# Sibelius & Brahms recommendations?



## Saturnus (Nov 7, 2006)

I would be thankful if anyone could recommend records of (not too personal) interpretations of the Sibelius and Brahms symphonies.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

Try Ancerl for the Brahms. I've been listening to his 2nd recently, and it can certainly blow my head away.


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## ChamberNut (Jan 30, 2007)

I can recommend Wolfgang Sawallisch with London Philharmonic Orchestra for Brahms.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

> I can recommend Wolfgang Sawallisch with London Philharmonic Orchestra for Brahms.


Shouldn't you suggest Mackerras and the Scottish *Chamber *Orchestra?


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## Keemun (Mar 2, 2007)

For Sibelius symphonies, I recommend the following:

 Bernstein / New York Philharmonic (1960s)
 Davis / Boston Symphony Orchestra
Other Sibelius recordings that I have not heard enough to recommend, but have heard good things about are:

 Davis / London Symphony Orchestra (the new cycle recorded in the 2000s and released on the LSO's in-house label)
Segerstam / Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Vanska / Lahti Symphony Orchestra
Sakari / Iceland Symphony Orchestra


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

Are Jukka-Pekka Saraste's recordings of Sibelius' symphonies with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra good? I'm asking because I have them all, and besides Karajan's interpretation of nos. 6 and 7, I've never heard any other performances of these works.


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## johnnyx (Jan 3, 2007)

My favorties:
Sibelius - Jarvi/Gothenburg
Brahms - Klemperer/Philharmonia


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## Eric (Apr 14, 2007)

ChamberNut said:


> I can recommend Wolfgang Sawallisch with London Philharmonic Orchestra for Brahms.


I own that one, it's great!


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## ChamberNut (Jan 30, 2007)

Eric said:


> I own that one, it's great!


Eric,

Is it the orchestral works set, including symphonies, concertos and overtures?


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## Eric (Apr 14, 2007)

yes indeed!


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## MusicInTheAir (Apr 21, 2007)

I own the Davis/BSO and Davis/LSO in addition to Barbirolli's. My favorite of the three is the Davis/LSO. If you can find the concert CD of the Cleveland Orchestra and George Szell playing Sibelius' Second, I would snap it up. It is THE most wonderful recording of that piece I've heard. It was made about a month before Szell died. I'll also say, I've been enjoying the live LSO/Davis recordings of these symphonies that have come out thus far. One of my most enjoyable concertgoing experiences was hearing the Sibelius Symphonies with the LSO and Davis several years ago.

As far as the Brahms symphonies are concerned, my favorites are the Klemperer and Szell sets.


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## Saturnus (Nov 7, 2006)

Thank you all for the replies! 
They have been very useful, it's good to know what to look for when you go to the big CD stores in the big city (going to London after a month).

Keemun; I borrowed a Sakari/ISO recording (of the 1st and 3rd) from a friend, (that was the very recording that got me hooked on Sibelius heh). One time I read the score while listening to the recording and it sticks rather faithfully to it, probably in stark contrast to the Bernstein recording you are used to. It is a Naxos CD so it's very cheap. Since you have heard more recommendations for it I think you should try it.


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