9408 Available on line at Arkive Music.com among others.
Should not be to difficult to get hold of--good luck.--kullervopete.

kullervopete wrote:

... and no timpani reinforcing the final two chords.

Really?!? Could this be some sort of sound/engineering problem? I can't imagine why any conductor in the world, no matter from what era or however self-indulgant, would want to take those out. Especially when one considers that the timpani actually play TWO strokes for each of the 2 final chords.

I am no musician, but as a listener it does seem to be fairly common practise these days for the timpanist to be fractionally ahead of the rest of the orchestra on the final two chords. I dont know if Sibelius marks the score this way, but it is very effective. I have just listened to Celibidache and this is what he does. I just dont hear this with Koussevitzsky. Hope you can follow what I am trying to say.--kullervopete.

It is common practice for the timpani to sound ahead of the rest because, as you correctly surmise, this is exactly what the score says - there is a timpani grace note before each of the last two chords. (And two grace notes before the first of the six final chords, which should also be clearly audible as the chord is on the second beat, after a rest.)

I have heard a few recordings where the grace notes are played directly on the beat with the rest of the chords, I can't remember which ones right now. Personally I prefer it just before the beat so that the main note lands with the rest of the orchestra.

Getting back to Koussevitzky, I simply can't imagine that the timpani is not playing during the final two chords. Perhaps it is quieter than usual, perhaps as I suggested above it is a sound engineering issue, or perhaps he places the grace notes on the beat, which would make the timpani much less obvious than it usually is.

I had hoped that I had cleared up any misunderstanding here.
I was not inferring that Koussevitzsky did not use the timpani in the last six chords! Andrew has clarifed what I was struggling to describe. I would guess that maestro Kurki is perhaps correct in saying that Koussevitzsky may haved placed the grace notes on the beat.
Incidentally, the recorded sound on my LP is first class for vintage 1936!--kullervopete.

Oh, the wonders of Youtube! I've found Koussevitzky's BBC SO recording of the 7th symphony from 1933!

Part 1:

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Part 2:

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It is one of the more remarkable and insightful Sevenths I've yet heard from anyone. Some very interesting touches I've never heard, like the little luftpausen between the three viola notes leading into the little hymn portion toward the beginning. Fascinating stuff, and I'm now very tempted to look into the two-disc set kullervopete mentions earlier!

World Violist wrote:

Oh, the wonders of Youtube! I've found Koussevitzky's BBC SO recording of the 7th symphony from 1933! Part 1: Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum! Part 2: Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum! It is one of the more remarkable and insightful Sevenths I've yet heard from anyone. Some very interesting touches I've never heard, like the little luftpausen between the three viola notes leading into the little hymn portion toward the beginning. Fascinating stuff, and I'm now very tempted to look into the two-disc set kullervopete mentions earlier!

I guess it would take a violist to hear these things! Can you give a timing of where this "luftpausen" occurs?

I'm always fascinated by "historical" recordings of favorite works; thank you for bringing it to our attention, World.

Those Luftpausen are curious indeed - but quite endearing too. What disturbs me, though, is that there are very perceptible changes of pulse at various points in the performance – it was from a concert so it's not a question of side breaks on 78s –, and Sibelius specifically did not want that. (Other Russian or Russian-trained conductors have tended to do the same.) Full marks for intensity though!

Andrew B wrote:

Those Luftpausen are curious indeed - but quite endearing too.

At roughly :50 of the piece?

I'm assuming, WV, that you mean the ones 10 bars after A, the first viola notes of the whole polyphonic passage, written with lines over them? At approx. 2'28 and thereafter on the YouTube. But really he should have done the same all through the passage as there is a 'segue' marking.

By the way, I see no reason of any kind for Koussevitzky changing the first violin part at A – he has them play 2 F sharps in the middle of the bar, rather than the written F sharp and G. (1'33 on YouTube)

Andrew B wrote:

I'm assuming, WV, that you mean the ones 10 bars after A, the first viola notes of the whole polyphonic passage, written with lines over them? At approx. 2'28 and thereafter on the YouTube. But really he should have done the same all through the passage as there is a 'segue' marking.

Ah, yes, I don't hear this on comparison recordings. Thanks much, Andrew.

