Customer Reviews

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

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

 

 

The second and the third symphonies are among the most popular works of Jean Sibelius, and it's a true and pleasant surprise to notice that a symphonic group of a small city as Lathi and a conductor not yet belonging to the star-system like Osmo Vanska has succeeded in offering a really original interpretation of these works, perhaps the best today available on CD. Accustomed to the somptuos but sometimes rhetorics interpretations of some great conductors (Karajan, Maazel, Davis, Ormandy, Jarvi, etc.) in wich we can find, together to moments of big charm, some trespasses (especially in the second symphony) to superficiality, the interpretative approach of Vanska and the Lathi Symphony Orchestra appears revealing: never before we have noticed a care of the particular so deep and an idiomatic language so absolute to make perfectly sensitive the "white heat" so typical of the Finnish composer, to testimony of a study really meticolous and accurate of the score from the interpreters. The splendid quality of the recording makes once more recommended the acquisition of this CD. Thanks to the Lathi Symphony Orchestra, to its conductor Osmo Vanska and to Bis for have given us this splendid and fundamental recording.

The Symphony No. 2 is probably Sibelius' most popular and it receives a very broad and expansive rendering here -- much too sober and polite to recommend for a novice. The limitations of the orchestra are apparent, but the performance is committed if somewhat episodic and lacking natural flow. My favorite recording of No. 2 is by John Barbirolli and the Royal Philharmonic on the Chesky label, which I'd wholeheartedly recommend.

The No. 3 here is a personal favorite with a beautifully melodic and melancholy middle movement. This digital disc is also warmly and transparently recorded, adding the needed resonance to these mostly cool performances.

I've never been a big fan of Sibelius' Symphony No. 1. It's OK, but a bit too generic Romantic, brash and unfocused. For me, it is with the Second that one of the greatest of all symphony cycles begins. On this BIS disc, we have the Second and Third performed by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and conductor Osmo Vanska.

The Symphony No. 2 (1902, rev. 1903) is an excellent example of Sibelius' principle of organic growth. Four movements, where the first sets out a very basic three-note motif, the second introduces an antagonistic theme, the third is a brief bridge and the fourth reconciles the two moods. But not only is that three-note motif expanded into an elegant theme in the final movement, but Sibelius goes beyond what could have been the ending into ecstatic arabesques. The Symphony No. 3 (1907) subjects Sibelius' Nordic idiom to the disciple of classical clarity. The lighter scoring and the greater emphasis on rhythm offer something very new beyond the Second. But what I especially appreciate about the Third is how complex its organic development is, with the third movement especially seeming completely natural yet impervious to analysis. I feel the incredible developments of the Seventh with its cohesive one-movement form are foreshadowed here.

Vanska's Sibelius cycle is the one to go to for several reasons. For one, Vanska uses Sibelius' own metronome markings, grounding the performance in the desires of the composer instead of the Romantic excess of certain other conductors. BIS' sound is also crystal-clear, preserving a powerful sense of space. And the Lahti Symphony Orchestra give a flawless performance. All of Vanska's Sibelius deserves to be heard, not just the Second and Third. I would therefore recommend the box set which BIS later released of all seven symphonies and "Tapiola".

The Third Symphony is given a great performance here. Tempos are slightly on the slow side, which Vanska uses to give a sense of spaciousness to the reading. The important solos, particularly the winds in the second movement, are beautifully turned, while the finale lacks the driven quality some other conductors ascribe to it. I am less pleased with Vanska's version of the Second Symphony. It is beautifully prepared and played at sensible tempos. The clarity of the string writing is especially well rendered. Nevertheless, this is a Romantic symphony, and at times the string section of the Lahti orchestra appears overwhelmed. I miss the big gestures a great international ensemble can bring to this piece, as in the 1957 Ormandy/Philadelphia and later Levine/Berlin versions. Nevertheless, on its own terms this is a quite an enjoyable performance. The sound engineering is up to BIS's highest standards in the Third, clear and full sounding, with superb dynamics. The Second is very well recorded, too, with just a touch of fuzziness in fortissimos. I think there are better Sibelius Seconds out there, but this definitely is a disc worth hearing.

