Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies, Vol. 2 - Symphonies Nos. 3, 6, 7 / The Violin Concerto / Finlandia / Tapiola / The Swan of Tuonela

I purchased this set and it's companion based on many recommendations, and also to further explore the Sibelius symphonic cycle.I did an experiment. In 1 setting, I listened to 3 different recordings of the 7th symphony. Unfortunately the one on this recording I found the least interesting. The reason is basically no life force, no passion for the amazing spiritual journey that I find this symphony to be.In second place was Neeme Jarvi and the Gothenburg SO on DG. Life force, power, some élan vital.The winner hands down was Berglund with the Bournemouth SO.; his first of 3 Sibelius cycles. I listened to this one last, but it felt like I was hearing this symphony for the first time. He brought out nuances and dynamics in the sound of the orchestra that I had not noticed before.Back to this recording. I did enjoy Andrew Davis and the BSO in the 3rd symphony. I felt this to be a solid and well rounded performance that I will enjoy returning to.I have yet to listen to the 6th symphony and the violin concerto and the other pieces.I own 2 complete cycles now, ( this one and the first Berglund) and what I am discovering about the Sibelius symphonies is that I want to experience how each conductor and orchestra paints a different interpretation, or brings out different effects and shadings. To me this is the thrill of exploring the magic of Sibelius.

There's no doubt some of Jean Sibelius' symphonies are more popular than others. 1, 2 and 4 show a fine creative mind developing a sure-footed finesse that comes to fruition in the startling 5 and sublime 6 and 7. But what about number 3? It's an odd one (no pun intended) but you really need to have it in your collection if you're serious about Sibelius and because recordings are relatively few compared with Sibelius' other works, it's refreshing to hear it performed by a fine orchestra (Boston Symphony) conducted with style and grace by the inimitable Colin Davis.This 2-CD set pairs with the companion set ( Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies 1 ) to make a complete set of 7 Symphonies. Even if you already have recordings of some of the symphonies, it's worth getting the full set. You can compare these recordings with those you already have and get that extra insight into the music provided by listening to alternative interpretations.Sibelius' contribution to the symphonic form cannot be overestimated and this is an excellent way to appreciate it in its entirety. As a bonus, you also get the Violin Concerto and some of the composer's better-known tone poems. The Philips recordings are up to their usual flawless standard. If you're serious about Sibelius go treat yourself.

I have been a fan of the music of Sibelius since my earliest days of devotion to classical music. Every time I hear one of his compositions, it leaves me refreshed and inwardly smiling. This two CD set - part - 2 of a set of four CD's - is one of the best collections of Sibelius' work ever recorded, as far as I am concerned. It features three of his finest symphonies as well as four of his other outstanding compositions. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Colin Davis, is featured on all but one of the selections - the exception being the Violin Concerto which, although quite acceptable, doesn't measure up to the quality of the other pieces, to my way of thinking.As with all of my Philips recordings, the quality of the sound is superb. There are no noticeable high or low volume segments, and the balance is q noticeably superior to other CD's. This set will make a fine addition to your collection. Don't hesitate Buy it now while it is still available. You won't be sorry.

The orchestra here sounds so vast and powerful--but also it carries a mellowness, a smoothness. Fantastic listening!It's a bit like the gutsy sound of Beethoven melded with the easy sound of Faure's choral stuff. Can't say enough about this!

