Pablo Massa wrote: >A few days ago I received one of my (anticipated) birthday presents: a >Sibelius' Symphonies integrale (Karajan / Okko Kamu - Berlin Phil. / RSO >Helsinki, 3CD DG 474 353-2). I've not listened all of it yet but I think >I like it, particularly Kamu's versions of 1st. and 3rd. I never heard >before HvK playing a Sibelius symphony but, in first instance, I liked >his 5th and 7th. Time will confirm or not this first impression. > >I would like to read comments of listmembers on this integrale, if there's >some. Nothing special to say. These are very famous recordings. I believe Kamu's Second was the result of his winning a competition, with the prize the opportunity to record a piece of his choosing with the Berlin Philharmonic. (I welcome correction if I'm wrong.) The disc was well received, and Kamu was thought to be at the start of a major career. As it turned out "major" was relative. He certainly has done well and earned respect, but he never quite broke out as a major figure on the international stage. He seemed, rather, to settle into a niche conducting Finnish music. (Was that overstated?) Maybe that was never his goal. I have no idea. Karajan's recordings were famous additions to the refined and aesthetic school of Sibelius conducing. They're quite different from his EMI set with the same orchestra--those tended to be darker and heavier--and his livelier 2 and 5 with the Philharmonia. He may have recorded others with the Philharmonia, but I don't recall. If you think you'd like to augment this collection, I'd probably start with the last three, if for no reason that, good as they are, they tend to stand at a stylistic extreme. By the way, keep after that recording of 4. It's very good, but requires some time. All in all, enjoy. It's a fine set. Roger Hecht