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