# the Sibelius appreciation thread!



## vandexa2 (Oct 12, 2016)

The discussion in the Tapiola thread shown that many people here in the forum are not familiar with Sibelius' music and would like to know more about the composer and his works. 

A discussion about Tapiola is hardly the right place for it, since it (along with his 4th symphony) constitute the hardest music Sibelius ever wrote. I would never recommend the piece for anyone but the biggest fan of the composer. 

Anyway, I was surprised to discover that Sibelius is almost non existent in this forum. I don't know why is that so, but it's a pity, and I'm starting this discussion to remedy that. 

So let's talk some Sibelius, for the benefit of all the readers who would like to start listening to his music, or want to dig deeper into this amazing repertoire. What's your favorite pieces? What performances will you recommend? Let's talk all things Sibelius.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Welcome on TC! I guess I have collected all Sibelius thanks to BIS. I got to know Sibelius through the EMI Berglund-Bournemouth Orchestra recordings of his symphonic poems. I think these recordings are still exemplary. With modern recordings I'm critical on the rendering of Sibelius' gloomy manly loner dark horse side. Too often I hear sweet lies... My favourite pieces are the Sibelius compositions that force me to look down the abyss (f.e. Kullervo, Symphony 4&5, Lemminkäinen).


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I am collecting his newly recorded CD from Naxos, they are very interesting.

Sibelius: Swanwhite – Complete incidental Music
Orchestral Works, Vol. 5
Sibelius: Jedermann
Orchestral Works, Vol. 4

Sibelius:
Kuolema, Op. 44
King Kristian II, incidental music, Op. 27
Overture in A minor, JS144
2 Songs from Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night', Op. 60
Pia Pajala (soprano) & Waltteri Torikka (baritone)
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam


Sibelius: Jedermann
Orchestral Works, Vol. 4

Sibelius:In memorian, Op. 59 - Trauermarsch für Orchester
Jedermann, Op. 83

Earnest Melodies (2) for violin or cello & orchestra, Op. 77
Pia Pajala (soprano), Tuomas Katajala (tenor), Nicholas Soderland (bass), Mikaela Palmu (violin)

Cathedralis Aboensis Choir, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam
Just three of them.


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## helenora (Sep 13, 2015)

Pugg said:


> I am collecting his newly recorded CD from Naxos, they are very interesting.
> 
> Sibelius: Swanwhite - Complete incidental Music
> Orchestral Works, Vol. 5
> ...


this Jedermann is simply amazing! and so much ahead of his time, the language he uses!


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Listening to his Sixth Symphony now, Bernstein, not my favorite recording which is Vanska/Lahti.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

The Violin Concerto. Hilary Hahn, violin.

Jascha Heifetz, the choice of many TC'ers is simply is too fast to me.

With Hilary Hahn, there is ample time to smell the roses.


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## Resurrexit (Apr 1, 2014)

hpowders said:


> The Violin Concerto. Hilary Hahn, violin.


I'll take Jascha Heifetz.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Welcome Vandexa!

There is a whole forum called "Composer Guestbooks" devoted to appreciation threads for composers well-known and obscure. The one for Sibelius is highly visited:

http://www.talkclassical.com/2816-jean-sibelius.html

There is plenty of discussion of Siblius's music elsewhere on this site.


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## geralmar (Feb 15, 2013)

Five decades ago for my high school graduation present I scraped together five dollars and at a downtown piano store bought the Maazel/VPO recording of the first symphony and Karelia suite on a London stereo LP. Since I lived in a single-parent family and money was scarce it was my only graduation present. As I write this the LP sits on my record shelf ten feet away. So I also have extramusical reasons for being drawn to Sibelius.


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

I love Sibelius. I have always known the Karelia Suite and Finlandia. Progressed to the Violin Concerto. (Got it performed by Joshua Bell, Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen) and feel more adventurous buying the whole symphony cycle performed by City of Birmingham Orchestra, conducted by Simon Rattle. Something to really get my teeth into!!


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

@OP. Sibelius non-existant on this forum? You might want to look again. I just listened to Tapiola yesterday with Karajan/Berlin and would recommend it to anyone (and have). Masterful.


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## LOLWUT (Oct 12, 2016)

His greatest work is the 7th Smyphony, the first 10 minutes are heaven if taken at a slow tempo.


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## Genoveva (Nov 9, 2010)

vandexa2 said:


> The discussion in the Tapiola thread shown that many people here in the forum are not familiar with Sibelius' music and would like to know more about the composer and his works.


There are dozens of threads about Sibelius on this Forum, all of which are easily found by googling "Talk Classical Sibelius".


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Resurrexit said:


> I'll take Jascha Heifetz.


I go with Gidon Kremer / Muti.


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## Omicron9 (Oct 13, 2016)

Greetings.

I love the BSO/Davis box set. Of late I've been submerged in Karajan's DG recording of 4. Deep, dark, gorgeous.

Regards,
-09


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Two underrated Sibelius symphonies are 3 & 6.

Colin Davis/Boston Symphony provide great performances.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

hpowders said:


> The Violin Concerto. Hilary Hahn, violin.
> 
> Jascha Heifetz, the choice of many TC'ers is simply is too fast to me.
> 
> With Hilary Hahn, there is ample time to smell the roses.


Try Francescatti/Bernstein.
The rest of Lenny's Sibelius is pretty dispensible


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## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

vandexa2 said:


> Anyway, I was surprised to discover that Sibelius is almost non existent in this forum. I don't know why is that so, but it's a pity, and I'm starting this discussion to remedy that.


haha what?!?

Ideally, within a few days, you'll find plenty re Sibelius. Just start here.


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I enjoy Sibelius immensely.

Among my favourite symphony recordings are Berglund's with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe , particularly symphony No.6 and No.4. ( I have it on an old Finlandia cd, but it's probably been reissued)

For the _Karelia Music_ probably the one by Tuomas Ollila with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (on the Ondine label)

For the newbie who wants to hear a broad sampling of his work on one disc, then I would recommend _Sibelius : Spirit of Nature, Songs, Cantatas and Orchestral Works_ by Osmo Vänskä with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. (BIS -CD-1565)


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