Sibelius Tone Poems
rod
For example, I saw a reference to a disc featuring an Icelandic
orchestra but have no idea how good the performances are.
Gerard
Think about recordings by Vänskä (BIS), Segerstam (Ondine), Ollila (Ondine),
Barbirolli (EMI).
jrs...@aol.com
Not very expensive is a disc on DG with Hans Rosbaud and the Berlin
Philharmonic, which is a first-class combination in every way. Also
very good is a cheap Colin Davis/Boston Symphony disc on Eloquence. I
also like various recordings of Karajan/Berlin on DG that appear as
fillers, such as in the superb Sibelius 2 with Okku Kamu and the
Berliners, on a budget priced Eloquence disc. And Yoel Levi/Atlanta
Symphony on Telarc is a very good sounding disc on Telarc. Also, look
for collections by Ormandy/Philadelphia on Sony and their EMI
Lemminkainen Legends (also look for Salonen/LA Philharmonic in the same
four tone poems, on Sony, in up-to-date sound and great playing).
The Bis label has excellent recordings of Sibelius tone poems scattered
across a series of discs with Osmo Vanska conducting, and they are in
great sound, but at a premium price. Alternatively, Paavo Berglund's
older but excellent recordings are easy to find at good prices on EMI.
--Jeff
Vaneyes
I like Ormandy (Sony) for these...more than I do his Symphonies.
Regards
bzuk...@phillynews.com
Barry
Michael Schaffer
I don"t know about more or less complete collections - there are some,
like Gibson or Jarvi, both of which are OK but not exactly great, but
here are some individual recommendations for recordings of some of them
which I find outstanding:
Night Ride and Sunrise: PO/Rattle (EMI)
They completely nail this piece. Every detail is there and they get
them all right. THe playing of the Philharmonia is fantastic, and the
sound is very good too.
Pohjola's Daughter: PO/Salonen (Sony)
Very dark, brooding, menacing. Again great playing from the PO and very
mgood sound from Sony. Can be found coupled with an excellent
performance of the 5th symphony and an equally good reading of En Saga
with LAP.
Luonnotar: Haeggander/GSO/Panula
Inredibly good. Haeggander's voice is perfect for the music and the
reading is musically outstanding, good sound on this disc too. Coupled
with other interesting orchestral songs.
Tapiola: BP/Karajan (DG)
Majestic, distanced, icy.
Raymond Hall
news:GnlSf.162508$Q22....@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Can anyone recommend a recording of Sibelius tone poems?
> For example, I saw a reference to a disc featuring an Icelandic orchestra
> but have no idea how good the performances are.
Sakari on Naxos is very good, and uses the Icelandic orchestra. Includes the
Oceanides as well as The Bard on one CD, with another CD which includes
Finlandia, Karelia and Lemminkainen suites even better imo. Just listen to
way the Karelia suite bounces. Wonderful.
For a more distinctive Lemminkainen suite, then Gibson is far better, and
also includes a much more exciting Return, than the much over-rated Ormandy
(and I am not the usual Ormandy basher as there are here). Ormandy's Return
is about as exciting as a dead mullet. There is no finer Swan than
Berglund's with the Bournemouth SO, included with the symphonies on Royal
Classics.
Berglund does an ice-cold Tapiola with the Helsinki mob, HvK is also very
good, and Bernstein is excellent in Pohjola's Daughter. All three conductors
are highly dependable in Sibelius, with Berglund being the most straight and
austere of the three. Generally avoid Berglund unless you know Sibelius
better. Bernstein is a better bet and 'sells' the music better.
In short though, as a collection, the Sakari is an excellent buy (especially
the CD with Finlandia on it), and should give much pleasure. Both of
Sakari's CDs will, but the Finlandia CD more especially.
The problem is, that to get the best from each tone poem, one would probably
need about six or seven CDs. And then there conductors like Beecham .... one
could go on and on ...
Ray H
Taree
Iain Neill Reid
and Gibson/SNO (Chandos) and Sakari/Iceland SO (Naxos)
(Segerstam is a bit on the heavy and pedantic - more pompously dialectic
side for me)
>
>
William Sommerwerck
> pompously dialectic side for me.
What, exactly, is a dialectic interpretation? (I know what the word means; I
just don't see how it applies to music.)
Sacqueboutier
I'll put my vote in for Barbirolli on EMI and Vanska on BIS.
--
Best wishes,
Sacqueboutier
Michael Schaffer
Raymond Hall wrote:
> "rod" <rhsc...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:GnlSf.162508$Q22....@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> > Can anyone recommend a recording of Sibelius tone poems?
> > For example, I saw a reference to a disc featuring an Icelandic orchestra
> > but have no idea how good the performances are.