Once again, I hear this more as nuance than affectation. I'm assuming these Luftpausen are not in the score as such, however. (I looked up Luftpausen and also took some German in college...still have nightmares about it. If you write a German common noun in an English sentence, must it still be capitalized?)

I'm sorry, I haven't been around for some time; internet was out all of yesterday and for most of today, so I was oblivious to any comments...

Yes, it is the notes leading into the first big polyphonic episode, starting at something like 2:20ish. I dunno, now I've heard it more it doesn't sound particularly great.

Gotta love those portamenti of the 1930's though!!!

Moldyoldie wrote:

If you write a German common noun in an English sentence, must it still be capitalized?)

Yes, unless it has become accepted as an English word too (e.g. lied, or perhaps kapellmeister).

By the same token we should follow Swedish capitalization rules with Swedish terms (En saga, not En Saga) and French rules for French terms (Valse triste, not Valse Triste), and so on.
In general there is a trend to overcapitalize in English – often encountered in artists’ biographies – which is as unnecessary and self-aggrandizing as it is visually unappealing. Job titles, for instance, or articles linked to proper nouns (one shudders at: ‘He is Artistic Director of The Xxxxx Festival’ or ‘He is Principal Viola [or Violist] of The Xxx Philharmonic Orchestra’… what next? ‘He is Principal Floor-Cleaning Attendant of The High Street Public Toilet’?], although military and church ranks should be capitalized if they refer to individuals [‘Bishop Henry’, but ‘a gathering of five bishops’].

When judging matters of style (and in some cases grammar), due allowance must of course be made for regional and cultural variation. In some parts of the USA there is a four-dot ellipsis, whereas elsewhere in the USA, as in European languages, such a phenomenon is as illogical as a four-sided triangle. Very often, the use of correct grammar and style is a simple matter of courtesy. Why, for instance, do radio listings magazines generally write ‘Vanska’ and ‘Grasbeck’ when they wouldn't dream of writing ‘Schonberg’ or ‘Karl Bohm’?

Not to mention the dreaded false relationship which permeates modern writing in English in the same way that the odour of decay, century-old grime and dead rat permeates London's underground system. If people paused even for a second to consider how the meaning of their sentences can be destroyed by simple grammatical illogicalities, think only of the classic example: ‘At the age of two, his mother started to teach him the piano’.

I could go on for hours about this and, given half a chance, probably would. But that would be less than riveting for a Sibelius enthusiast – and off topic – so I shall conclude with another category of error which, although off topic, is at least very funny:–

The following have all appeared in church magazines – so thank God for church ladies with typewriters.

Next weekend's Fasting & Prayer Conference in Whitby includes all meals.
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Sunday morning sermon: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.'
Sunday evening sermon: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.
Smile at someone who is hard to love.
Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
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The school drama group will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church hall on Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours!'

Andrew, that list is just plain hilarious!

Maybe you can also tell us why English insists on so much capitalization...or maybe I shouldn't ask lest Koussevitzky be somehow integrated to stay on topic. (Note the three-dot ellipsis. I learned a four-dotter ends a sentence as if the sentence concludes with a rhetorically unfinished thought and the fourth dot is a period.)

Vanity, I think – (and heaving it back towards the topic) the same reason why Koussevitzky changes that G into an F sharp, and adds brass to the final cadence.

In general, I find "personal" details such as those present in this recording more disturbing than interesting.

A few points...

The F# that Andrew talks about sounds like a splice gone wrong... but probably not likely for the time that this was recorded, it was probably done in a single take?

The changes in pulse that Andrew B suggests, especially from the opening to the trombone solo are quite disquieting. I can understand that some conductors may want to gradually accellerate (although Sibelius does not call for this, as I've documented at GREAT lenght

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), but this just seems to be all over the place tempo-wise.

I fully realize that this next point might be due to the limitations of the day with regards to recording technology, but I simply can't listen to woodwinds that sound that horrendous (flutes and oboes) and keep telling myself that it's "an old recording". I'm sure it sounded fine Live (I Love Capitals), but I guess my imagination falls a little short with respect to this detail.

There's no edit on the F sharp - it's from a public concert (I hesitate to describe any recording as ’live’ per se, because the very fact that it is immortalized on disc/tape/video means that by definition is isn’t live any more) – and with 1930s technology you would most certainly have heard it. I tend to agree about the wind sound – but these days we are spoilt for choice and can afford to be picky – not so in 1933.