Ralf Oehlmann wrote:

>I am searching for outstanding recordings of Sibelius symphonies with good
>sound.

OK-- here's my favorites from post-1960, since sound is a criterion.  I
can't speak for certain to their availability over there, but here goes--

Complete set-- if you must go this route, get Ashkenazy/Philharmonia on the
two London/Decca 2-for-1's.  None of the 7 are uninspired and several are
great, sound is excellent, you get a bunch of tone poems as well, and Ash
makes the whole thing make sense as a sequence, a life story, a true cycle.
Cheap too which doesn't hurt.  But if you can I'd do the following instead:

Syms 1, 4, and 7:  Maazel/Vienna Phil Orch, London.  It's a bargain-priced
3cd set of the complete symphonies, and well worth buying for just these
three.  4 is stark and terrifying, 7 is searing and unsentimental, with the
best "storm" (that undulating low string sequence toward the middle) I've
heard.  Maazel's 2, 3, and 6 sort of suck, but again, the set is cheap and
the 1, 4, and 7 are staggering.  1960's recordings but the sound is great.

Sym 2:  this is a tricky one.  We know from Kajanus' 1930 recording (K.
was Sib's friend and frequent conductor) and from evidence regarding
Sibelius' own conducting, that the first movement ought to be much faster
than anyone does it these days.  It ought to come in under 9 minutes.
Seriously, once you've heard Kajanus' recording, it feels so right, all the
lush & slow later ones will be spoiled for you forever.  Of course, though
Kajanus has great sound for 1930, it's not what anyone would call good
sound.  Get the digital Jarvi/Gothenburg recording on BIS-- he's the only
one I can find who does the first movement brisk and thrilling like the
"old days".

Syms 3, 6, En Saga and Tapiola:  Ashkenazy/ Philharmonia on a London
2-for-1.  Also includes syms 5 and 7.  Ash brings a classical approach
to 3 and 6-- in 3, rustic classical like a Haydn finale (and the suddenly
scherzo-ing woodwinds in the slow movement WILL make your ear go "tilt")
and in 6, graceful classical like a Mozart ice sculpture, but with a biting
wind that blasts in now and again.  I still haven't found the modern-era
Tapiola I want (basically Beecham/Helsinki 1954 but without the screwups
and in better sound...  maybe the new Davis? He has a similar timing), but
Ashkenazy brings something new and very interesting to it that I'll never
want to be without.  VERY brooding.  En Saga is just perfect.  And Ash's
7th is a great supplement to the sharp-edged Maazel, with a much more
cosmic, consoling outlook.

Sym 5:  Vanska on BIS.  Vanska makes it sound like a
meteorological/geological phenomenon, as it should be.  Awesome and
resplendent in a "church not made with hands" kind of way.  The first
movement bassoon lament is almost unbelievably dolefully alone and bleak.
Not to be listened to at low volume however, as with Vanska the "whispering
winds" really do whisper.  This and the 1st are the highlight's of Vanska's
cycle for me.

4 Legends:  Horst Stein on London 2-for-1.  The 1st disc duplicates tone
poems from the above Ashkenazy, but so what-- the 2nd disc has Stein and
the Orch Suisse Romande in mid-70's recordings playing the 4 Legends and
Pohjola's daughter with real, gory vivid barbaric force, well suited to the
programmatic content of the pieces.  Like myths told by a full-time farmer
rather than a professional bard.  (I do have the new Vanska rec.  of the
Legends coming in the mail and I expect a lot from it, probably in the more
bardic vein).  The disc leads off with a Nightride and Sunrise that grabs
you by the nape of the neck in the opening second.  Who the heck was/is
Horst STein? I've never seen any other recordings by him.

Theatre Music:  Jussi Jalas/ Hungarian State Orch on another London
2-for-1.  This is a must for the very underrated Six Scenes Historiques,
in an earthy, winning performance, and the suite from Swanwhite, my
favorite of Sibelius' incidental music scores.  Also the 20-minute
concert piece Jalas (SIbelius' son-in-law) made at the composer's
request from the sizeable score he'd written for Scaramouche, retaining
all S.'s orchestration.  There's also the two Tempest Suites in a not
as good performance that will hold you until you get the Vanska disc
of the complete Tempest music.  1970's recordings with a very chamber-y
(theatre-y?) sound that suits these works quite well.  I wish I knew waht
else of Sibelius' Jussi Jalas recorded, given the personal connection--
this is all that is available on CD.

Tempest (complete score)-- like I said above, Vanska on Bis.  The music
fills a whole disc but makes an amazingly coherent listen.  If you're a
member of BMG Music Service (do they have that there?) they still have
copies, amazingly, of Beecham's out-of-print recording of the Tempest
suites.  1950's sound but you won't notice.  Sheer magic.  I have the
Beecham and the Vanska and they're such very different and complementary
experiences.  Whatever you do, you've gotta get a Tempest, a Tapiola,
and a 4 Legends along with the 7 symphonies.  They're just as crucial
to understanding the big man of Jarvenpaa.

Sorry to go on and on and on so long but Sibelius is my favorite composer
and I just can't help it.

Jon Lewis
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