>
> Sakari on Naxos is very good, and uses the Icelandic orchestra. Includes the
> Oceanides as well as The Bard on one CD, with another CD which includes
> Finlandia, Karelia and Lemminkainen suites even better imo. Just listen to
> way the Karelia suite bounces. Wonderful.
>
> For a more distinctive Lemminkainen suite, then Gibson is far better, and
> also includes a much more exciting Return, than the much over-rated Ormandy
> (and I am not the usual Ormandy basher as there are here). Ormandy's Return
> is about as exciting as a dead mullet. There is no finer Swan than
> Berglund's with the Bournemouth SO, included with the symphonies on Royal
> Classics.
>
> Berglund does an ice-cold Tapiola with the Helsinki mob, HvK is also very
> good, and Bernstein is excellent in Pohjola's Daughter. All three conductors
> are highly dependable in Sibelius, with Berglund being the most straight and
> austere of the three. Generally avoid Berglund unless you know Sibelius
> better.
What does that mean?
Marc Perman
"Sacqueboutier" <nos...@nocomspamcast.net> wrote in message
news:2006031620504116807-nospam@nocomspamcastnet...
Is there a separate disc of Barbirolli's tone poems? I'm just aware of the
5 CD symphonies set on EMI.
Marc Perman
Dan Fowler
symphonies and tone poems. The Vanska performances are only available in
individual disks. All three conductors provide great, and stylistically
distinct, interpretations of the tone poems.
I would also add that the Segerstam's version of Finlandia offers the choral
arrangement which is not heard too frequently. His Lemminkainen suite is
outstanding.
Dan
"Sacqueboutier" <nos...@nocomspamcast.net> wrote in message
news:2006031620504116807-nospam@nocomspamcastnet...
Raymond Hall
news:1142562360.0...@e56g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
For a relative newcomer to Sibelius, it means that Bergland can be a bit too
straight and literal. Bernstein is better because he is a conductor who
delights in 'teaching', or highlighting essential aspects of a composer.
Bergland, in other words, is not afraid of some understatement. Bernstein,
for example only, was never guilty of much of that quality.
I am assuming the OP is a relative newcomer to Sibelius. But then again, I
could be wrong. I have heard Berglund live many many times, and he certainly
will never pander to an audience.
Ray H
Taree
Raymond Hall
news:1qsSf.8570$dy4....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
And I should know better than to spell Berglund's name incorrectly twice in
my last post.
Ray H
Taree
Paul Kintzele
I would assume that's Sakari on Naxos; good but not great. I'm not
exactly sure which tone poems you're looking for, but if you want a
starter disc, I would go for the already recommended
Ormandy/Philadelphia/Sony disc. Finlandia is really stirring and En
Saga white hot. And the price is right.
If you're looking for the complete 4 Lemminkainen Legends, then try
Paavo (not Neeme) Järvi's disc on Virgin (c/w a Night Ride and Sunrise
that even exceeds the superb Rattle/Philharmonia extolled above) or
Mikko Franck's disc (c/w an excellent En Saga) on Ondine.
And anything Osmo Vänskä does in Sibelius is worth hearing. Try his
premiere recording of The Wood Nymph, for example.
Paul
Gerard
>
> In short though, as a collection, the Sakari is an excellent buy
> (especially the CD with Finlandia on it), and should give much
> pleasure. Both of Sakari's CDs will, but the Finlandia CD more
> especially.
>
> The problem is, that to get the best from each tone poem, one would
> probably need about six or seven CDs.
In which case Sakari will end on the to-cull-pile.
A nice collection was Horst Stein's recordings on a Decca Weekend CD.
Or a few BIS recordings with Järvi (father).
Or a twoofer with Järvi (son) on Virgin.
rod
Thanks to all who responded to my question.
Reading the replies I'm beginning to think Raymond may have nailed it
when he said:
> The problem is, that to get the best from each tone poem, one would probably
> need about six or seven CDs. And then there conductors like Beecham .... one
> could go on and on ...
rod
Terry Simmons
"Raymond Hall" <rayt...@bigpond.com> wrote:
<snip>
> The problem is, that to get the best from each tone poem, one would probably
> need about six or seven CDs. And then there conductors like Beecham .... one
> could go on and on ...
>
> Ray H
> Taree
Glad you mentioned Beecham. No conductor ever came close to him in "Oceanides".
--
Cheers!
Terry
Gerard
Once there was a EMI Studio CD with Finlandia, Karelia Suite, Pohjola's
Daughter, Valse triste, and Lemminkäinen's Return. CDM 7 69205 2.
Rob Barnett
Orchestra. It may seem a very unlikely combination (it is!) but Stein
extracts very tense and magical performances. His Pohjola's Daughter and En
Saga are glorious. Same goes for his version of the Lemminkainen poems. All
are available on a London Weekend Twofer.
Don't miss Furtwangler's En Saga.
