Customer Reviews

Sibelius: The Seven Symphonies [Box Set]

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There is a lot of competition out there. The big Paavo Berglund box set seems to have it all on EMI. Then, there is the excellent Davis/BSO set on Philips - not to mention his newer LSO cycle on RCA. Rattle has some unique touches not found in other cycles so he can't not be easily dismissed. He's a bitter smoother around the edges as compared to the Davis/BSO. But he brings out the romantism more. The Birmingham forces play wonderfully and are all excellently recorded - in fact - better engineered than any of the competition.
Perhaps to make this set more competitive (because it is rather expensive), EMI should have tried to squeeze all 7 of the symphonies onto 3 discs. I always felt that Philips should have done the same for Davis/BSO set. That way, the price could have been trimmed down to under $30.
(All the same, it makes one wish that Ormandy and Karajan should have completed their Sibelius cycles during their lifetimes!)

I'm a fan of Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, so I wasn't surprised when this complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies was getting attention in the press. The actual experience, however, is a mixed bag. Generally, the performances are very good and Rattle demonstrates a fine understanding of these works, but any worthwhile interpreter of Sibelius symphonies must get the Second Symphony (his most popular) right. Sadly, the Second Symphony in this set is terrible--poorly played and interpreted all around. So if this set is your choice, I strongly recommend picking up another recording of the Second (like the Cleveland Orchestra with Yoel Levi conducting) and leave Rattle's Second on the shelf.