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Sibelius Sym/Sakari/IcelandSO/Recommendation

Finnish conductor Petri Sakari has conducted all 7 Sibelius sym's with the very highly talented Iceland S.O. Just listen to the opening to sym #4, that alone is worth the purchase. That same fine conducting, orchestral and soloist performance is throughout the entire 7 symphonies. Upon some comparisions of Barbirolli (second recording), Segerstam, Sanderling, I found the Halle with Barbirolli to offer great enjoyment. Barbirolli's recording I would describe as "mystical" in nature, not to be fully comprehended no matter how many times you listen to them, always something unique to hear, again due to the high talents of the soloists. The 1960's Halle must have had well seasoned "old-timers" from the Halle's early days. With the Barbirolli set you get various other well performed incidential music, tone poems, all a must to own as well. Onto Sakari/Iceland's recording. Sakari's tempo brings an exciting vitaltiy to these symphonies, and the Iceland does not let him down, with a sense of organic unity and intergration. With this Naxos set you get the Tempest 1&2, as well an excellent recording of the Kullervo with Panula/Turka P.O. On the Sakari/Iceland recording on Chandos of Pohjola's Daughter and Ensaga, there is some problems here. Barbirolli's Pohjola is again a must to hear. I place both recordings in the "must-have" category.
tweekerman
tweekerman OP
473 posts
 
Sakari/Iceland on Naxos. Sakari knows how to take the tempo and pauses, the band follows Sakari's lead, all play with excellent tone and skill(no sour soloists). This Naxos recording really suprised me. I'm enamored with Sibelius music, and collect the sym. cycles, Berglund/Helsinki, Sanderling/Berlin, Segerstam/Danish. Barbirolli has some fantastic soloists, the pauses and tempo is not as tight as Sakari's, but still holds together in a wholesome musical image. Sakri's lack the polished soloists, but the tempo and pauses are pefect and offers a transparency, in other words the orchestra "disappears", leaving only the music to listen to. I "hear" (notice, whatever you call it)too much of the orchestra with the Berlin, Danish.(due to soloists, tempo, pauses too long, short). Though Berglund does offer a tight orchestra and tempo, the timings on most of the 7 syms are way too short.??? (cannot highly recommend Sakari/Iceland's Chandos recording)
newbee
4,751 posts
 
Tweekerman, If you haven't already done so you should try Bergland and the COE as well as Vanska. I wasn't as fond of the Bergland/Helsinki as you so I had to be dragged to listen to the COE versions. These and Vanska are my current favorite contemporary sets of all of the Symphonies. I think you recommended the Sanderling set which I purchased about 6 months ago - it is, IMHO, the best economy set you can buy. It is now on Brilliant at less than $15 for the set! However, if your talking the 4th only, and you like it to feel like cold wind out of the artic, you should try Von K on DG or a personal fav of mine, Levine on DG. But before you waste your time I would point out that I don't consider Sibelius a romantic composer, so if you like Barbirolli you may not care much for these last recommendations.
buxter66's avatar
buxter66
103 posts
 
for what it's worth, most everybody in the Iceland Sym. thought Vanska (who was the principal conductor before Sakari) was a much better Siblius interpreter than Sakari.
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tweekerman OP
473 posts
 
I've heard that description of Barbirolli's approach to Sibelius, romantic, with a negative connatation. Over "sentimental" could we say? Maybe, but I'm a romantist at heart. And just for the superb orchestra, the Halle, its worth the buy. Sibelius sym's have deep emotional passages, and some conductors/orchestras try very hard to draw forth the feeling, but lack of highly articulate orchestral members, the recording falls short. The Halle has an overflow of talent, and Barbirolli uses this abudance to shape a Sibelius sound that pentrates deep. Did not like Berglund's Chamber Orchestra of Europe at all. Vanski/Lahti does not offer anything new for me. Tempos and solosists are not up to Sakari's understanding. From the few takes I've listened to of Segerstam's new recording with the Helsinki, again I believe I hear an over-straining, a forcing effect, I don't hear this with the Barbirolli and especially with the natural flow of Sakari's approach. I'll give the new Segerstam a further review, the above are only first impressions.
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