Sibelius: Seven Symphonies
Somers, Al
"Sibelius: Seven Symphonies" MUCH AS BAROQUE music should not be judged by the standards of romantic music, Sibelius's works should not be judged in the light of middle European musical literature. His sonorities are as foreign...
...The performance seemed good, the symphony interesting, but the orchestra weak...
...I became familiar with this work via a recording loosely borrowed by an old roommate from the local library...
...Kamu does not conduct with theverve Ehrling displayed but the work is not badly played and the symphony's personality is not altered in any way...
...This collection is the third completeset of the symphonies although in a strict sense it is complete only because all symphonies are included...
...The sound is outstanding, the surfaces are silent and the quantity of the vinyl is generous...
...As nice as they are I cannot imagine stacking all seven symphonies up for five continuous hours of Sibelius...
...The last symphony is probably the least attractive superficially, but wears exceedingly well...
...All these symphonies are available on DGG singles and as such I would give consideration to the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth symphonies...
...Jean Sibelius wrote his seven symphonies between the years 1898 to 1924...
...what is more, Kamu's work has the advantage of modern recording techniques...
...It is quite rare, if ever, that boxed sets offer the definitive statement on every work included...
...belying RCA's claim that their "skinny discs" were meant to give us better sound...
...The balance of the works are recorded by the Berlin Philharmonic, clearly one of the two best orchestras on the continent...
...He is a 28-year-old Finn who is currently musical director of the Finnish Radio Orchestra...
...Kamu's performance is one of the highlights in this box...
...Some might find it to be a bit schmalzy at points, but all seemed in good taste to me...
...That practice is an anachronism peculiar to the domestics that harkens back to the days of 78 RPM...
...however, one must suspect that he felt there was no longer an audience for his music...
...Al Somers...
...The third symphony terminates what has been called "the folklore period...
...The fifth symphony is probably exceeded in popularity only by the second, and as always, this is not a commentary upon its artistic merit...
...These releases attest that he has made an auspicious beginning...
...Included in this package are the tone poems, The Bard and En Saga as well as Finlandia, Valse triste, and The Swan of Tuonela...
...Although he did not die until 1957, he was essentially musically silent after 1929...
...It seems that the orchestra plays well and to me the interpretation is convincing...
...His sonorities are as foreign as Dansk is to Meissen...
...I. think the case has been overstated...
...The work is optimistic in contrast to the preceding work...
...The second symphony can be easily hackneyed because of its many tempo changes and pauses...
...Kamu finds his way through these traps and renders a performance that is reminiscent of Koussevitsky's...
...The music is still very typically Sibelius, but rather than amuse or excite, it strikes those emotions that are solemn...
...These performances were recorded at various times between 1965 and 1973...
...This collection does not offer this compensation...
...Six-ten Ehrling led that work in a delightful manner...
...I find it difficult to make a meaningful statement as to the performance of this work because I have no parameters available...
...He renders an introspective interpretation that is valid and effective, though it is not the only way to play this work...
...Two orchestras are represented on these discs...
...However, for the persistent listener there is much enjoyment in these symphonies...
...Von Karajan needs no introduction...
...Happily the symphonies are not placed on the records in a sequential fashion...
...If you would like to own a set and the money is available, I would suggest the performances on London with Maazel conducting...
...This gives the listener very little on which to fasten, and probably accounts for the popularity of the second symphony, which is easier to follow...
...The reflective and pessimistic mood of the first three movements are relieved temporarily by a more optimistic allegro, but even this ends in the lower registers of the orchestra...
...In general the eclectic approach is the best...
...This was my introduction to the first symphony and I had no other recorded performances available for criteria...
...The sixth is a beautiful piece that is all Sibelius, but a springlike and playful Sibelius...
...With each succeeding symphony the thematic material becomes more sparse...
...There is a distinct simplicity of life that is inherent in their furniture, crystal, other art forms, and Sibelius's music...
...This material is particularly suited to Von Karajan's talent of illuminating the inner lines of musical works...
...En Saga and the Swan of Tuonela...
...Both the orchestra and conductor are up to the task...
...What they can offer is an artistic overview of or a philosophical approach to a composer...
...It has been said that the fourth symphony was Sibelius's flirtation with modernism...
...The final two symphonies are both written in the form of a single movement...
...The Finnish land and climate must instill a taste that is difficult for outsiders to appreciate...
...Although Sibelius was trained in the German school, his symphonies are acoustically more akin to the impressionistic school with its strong emphasis on color rather than melody...
...The reason was never explained...
...None of these are to be dismissed as lollipops although to me Finlandia is still a doxology...
...thus the advantage of conceptual unity is lost in this grouping...
...Although it is not a bad group, it is not up to the standards of major orchestras...
...This is one of the few works of Sibelius that has found its way into the standard repertoire...
...The Helsinki Radio Orchestra is heard playing the first symphony...
...It is a light happy piece which, although preceding, tends to underscore the brooding fourth symphony...
...He has forsaken the parapetetic mode of thejet set young conductors and has restricted his guest appearances in order to develop a sound background in the standard repertoire...
...The first three are conducted by Okko Kamu while the balance are led by Herbert Von Karajan...
...The performance is a beautiful and eloquent statement...
...The number of recordings available is obscene and is testament to one of the suicidal practices of the recording industry...
...However, Kamu, at least to me, is relatively unknown...
...If one wishes to hear how bad this can he, he is referred to Paul Paray's performance...
...With the second symphony one was immediately aware there had been an ensemble change...
Vol. 8 • October 1974 • No. 1
