Customer Reviews

Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites/ Holberg Suite

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gathering nearly all of Grieg's and Sibelius' most popular works in a very generous timing (77 minutes), this Karajan Gold CD is probably the best buy for a newcomer willing to discover the two most famous Nordic composers. It should however be recommended mainly to this public rather than to music lovers who already know these works and own recordings of them, because there are other performances around that are both more expressive and closer to the spirit of the music - including other ones by Karajan. Previous reviewers seem precisely to belong mainly to the first category.

The playing is very good indeed throughout, and the Karajan Gold remastering has much improved the originally rather opaque and lacklustre sound, especially in the Peer Gynt suites, which has now much more depth and a chamber music quality common to other Karajan recordings from that time (his Wagner CD on the same series for instance). There are however some coughs and other minor noises (chairs?) in the Sibelius works that could have been avoided - at the very end of Finlandia for instance.

What is generally missing in these performances is the sense of contrasts in tempi - it has often been the case with Karajan, like in his complete recording of Bruckner symphonies.
The Peer Gynt suites are played nearly throughout at the same flowing speed, which prevents a satisfying contrast between the two tunes in Anitra's Dance, makes the accelerando in The Hall of the Mountain King ineffective, and deprives Peer Gynt's Return Home from all its necessary drive. Solveig's Dance is played in a very self-conscious manner too, as if it was a mere demonstration of string sonorities.

Karajan's previous recording (from 1974) is comparatively more polished, cold and detached, but with the brilliant passages much more effective - the crescendo in the Hall of the Mountain King is much more overwhelming and skilfully managed and Peer Gynt's Return Home much rougher. It is however coupled with an excellent Sigurd Jorsalfar suite (much lesser known than Peer Gynt but just as good) that is well worth listening to.

The Holberg Suite is generally the most successful performance on the CD, all the more as it was the only time Karajan recorded it. The Gavotte and its central Musette could be better contrasted though, and the Sarabande and Air sound a little laborious and void despite their flowing speeds. The outer movements are however very crisp and exciting. The whole of the suite is played in a very `noble' and dignified way which may sound too serious and not appeal to everyone, but I find it paradoxically brings humor as I cannot help but imagine Karajan suddenly put a wig and silk stockings on before conducting this work!

As for the three Sibelius pieces, Karajan's 1970s performances on EMI have far more depth and character than these ones, in which the orchestra sound moreover rather thick - the Valse Triste is rather heavy in particular. The Swan from Tuonela is played too quickly and fails to convey any sense of mystery and awe - this is supposed to be a swan swimming over the dark waters of a lake in the land of the dead, not one eating bread from passers by on a Sunday afternoon! Finlandia is seriously lacking in bite too, and in too undifferentiated tempi - just listen to Karajan's two previous recordings on DG and EMI in comparison! When the Finnish anthem appears at the end of the work, it is so understated that I cannot but think that had the Finns been so shy at this crucial time of their history, they would still be under the Russian yoke nowadays!

I can't believe I am the first one to review this disc. Someone got to have said something ... Anyway, I am a follower of the great Russian romantics, plus some nordic variations (Sibelius and now Grieg too). I like music that are more melodic than techinical, more visual and sensible than dictating. If you are like me, you'd love this CD. Wonderful music and very subtlely played. The Holberg Suite is particularly good. Except it is a little odd for it to be sandwiched b/w the rest on one CD.

I have long been fond of both composers, but have not always been pleased with the performances of their works available on CD. I have an old London Phase Four on vinyl that I enjoyed a great deal. Other offerings of Peer Gynt just do not provide the same level of satisfaction.

This CD however, offers wonderful performances by the Berliner Philharmonic, led by Herbert von Karajan. The audio quality is wonderful and is, in my opinion, superior to more recent recordings. One of my favorite selections is the performance of "Finlandia," which evokes the emotion inherent in the piece. I must say that Deutsche Grammophon has rarely disappointed me; even if one does not like a particular composer or performance, the presentations are always top-notch and the accompanying notes are always informative.

The CD takes me back to the days I used to watch the live concert on PBS. Couldn't ask for better!!!

What makes this CD so great is how the Berlin Philharmonic performs Sibelius's Finlandia. Karajan is suscessful in making every single member of that orchestra (with extra gredit given to the woodwinds and brass) perform that piece in such a spellbinding fashion.
The Peer Gynt and Holdberg suites are also excellent sounding in this CD, but it is Finlandia that is the highlight.

Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites/ Holberg Suite is a recording under the direction of the one and only Herbert Von Karajan on a Deutsche Grammophon recording from 1982. He leads the amazing Berliner Philharmoniker and one gets to hear both Grieg and Sibelius and Karjan certainly does them justice. Highly recommended. 5/5.

Some of the most famous works by Edvard Grieg & Jean Sibelius are on this CD. Herbert von Karajan's recording of the Holberg Suite, Finlandia, and others is very good. The conductor lets the music flow very nicely, especially during the slow and calm moments. The beautiful playing by the Berliner Philharmoniker is definitely a plus, while the sound quality is just one notch below excellence. You probably won't hear a better performance of Sibelius's Valse Triste in a VERY long time. Unfortunately, there are two problems in this recording that keep me from giving this a perfect 10 out of 10, or even a 9. Believe it or not, it's the Peer Gynt Suite that I'm not very comfortable with. First of all, the world-famous composition "In the Hall of the Mountain King." Usually, the piece starts off very slow, gradually growing faster as the music rises from a rough-sounding pianissimo to an all-out forte. Karajan breaks this rule by having the entire sequence run at quick speed. The mounting tension is lost, at least to me, and the music doesn't feel structurally correct when it's all at one tempo. The other problem lies in "Solveig's Song." Nothing wrong with the tempo (it's just right), but the orchestral playing is a bit sloppy at times.

But despite those two flaws, this is still a worthwhile recording if you're into the enchanting music of Grieg and Sibelius. Whether you're a fan of Karajan, the Berliner Philharmoniker, or the composers' music, you won't have to hesitate when you have a chance to purchase this CD.

Grade: 8.4/10

The Peer Gynt Suites/Holberg Suite is pure bliss to the ears of anyone who enjoys classical music. Having made that statement, who better to perform it than the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra? I have not been successful in finding something, anything, I enjoy more. If that makes me an addict, so be it.

Holberg is the lesser known of these two pieces but is a delight to listen to. Enjoy!

These are good, solid, typical recordings by Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic. Although not necessarily fascinating performances, Karajan handles these lighter pieces well. The Berlin Philharmonic is, as always, in top form and provides a solid base for Karajan to work from, if it does exhibit the typical viscous string sound that typifies nearly all of their recordings with this conductor. Still, morning mood is lovely, the Hall of the Mountain King features some really exciting brass playing, and Aase's death is touchingly played.

The Holdberg suite is more problematic. The creamy Berlin strings simply do not create an idiomatic sound and, even at Karajan's rather steady tempo, do not really articulate the music as well in the first movement as Ole Kristian Ruud's Bergen Philharmonic, an orchestra that knows this music about as well as any. The gavotte is equally flatfooted.

The Sibelius, on the other hand, is thrilling, and despite the fact that Finlandia is really nothing more than a showpiece, it really is a winning performance all around.

Certainly, there are better performances of this music. Indeed, one would not have to look very hard to find them. However, fans of this conductor will certainly be pleased.