It borders on the trivial to assert that BIS's complete Sibelius series is one of the most important recording projects of all time; not only do we get all of his works in all of their versions, the performances are uniformly magnificent and everything is beautifully recorded. Vänskä's symphony cycle, for instance, is certainly among the most consistently magnificent Sibelius cycles out there (BIS's earlier cycle, under Neeme Järvi, should not be dismissed either), and his third symphony may just be the very best there is. Now, anyone curious about this disc should certainly consider investing in the box containing all of the symphonies (as well as illuminating earlier versions - the third has two alternative openings and a discarded second movement; the second contains some altered or cut passages), but that is possibly the only real drawback of this disc - and even if one shouldn't forget Koussevitzky, Maazel or Karajan, Vänskä has the benefit of a marvelous recorded sound. The perspective is wonderful and the details are crystal clear, even in the most blazingly powerful passages.

That said, some may find that the second lacks just a little bit in white-hot intensity, and perhaps even a little bit of indulgence in the finale - I won't complain, however, and found this perfectly balanced but atmospheric version to be well-neigh ideal (if not representing the only way of realizing it). Vänskä's prime qualities - balance, tautness and the ability to unify the ensemble work without missing the details - make his third possibly the top choice in the catalogue; it is searingly intimate but carrying a sense of urgency (despite the fact that the tempos are somewhat on the slower side) that I haven't heard realized elsewhere. A magnificent disc, then, recommended with all possible enthusiasm.

This must be one of the best Sibelius recordings. The second symphony must be a challenging piece, but Osmo Vanska takes great care of each detail that every time I listen to it, I am moved to near tears. It took me a while to get familiar with the music, though, as I am not a classical music academic. But be patient. Listen to it again and again, if you are a regular music lover like me. All the rest of Sibelius symphony recordings by Vanska and Lahti Orchestra on Bis label are recommended. Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor (Original Version); Violin Concerto in D minor

I am unsure how to respond to this CD. In the light of the many Sibeelius Second and Third Symphonies I've heard, these are accommplished, convincing accounts. The Lahti musicians are committed provincial players, and Vanska knows what he's about. On the other hand, he has been greeted in the UK, and gradually in the US, as a revelatory conductor. I don't hear anything close to that -- Vanska ranks with David Zinman, not Abbado or Rattle. His proficiency isn't on the dull side, but he often chooses a sensitive caution over charismatic dynamism.

That's especially true in the Sibelius Second, where so many great condcutors, from Koussevitzky and Stokowski to Bernstein and Karajan, have found mystery, power, and triumph. Compared to them Vanska isn't in the same league; he does produce a reading that is at times propulsive and climactic. Tempos and phrasing are conventional. The best thing is the second movm=ement, where Vanska gives a personal interpreation that creates a memorable sense of atmosphere. The first movement is foursquare, however, and the Scherzo needs a top-tier orchestra that can thrill us with its execution. Vanska's spirit is in the right place, though, and I like the way he drives the finale wihtout dawdling or trying to inflate the rhetoric. The skimpiness of the Lahti strings tends to show up here, despite this CD's excellnet sonics.

Other reviewers highly praise Vanska's reading of Sym. #3, a work which has lnaguished as something of a stepchild. It is generaly considered a bit tame and classically retrograde, but I've always loved the Third and look for performances that capture a sense of power and expansion (Bernstein on Sony is my benchmark). Vanska alternates between caution and exuberance, which makes his performance tricky to judge. The best thing is that he keeps trying to find new ways to phrase -- the chugging ostinato rhythm of the first movement doesn't lull him into mechanical repetition. He also becomes very soft at times, asking for an evocative hush that other conductors miss.

In the second momvent the pace is unusually slow, defying the composer's tempo marking, "with motion, like an allegretto." Colin Davis also takes this relaxed view, but I'm not convinced. You get more delicacy and atmosphere at a loss of forward motion. Shouldn't this sound like a dance, not a meditation? Also, so much of the scoring is for strings in this symphony that I kept hearing deficiencies in the Lahti's string body, which doesn't even rival the City of Birmingham forces under Simon Rattle (on EMI), much less Bernstein's NY Phil. The finale offers an intriguing range of contrast -- Vanska can be quiet and reserved or loud and forceful -- but to me it feels a bit fussed over.

I can see why othr lsiteners are more enthusiastic -- these performances hold your attention and are by no menas a run through. But my mind keeps going back to Leif Segerstam, leading the much better Helsinki Phil., and Sakari Oramo with Rattle's old Birmingham orchestra, two Finns who are more riveting in the Third. Segerstam has a complete Sibelius cycle that for me is unmatched in its power and originality. For a Finnish-led version of the Second, I favor Esa-Pekka Salonen on Sony.