Customer Reviews

Sibelius: Orchestral Works (Finlandia, Vlase triste, Swan of Tuonela, Le Cygne de Tuonela, Karelia Suite, En Saga, Pohjola's Daughter)

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I had first heard a recording of Finlandia a few months before I bought this CD. I liked it really well, so I decided to find my own recording. When I searched at a music store, I came across this CD. I felt this would be a good performance since it was performed by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. And I loved it when I first heard it. This is one of the best classical CDs that I own, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for music by Sibelius.

I think that this Essential Classics collection by Sony is a good opportunity to get very fine music at a very low price. In this case thay have made a very attractive selection of music by Jean Sibelius. Apart from the Valse Triste, which no matter how many times I hear it, I always find it wonderful, this CD has many other pieces which are very interesting, like the superb Swan of Tuonela or the Karelia Suite. The performance is very good, and Ormandy conducts this pieces very well. If you don't know Sibelius' music yet, I would suggest that you buy this CD. At this price, it is very hard to find a better one.

This CD was my first introduction to Sibelius outside of Finlandia, and what an introduction it was! Ormandy really knew how to get into this music, and it still contains the best Karelia suite I've heard. For some reason, the intermezzo and march are both taken too slowly on other recordings, but not here -- they are lively and spirited, full of energy.

Finlandia here is well done, though there are so many recordings of it I can't say there aren't better. I've certainly heard far worse. This recording of Valse Triste, is one of my favorites -- it starts on the faster side, but settles into a nice lyrical pace. The Swan of Tuonela is one of the few pieces I think needs to be stretched out as well as can be, and certainly here it's done well. I prefer a couple other, slower, ones, but this suits me fine as well.

This recording of Pohjola's Daughter, as noted, seems to be a favorite, at least at Sony -- I can think of no less than 4 individual CDs and three box sets with this recording. It's a very good read, though this is one piece I don't think I've ever heard a recording I don't like. This is the only piece on the disc with Bernstein/NYPO instead of Ormandy/PO, but that does not detract from it.

The gem of the CD, however, is the final piece, En Saga. It's the piece that in fact took longest to warm up to, but once I did I realized just how good a composer Sibelius was. And this recording is still tops in my book -- no other that I've heard takes it this fast (unlike many Essential Classics releases, there are no cuts anywhere on this CD, so the shortened time IS due to tempo here), and the wonderful melodic hooks and clashing harmonies all over this piece just light up under Ormandy's baton.

If there's any complaints, it's that the sound seems a bit odd. This is most noticable in Finlandia and Valse Triste, but the winds seem a bit more overbearing than normal. A minor complaint though, and in fact seems oddly appropriate in the Valse. I can safely recommend this disc, even if you already own the recording of Pohjola, to both Sibelius newbies and vets.

I just bought around 10 classical CDs from amazon.com, and this one is the cheapest. However, to my great surprise, this is also the best one among them all. "Finlandia" is breathtakingly heavy yet beautiful, especially combined with the circumstances Sibelius had written them. You can almost touch and feel the snowy wilderness of Finland when you listen to this piece. Other tracks are also excellent. Highly recommended for any classical fans. (too sad I've ignored Sibelius before. I will start to collect all of his works thanks to this CD)

This CD is really good.
All performances by E. Ormandy and his Philadelphia Orchestra, except Pohjola's Daughter. This symphonic poem performed by Bernstein and perhaps the best Sibelius recording of Bernstein (actually he recorded all symphonies with NYP)

Best tracks:

As it is, Ormandy's "Finlandia" is best (with Charles Mackerras' recording with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).
What a music and what a interpretation?! The Sound of Philadephia is excellent on this from start to finish. Especially, I like that, the wind ensemble (especially brass) are amazing in "Allegro".

Valse triste is one of the best compositions by Sibelius, no doubt, and this performance is very effective, emotional...

Karelia is very good, especially Intermezzo (1st movement) is superb. This piece is short and pure. This is a tale about a haunting scene at Middle Age

In other words: this CD is very highly recommended

Es imposible no ser un admirador de Eugene Ormandy y la Orquesta de Filadelfia, si te encuentras frente a estas grabaciones.
Sibelius es un compositor de elite, genial y sus obras estan destinadas a impresionarnos ya sea en la grandeza de lo patriotico, en la finura sentimental de sus conciertos o en la magia sin igual de sus fantasias y leyendas. Pero nada de esto seria reconocido si no esta la magnificencia de un gran director y la perfeccion de una gran orquesta, y eso es lo que este CD contiene perfeccion y grandeza, Finlandia es completamente impresionante, grandiosa, me deja sin aliento, la mejor version, Karajan, Colin Davis y hasta Järvi quedan atras porque escucharan lo mejor de lo mejor.
Le siguen para impresionar la sutil y grandiosa En Saga, El vals triste, El cisne de Tuonela y la menos apreciada y por mi admirada suite Karelia, esta alla marcia es sublime.
Para añadir al conjunto el mas bien ponderado Leonard Bernstein se hace cargo de La hija de Pohjola en una gran version.
Es de Sibelius un CD imperdible con las mejores versiones disponibles de estas obras.