Customer Reviews

Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor (Original Version); Violin Concerto in D minor

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a wonderful performance. I strongly disagree with the reviewer who claims that the revised version is infinitely superior to the original, in fact, I find the original preferable. it is more in line with the Sibelius scale and development of his larger works. The cut portions are not insignificant, and I find them to "complete" the work that I always felt was a little too straight forward and not nearly as experimental as Sibelius' other works.

The performances are excellent. Both soloist and orchestra are in top form, with a marvelous direction by one of my new favorite conductors, Osmo Vanska.

As a sound engineer, It continually surprises me how little most of the public knows about the relative sizes of individual instrument's dynamic levels. I wonder if these people ever go to see a symphony orchestra live. The reviewer who claims the soloist is too recessed apparently is unaware just how "small" a violin will sound in a hall with a full orchestra. A solo violin will be buried by an orchestra. The exaggerated
"up close" positioning of a soloist is artificial and inappropriate. This recording balances the soloist and orchestra beautifully. It should be noted however, that it does suffer the exaggerated upper end characteristic of BIS records.

All in all, an excellent recording.

This recording by Leonidas Kavakos is unique in that it is the only recording of the original version of Sibelius's score. The original is longer and includes extended and more virtuosic cadenzas and passage work. Sibelius's revision of the work resulted in some of these sections being cut. This improved the form and structure of each movement and the piece as a whole. Kasvakos's intimate knowledge of both the original and later revised additions enhance his performance immeasurably on this CD. For lovers of this great warhorse, this is without doubt a most worthwhile addition to one's collection. And....... there's the remarkable performance of a stunning, contemporary violinist to boot. We shall be hearing more from Leonidas Kavados!!

This Sibelius-Kavakos recording when it was originally released in 1991 was voted:
-"Best Concerto Recording 1991" (GRAMOPHONE Award)
-"Record of the year 1991" (The U.K. Sibelius Society)
-"Pick of the year " (Classic CD, the U.K.)
- Records of the year 1991 ( Helsingin Sanomat)
- The First ever Gold Record of orchestral music: 25.000 copies sold in Finland (8.12.1992)

BIS, you ROCK!

All music lovers owe you a great debt of gratitude for your ongoing (or recently finished?) "Complete Jean Sibelius Collection" whereby recording every piece written by the composer....what a fabulous thing to do, and of course fitting, from this great Finnish label, honoring the greatest Finnish composer!

What an immeasurably wonderful thing that Kavakos and company have herewith given us a gloriously spectacular presentation of Sibelius' Great Concerto, first presented in it's revised version on Oct 19, 1905, and not only that, but also the composer's original thoughts, first performed in Helsinki on Feb 8, 1904.

I have long loved this stunning concerto, truly one of my most favorite of the genre, and now find that I love the original version nearly as much! It is strangely like running into an old friend from many years ago...familiar, yet strangely "new"...Awesome, for sure!

As always with BIS, the sound is clearly delineated, somewhat "bright" in the upper register, but not annoyingly so. The balance IS correct (contrary to another's complaint of the violin sounding buried spacially). Vanska and the Lahti forces are truly spot-on and wonderful (as always) here, and this man has grown and broadened into one of the finest conductors of today, leading the Minnesota Orchestra and doing wonderful things, including one of the most spectacular Beethoven Symphony cycles ever done. Kovakos is nothing short of Brilliant...absolutely shining in this showpiece spectacular for a virtuoso to display his talent....and; He Does It Twice! If you doubt my words, praising this release, check another review here listing the Honors heaped upon this recording by various organizations and institutions!

I came late to this recording (recently I am going through a "Sibelius phase" after some years of neglect). But, there is NO doubt that this recording will be taking "position #1" on my shelves for this Great Great work in both its forms! Read some of the other reviews here, and you will be firmly convinced that you MUST have this truly unique and awesome recording in your collection!

Truly, a performance and recording worthy of this Great Work by the Greatest Finnish composer....Salute!, Jean Sibelius, Salute!

~operabruin

Unlike most listeners I have a different perspective in that I experienced the Original Version of the Sibelius Violin Concerto before the Revised Version. Understandable since this is the first recording of the Concerto in my collection, purchased in February 1992. I first listened to the two in the order they appear on the CD and so had no attachment to the Revision. Most others become familiar with the Revision over the course of years or even decades before encountering the Original.

They're both masterpieces, incredibly atmospheric and accessible. There was a time when I considered the Original to be superior. This had to do with certain likable elements missing in the Revision. For instance, there is a passage in the Original finale (2:06 of Track 3) where the music just takes flight for a few seconds in a typically Sibelian way. Stirring! There are other cuts that I miss from the Original as well, feeling they add beauty and atmosphere. On the other hand, there are elements in the Original Version such as the embellishments that conclude the Adagio that add little emotionally but detract significantly from structure. So with this give and take I eventually came around to accepting the Revised Version as definitive.

Regardless of which version each listener may think is "better", this is a vitally important recording in that it documents Sibelius' creative process. Here we have a precursor to the transformations found in the different versions of the 5th Symphony, and in Sibelius' compositional style in general. Though the themes, orchestration, and solo writing are not dramatically different in the two versions, the alterations and change in mood are more than minor: The Original is darker, richer and more mysterious. It looked to the past. The Revision is more intense, interconnected and crystalline. It looked to the future.