Also wonderful, courtesy of one of the cap'ns is Ormandy's 1950s
Philadelphia recordings of the tone poems - I cannot recommend them, highly
enough.
Luonnotar - superbly done by Panula (Haggander) on BIS and by
Beglund/Valjakka on EMI Classics.
Rob
--
Rob Barnett
Classical Editor, MusicWeb International
www.musicweb-international.com
Editor, British Music Society Newsletter
alanwa...@aol.com
> Don't miss Furtwangler's En Saga.
Indeed, it is unlike any other En Saga I have ever heard or taken part
in.
Kind regards,
Alan M. Watkins
David Wake
> Can I just second the recommendation of Horst Stein and the Suisse Romande
> Orchestra. It may seem a very unlikely combination (it is!) but Stein
> extracts very tense and magical performances. His Pohjola's Daughter and En
> Saga are glorious. Same goes for his version of the Lemminkainen poems. All
> are available on a London Weekend Twofer.
Another vote for Stein/SRO. Especially for En Saga.
David
Sacqueboutier
Don't know if it's still available, but yes, there is a disc of tone
poem that pretty
much replicates that collection on an old Seraphim LP.
--
Best wishes,
Sacqueboutier
Praetorius
> Can I just second the recommendation of Horst Stein and the Suisse Romande
> Orchestra. It may seem a very unlikely combination (it is!) but Stein
> extracts very tense and magical performances. His Pohjola's Daughter and
En
> Saga are glorious. Same goes for his version of the Lemminkainen poems.
All
> are available on a London Weekend Twofer.
Another (and enthusiastic) recommendation for Horst Stein and the Suisse
Romande. I originally picked up the Weekend Classic Sibelius collection
on cassette because it was cheap and had music I wanted to listen to while
on vacation with access only to a cassette player. I was so impressed that
I got the CD issue for home play. Because of this apparent "unlikely
combination" and frequent criticism of the sound of the Suisse Romande
(particularly post-Ansermet), I felt compelled to state in a 1999 post,
commenting on these recordings: "Don't be put off by the orchestra. They
play almost like a world class ensemble and make some of the most
attractive sounds ever, with an (analog) recording to match. Also, Stein
provides (IMO) gripping interpretations."
However, I think Rob may be conflating two separate CD issues in referring
to "a London Weekend Twofer." The London Weekend Classics 417 697-2
CD (at least in the U.S.; and if it was "London" rather than "Decca," it
presumably was a U.S. issue) has Stein/Suisse Romande performing
Finlandia, The Swan of Tuonela, Nightride and Sunrise, Pohjola's Daughter
and En Saga. Only the Pohjola's Daughter and Nightride and Sunrise, and
The Swan of Tuonela from that CD, together with the rest of the Lemminkainen
Suite/Four Legends from the Kalevala (not on the Weekend Classics CD) is
on a London/Decca "Double Decker" 2DF2 452576-2. [The Finlandia,
Karelia Suite, Luonnotar, Tapiola and En Saga on this set are by Ashkenazy/
Philharmonia, with Elisabeth Soderstrom in Luonnotar - still a good and
economical "starter set" of Sibelius tone poems.]
Frank Decolvenaere
To reply by e-mail, replace NMBR with 1612.
"You are no bigger than
the things that annoy you."
Jerry Bundsen
Gerard
>
> However, I think Rob may be conflating two separate CD issues in
> referring to "a London Weekend Twofer." The London Weekend Classics
> 417 697-2
> CD (at least in the U.S.; and if it was "London" rather than "Decca,"
> it presumably was a U.S. issue) has Stein/Suisse Romande performing
> Finlandia, The Swan of Tuonela, Nightride and Sunrise, Pohjola's
> Daughter and En Saga.
This is what I have on a Decca Weekend Classics CD.
> Only the Pohjola's Daughter and Nightride and
> Sunrise, and The Swan of Tuonela from that CD, together with the rest
> of the Lemminkainen Suite/Four Legends from the Kalevala (not on the
> Weekend Classics CD) is
> on a London/Decca "Double Decker" 2DF2 452576-2. [The Finlandia,
> Karelia Suite, Luonnotar, Tapiola and En Saga on this set are by
> Ashkenazy/ Philharmonia, with Elisabeth Soderstrom in Luonnotar -
> still a good and economical "starter set" of Sibelius tone poems.]
>
> Frank Decolvenaere
> To reply by e-mail, replace NMBR with 1612.
>
While Finlandia, Swan of Tuonela, and En Saga (by Stein) were combined with
the Karelia Suite by Maazel and some Peer Gynt music by Karajan on a Belart
CD.
Rob Barnett
is the twofer which mixes the Stein/SRO Lemminkainen Legends and some of the
tone poems on the Stein original LP with some good but less gripping
Ashkenazy-Sibelius (shame that they didn't prefer Stein's gloriously creepy
En Saga over Ashkenazy's comparatively low tension one) and the London
Weekend single which, IIRC, is an exact copy of what was on the original
Decca Stein/SRO LP SXL6542.
