2. music
  3. 181952-74445

Jean Sibelius Recordings

   Sibelius was a late Romantic Composer, a Finnish Nationalist when Finland was being oppressively controlled by Tsarist Russia Politically and culturally when many of their elites felt closer ties with Sweden.  Much of his music evokes the great subarctic Finnish Landscape, and Finnish legends provide a subplot for much of it.

   Influences of Tchaikovsky and Bruckner abound but he had  a distinctive voice which grew more idiosyncratic through his creative lifespan.  He paints on vast Orchestral canvases, with powerful brass, cold and piercing woodwinds and rich shimmering strings.

   His best music will also test your system.  The Finnish Conductor Osmo Vanska had released a set of his music on the audiophile label BIS with a relatively small provincial Finnish Orchestra.  I heard him conduct Tapiola, perhaps Sibelius most evocative score, in Chicago soon after.  Clearly the CSO was several leagues ahead of the Lahti Symphony, but I couldn't believe how big and vast the sonic landscape was, truly evoking the limitless, pitiless Arctic Forests.  I have never been able to get any recording to even begin to approximate that sound on my system.

   Finnish musicians have taken the lead, and continue to do so, but Herbert von Karajan and Colin Davis (particularly in Boston) delivered superb performances as well.  I didn't much care for Leonard Bernstein in Sibelius, but his recording of the Violin Concerto with Francescati is incandescent.  I really dislike the current practice of slowing this work down and milking it.  Francescati and  Bernstein are Hell For Leather in one of the greatest recordings of anything.

   Any recommendations/favorites amongst the Sibelius recordings, both for performance and for sonics?

mahler123

Showing 3 responses by designsfx

designsfx
787 posts
 

@mahler123 

Although I’ve listened to classical music on our local station KUSC I’ve never really taken the time to become that knowledgeable in the genre- this is completely new to me! 
After reading this thread I was intrigued so I decided to listen tonight. Is this the release you were referring to?

designsfx
787 posts
 

@mahler123 

I was wondering what format you use the most for listening. I was able to find this on Qobuz (24/96 FLAC) and for the most part is sounded very good with proper dynamics. There was one thing that continually drew my attention away from the music though- a slight crackling type of distortion that was very noticeable when the  vocalists performed solo (both male/female). It was very noticeable at around 19:00 minutes in the third “Kullervo and his sister” Just wondering if that been noticed while streaming or if it’s inherent in all formats. Thank you as well for the recommendations, I’ll definitely seek out the other works.

 

designsfx
787 posts
 

@mahler123 

You do realize that in Classical Music there tend to be multiple recordings by different performers of the same piece of music.

Ha! Believe me- I do. I grew up playing music and attended Musicians Institute while in my teens. I’ve always been fascinated by classical composers but never had the patience to follow through the various performances/recording. The various interpretations can be interesting but I have never followed it. Now that I’m trying out retirement I thought it might be interesting to pursue and learn more about.

On systems I’m all digital as well- just wondered if you had noticed the same in the recording. I’ll definitely be checking out other recordings via Qobuz now that I have that going.

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