I have listened to numerous other recordings of the Revised Version and find myself coming back to this BIS CD over and over. Technically Leonidas Kavakos may not be up to the level of some of the legendary soloists who have recorded (as I have read...I am not qualified to judge), but I do not hesitate to say that he is up to their level artistically: These are epic, brooding interpretations, the violin gleaming coldly against the dark orchestral canvass. But there is warmth, too, in the notoriously romantic Adagio. The orchestral playing is superb. The Lahti Symphony is a provincial orchestra, though they have earned an international reputation. This was the recording that put the orchestra on the world map. The conductor Osmo Vänskä was obscure at the time, but thanks to this and subsequent outstanding recordings with the Lahti Symphony he has embarked on a distinguished international career. Vänskä and his orchestra are in complete sync with the music, Kavakos, and each other in both recordings. Couple the inspired performance with realistic sound and you have recordings that are hard to match.

While I do not usually fall all over myself in praise of BIS sound quality like some do, the engineering is excellent. Too often BIS is overly ambitious with the dynamic range of its recordings with resultant distortion in fortissimo passages. I don't know if it is because they set the level too high or if it is microphone clipping, but I hear it frequently in other BIS recordings. Not here! Thankfully the engineers kept everything in the recording envelope. The flipside is that a fairly high listening level is required to hear the quieter passages, so climaxes can be LOUD! The recording is detailed but still atmospheric with a fantastic sense of space and natural soloist positioning. This recording is a collector's item and everybody who has an interest in Sibelius should own it.

This CD is unique in that it contains the both versions of the Sibelius concerto. In fact, the original version is the first and only (so far) recording of it. And it is a wonderful one. You can sense the special occasion of making a new discovery, and dedication and concentration of the musicians are intense. It is hard to say, but I think the original version is played a fraction better than the final one, which is still among the best available.

Even if you want only the final version (but why?) the decisive advantage of having this one is the incredibly beautiful recording of it. Once you have listened to this one, most of the others, no matter what you thought of them before, might sound crude to ears. Again the performance is only matched in my opinion by the Christian Ferras/Berlin Philharmonic/Herbert von Karajan analog recording of the 60's on DG and possibly Anne-Sophie Mutter/Dresden Staatskapelle/Andre Previn of digital era also on DG, which by the way is a totally different interpretation.

This is the one I will take to my desert island.

After heard both concerts, and compare the versions, I really enjoy the original concert, much longer - much beautiful. After this version the second one is a reduction of the original conceived idea of Mr. Jean Sibelius. The second version, the version that everybody plays, is a magnificent work that Mr Leonidas play very well. But after heard the first one and continue with the second version you will feel that the concert is uncomplete. May be some years more from this CD, the people will make justice to the original version and forget the actually played cut version.
The composers needs in many cases much time for take the accept from the public, this because many times the people evolution is slower than the composer vision.
Adquire this CD, this is a jewel for your collection. Excellent violinist. Leonidas Kavakos, Composer Jean Sibelius, and two versions of one of his most beautiful works.

I generally agree with the other reviewers' comments, except when some uncritically anoint it as "the greatest". There are a number of brilliant recordings of the final version, especially the recordings by Heifetz, who popularized the concerto in the 1930s by constantly playing it when it was not the repertory concerto it is today. Although Maud Powell introduced the concerto in the USA when it was new and continued to play it, after her untimely death in 1920 it was more or less ignored on the concert stage until Heifetz took it up.

The 1959 recording by Heifetz and the Chicago Symphony (RCA) is brilliantly played, without the boomy ambiance of this version. Stern's 1965 version with Ormandy (Columbia/Sony) is also outstanding.

The Kavakos recording IS a fascinating view into the composer's laboratory. If I look past other reviewers' likes or dislikes regarding 1st vs. final versions, to me the first version sounds more symphonic in concept, with the violin often assuming a role as embellisher or elaborator on thematic material carried mainly by the orchestra. In the revised version, the accompaniments are often reduced (i.e. less heavily orchestrated), and some thematic material is re-assigned to the soloist only. I wonder how effective the original would be in the concert hall, inasmuch as there are numerous passages where the soloist is fighting heavy brass and lower strings. Engineers can mike these issues out of existence for our pleasure in a recording, but not in the concert hall. In summary, the revised version is tighter and more cogent, but Sibelius did leave some fine things on the cutting room floor. In a sense, a composer and a movie director face the same problem of balancing length against interest, eliminating worthy material for the sake of organization and time.

As to the sonics, I am bothered by the distant, boomy ambiance--the performance sounds like it was recorded in a gymnasium rather than a concert hall.

It's very nice to have both the original (premiere) and final versions of Sibelius's haunting violin concerto in one CD. However, I'd have to say that the final version is a bit better than the original. It's not that it's languid compared to the final; it's just that the cadanzas sound more like "fillers" if you get my drift. Still, both of them are stunning, and Leonidas Kavakos plays the violin exquisitely. Osmo Vanska handles the Lahti Symphony Orchestra very smoothly during the soft segments, and powerfully during the loud and energetic segments. The sound quality is good, and the booklet gives out great information on why Sibelius wanted to change some things in his original violin concerto.

A-

For a long time a favourite piece by a favourite composer. I remember the day he died (I was on National Service and flags were at half-mast) and realised later that he had written very little over his later decades, frozen by depression. Knew also that his real and most anguished ambition was to be a solo violinist, an ambition thwarted by a melancholic disposition. Already having performances by Maxim Vengerov, Christian Ferras, Henryk Szeryng and Leonidas Kavakos (Final Version twinned with Original), I enjoyed the recent broadcast of Ivan Hewett's Building a Library (Radio 3). An hour of available recordings led to his personal recommendation: Jean Sibelius, Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op 47: Viktoria Mullova, with Seiji Ozawa conducting the Boston Symph. An unknown violinist (so far, but anticipating remedial action)and a bit of a wait, about which I was kept up-to-date throughout the process by the extremely apologetic vendor (Presto). I was therefore able to be a confidently patient anticipator, with increasingly enhanced expectation. The wait was so well worth it, and I cannot recommend the work or the vendor too strongly. BMW