I wonder if Stein ever recorded any of the symphonies. Berglund made a
superb job of the first ever recording of Kullervo (Bournemouth, early
1970s, EMI) but imagine what Stein might have done with it.
--
Rob Barnett
Classical Editor, MusicWeb International
www.musicweb-international.com
Editor, British Music Society Newsletter
"Praetorius" <Praetor...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:700Tf.971$3t1.65@trndny08...
norman...@comcast.net
What constitutes the entire collection of Sibelius tone poems? What is
included and what excluded?
Thanks,
Norm Strong
Praetorius
> [snip]
>
> I wonder if Stein ever recorded any of the symphonies. Berglund made a
> superb job of the first ever recording of Kullervo (Bournemouth, early
> 1970s, EMI) but imagine what Stein might have done with it.
>
only as a Japanese CD issue (apparently an October 1981 recording)
and would have bought it but for a lackluster review that I read somewhere.
I have also seen a reference (in a Gramophone review of a Paavo Järvi
CD) to a Decca LP of "Horst Stein's sensitive rendering of the Pélleas Suite
with the Suisse Romande Orchestra (coupled with the Prelude and First Suite
from The Tempest on a stunningly engineered LP, 8/79 - nla)."
David Wake
> Rob Barnett wrote:
> > [snip]
> >
> > I wonder if Stein ever recorded any of the symphonies. Berglund made a
> > superb job of the first ever recording of Kullervo (Bournemouth, early
> > 1970s, EMI) but imagine what Stein might have done with it.
> >
> He recorded at least Symphony 2 with the Suisse Romande. I've seen it
> only as a Japanese CD issue (apparently an October 1981 recording)
> and would have bought it but for a lackluster review that I read somewhere.
>
> I have also seen a reference (in a Gramophone review of a Paavo Järvi
> CD) to a Decca LP of "Horst Stein's sensitive rendering of the Pélleas Suite
> with the Suisse Romande Orchestra (coupled with the Prelude and First Suite
> from The Tempest on a stunningly engineered LP, 8/79 - nla)."
This site has a Stein discography:
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Studio/2891/stein-dis.htm
It lists two Symphony 2s (SRO/1981/Decca Japan and a live recording with
the TDK SO from 1984 on Toshiba LaserDisc).
It also shows Pellas and Melisande and Tempest suites from 1978.
However, it doesn't give a catalog number, and it shows the wrong CD
image. Make of that what you will.
David
Rob Barnett
Decca Pellleas has not been transferred to CD
--
Rob Barnett
Classical Editor, MusicWeb International
www.musicweb-international.com
Editor, British Music Society Newsletter
"Rob Barnett" <Rob.Ba...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:dvjlh3$5qi$1...@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
gggg...@gmail.com
> Can anyone recommend a recording of Sibelius tone poems?
> For example, I saw a reference to a disc featuring an Icelandic
> orchestra but have no idea how good the performances are.
http://www.musicweb-international.com/recommends/home.htm
Dan Fowler
from Beecham, Bernstein, and Karajan. But one of my favorite sets of the
tone poems failed to make the listings: the performances by the Royal
Scottish National Orchestra led by Alexander Gibson. Nicely recorded by
Chandos, the performances are simply first-rate. Great playing and
convincing interpretations that hold up to repeated listenings.
Dan Fowler
Ray Hall
> The Musicweb review highlights some fabulous performances, particularly
> from Beecham, Bernstein, and Karajan. But one of my favorite sets of the
> tone poems failed to make the listings: the performances by the Royal
> Scottish National Orchestra led by Alexander Gibson. Nicely recorded by
> Chandos, the performances are simply first-rate. Great playing and
> convincing interpretations that hold up to repeated listenings.
>
Paavo Berglund, even though he never did all of the Legends, just the
Swan, which is fabulous.
A very tired old list imho.
Ray Hall, Taree
chriskh...@gmail.com
Another conductor left out is
> Paavo Berglund, even though he never did all of the Legends, just the
> Swan, which is fabulous.
Chris Howell
gggg gggg
> Can anyone recommend a recording of Sibelius tone poems?
> For example, I saw a reference to a disc featuring an Icelandic
> orchestra but have no idea how good the performances are.
The 1000th Video: The IDEAL Sibelius Tone Poems
gggg gggg
> Can anyone recommend a recording of Sibelius tone poems?
> For example, I saw a reference to a disc featuring an Icelandic
> orchestra but have no idea how good the performances are.
(Recent Y. upload):
gggg gggg
> Can anyone recommend a recording of Sibelius tone poems?
> For example, I saw a reference to a disc featuring an Icelandic
> orchestra but have no idea how good the performances are.
(Recent Y. upload):