| biography |
| One
of Finland's great national treasures, Sibelius (1865-1957) represents
a fascinating paradox in 20th-century music. While a latter-day
romantic who remained aloof from modernist stylistic currents, Sibelius
nevertheless developed a supremely original voice, above all in
his contributions to the symphonic tradition. His austerely beautiful
compositions express a characteristic love of nature. |
| recommended
recordings |
|
Sibelius:
The Complete Symphonies Vol 1 / Davis, Boston SO
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Composer:
Jean
Sibelius
Conductor: Sir
Colin Davis
Ensemble: Boston
Symphony Orchestra
Uni/Philips - #46157 / June 13, 1995
Click
here for more information |
|
As so often happens in the classical record business, Sir
Colin Davis has been busily rerecording all of this music
for RCA, with the London Symphony. And because he's an English
conductor working with an English orchestra, the British critics
are raving, as if these earlier, much better, and much less
expensive versions didn't even exist. Well, ignore the hype.
Not only does the Boston Symphony play rings around today's
London Symphony Orchestra (Davis's current group), but they
are much better...Read
more
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Sibelius:
The Complete Symphonies Vol 2 / Davis, Boston SO
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|
Composer:
Jean
Sibelius
Conductor: Sir
Colin Davis
Performer: Salvatore
Accardo
Ensemble: Boston
Symphony Orchestra, London
Symphony Orchestra
Uni/Philips - #46160 / June 13, 1995
Click
here for more information
|
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It was clever of Philips to couple Sibelius's least popular
symphonies with the extremely popular Violin Concerto and
tone poems. Don't let the words "least popular"
scare you off, however. If you like Sibelius, you'll love
the Third and Sixth Symphonies. The latter, in particular,
is one of the most purely beautiful pieces of music in the
history of sound; its only flaw is a quiet ending that makes
conductors unwilling to play it at live concerts. Sir Colin
Davis and the Boston...Read
more
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Sibelius,
Goldmark: Violin Concertos / Bell, Salonen, LA Philharmonic
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Composer:
Jean
Sibelius, Karl
Goldmark
Conductor: Esa-Pekka
Salonen
Performer: Joshua
Bell
Ensemble: Los
Angeles Philharmonic
Sony Classics - #65949 / August 22, 2000
Click
here for more information |
|
| Joshua Bell has returned to the mainstream repertoire
from his recent successful excursions into film (The
Red Violin) and bluegrass-crossover (Short
Trip Home), and his playing, always brilliant, and
arresting, has reached a new peak. Despite the booklet's claim
to the contrary, these two concertos have nothing in common
except fiendishly difficult bravura solo parts; rather, they
represent a perfectly valid pairing of opposites. Bell makes
the most of the contrasts, bringing out each work's idiomatic
character. The Sibelius, from the eerily icy opening to the
exuberant ending, is heavy, rugged, austere, majestic, expansive,
with grand, intense climaxes. The Goldmark has a Hungarian
flavor with its romantic, melancholy lyricism, poetic, almost
religious inwardness, charm, and vitality. Bell's effortless
virtuosity is unlimited but entirely unobtrusive; his intonation
is perfect, the passage-work crystal clear. He seems incapable
of producing a bad sound, even in double and triple stops;
his tone is ravishingly beautiful, radiant as golden sunshine,
warm as dark velvet. Best of all, he makes music: every note
is expressive, everything has shape and direction; the playing
is always noble, honestly felt, and without excess or exaggeration.
--Edith Eisler |
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Sibelius:
Finlandia, Valse triste, etc / Ormandy, Bernstein
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Composer:
Jean
Sibelius
Conductor: Leonard
Bernstein, Eugene
Ormandy
Performer: Louis
Rosenblatt
Ensemble: New
York Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia
Orchestra
Sony Classics - #48271 / November 17, 1992
Click
here for more information |
|
This budget-priced disc contains some very fine performances.
Eugene Ormandy and Leonard Bernstein were both dedicated Sibelius
interpreters, and their approaches are both complementary
and shrewdly highlighted in this collection. Bernstein is
represented by a single work: Pohjola's Daughter. This
is not only Sibelius's finest tone poem, but this performance
has also long been regarded as the best available. Ormandy,
on the other hand, selected the kind of Romantic, colorful
music that he always...Read
more
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| works
& recordings |
|
- Chamber Music
Trios, Quartets, Quintets
- Choral
Secular and sacred choral music. Oratorios, Masses, Partsongs,
Hymns, Carols
- Instrumental
Sonatas, Suites, Overtures, Minuets, Variations, Transcriptions,
Dance Music
- Orchestra
Concertos, Symphonies
- Theatrical Works
Ballet, Stage, Incidental Music, Film Scores
- Vocal and Opera
Opera, Operetta, Song, Lieder, Musical Theater
Complete
List of Works and Recordings
|
| resources |
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