12-8-2013 Here is the old satandard nfor Sibelius orchestral works, symphonies and tone poems. Also included are the Violin Concerto iwth soloist Elmar Olivera and the London Sym. Orchestra. The min body of the materiral is with the Boston Symphony under Sir Colin Davis, whos sadly passed this April of 2013. This cd has a Volume #1 also, with Symphonies numbers 1,2,4,5 and a few poems as well. This Philips 2 cd set , when released on LP, was a critical and finncial success. Pentatone took symphonies # 5 and #7 plus "en Sage," and waved theoir majic wand over the LP's to get SACD reading of some of the composer's best material. I have it andlove it. The sound is sensational. I'll try to not lingewr too long on any particular piece but give good opinions on the mazin points. These zre works that most of musthave us must own and probably do have. If not, wow, you're in for a treat. CD #1 the fdirst disk holds the three Sibelius symphonies inthe whole volume II , the 3rd, 6th, and 7th. I used to really like the 3rd and 6th, but I've cooled towardss them for a few reasons, as when I tried seeing them the equal of near equal of Numbers 2, 5, and perhaps even #1. They clearly were inferior to the 2nd and 5th, goos symphonies but just not THAT GOOD> . THE 3RD SYMPHONY IN C WAS WRITTEN IN _______ AND RECORDED BY DAVIS I n1976 in warm, rich and wonderfully balanced regular stereo. nevr sounded so good ands MUCH better that the LSO Live sacdremake from 2005, nearly 30 years newer. I never would of guessedSounds like happiest of Finnish folk dancing. Grab your partner, take a swig or two of Vodka and out to the dancefloor.for a grand time. At 8:47 a secondary theme, principally in the Boston winds, full harmonious, thick and rich. The middle andantrino con moto quasi A rousing and rollicking good time, this C Major 3rd in the hazndsx of a hyoung energetic and dedicated Colin Dazvis who, in some unfortunate ways became ponderous and rather speculative in his laterf age. The sharpness of his 40's to 60's seemed to slowly fade into the distance, like the icy mist hovering above a Karelean lake in winter. Plainly speaking, I think Sir Colin just lost his waY AND PERHAPS WE WERE HEARING, IN HIS LATE RECORDINGS, MAYBE THE LSO LIVE MATERIALthe onset of some dimentia. Where ever he is now, I hope he is at peace, he brought somuch of it here on Earth, he deserves some in eternity. The Symphony #6 in d-minor was written in 1923 when the composer was 58 and recorded by Davis and Boston in 1/1976, perhaps at the same sessions as with the 3rd, we just visited. I also had cooled towards this later work and after the opening beauty of Allegro molto moderato of7:51, found less and less to admire in the near 17 remaining minutes. Total time here is 24:27. By the end of this movement, the majic of ther North woods seems to have faded like that mist I mentioned earlier. allegretto runs for a good 10:17 and is somber, benevolent and a bit regretful, but with the tenderness of memories, rthougfhts of one's youth. It works and transports us to a SIBELIAN DREAMWORLD. The Finale is a Moderato--allegro ma non troppo." It opens moderato , thewn on into an allegro with plenty of energy and zest

Thes discs are essential listening for Sibelians. WIthout doubt for this listener this is one of the very finest recordings of the third on disc and the sixth and seventh remain very special with conducting of vision and beautiful playing from the BSO captured in rich fine recorded analogue sound. The desirable recording of the violin concerto and the orchestral works added here seal the deal. In some ways even though there is much that I admire in the later digital RCA LSO recording of the sixth, this earlier Davis account is even more impressive.

I had tended to think of Davis as a rather anodyne conductor. This set, though, (recorded in 1975-79), has immense strengths- literate playing, which is delicate, lithe, and energetic; a wonderfully detailed and balanced recording; and interpretations which are athletic and joyous on the one-hand, and long-breathed and serious on the other. The phrasing and the sense of structure are both close to perfection.I grew up with LPs of symphonies 6 and 7 by Karajan and 3 by Kamu. The Davis versions have more spring. Because they are never inert, you can only listen to them actively. They have the insidious power to make you stop whatever else you're doing, and tune in to them with all your concentration instead. The last five minutes of the sixth symphony are hauntingly beautiful.The seventh takes a little while to warm up; then, it gives us string playing with Elgarian warmth and a sustained expressive intensity more like Shostakovich. I find it a less compelling performance than the sixth.The tone poems are sweeping and subtle. The violin concerto is worth having, but Accardo and the LSO don't produce the same magic that the Boston SO managed in 1975/6.

This second Philips Duo re-release of Sir Colin Davis' and the Boston Symphony Orchestra's mid-70s run through of the Sibelius symphonies contains the ubiquitous "Finlandia", "Swan of Tuonela", and "Tapiola", together with a recording of the violin concerto. Like the first volume  Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies, Vol.1 , it's well worth picking up a copy of this 2-CD set if you can find one at a reasonable price. As before, the analogue to digital remastering is fine, so there are no sound quality issues, although there is rather more low-level muttering from our conductor than on the first volume!Sibelius 3 is one of my favourite pieces of music and Sir Colin has a way with this work like no other conductor I have heard, with the possible exception of Vanska  Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3  or Segerstam  Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5 . The Philips/Boston performance is brilliant, but perhaps a little more cool than the later Davis/RCA recording  Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc. [Box Set ], which also benefits from top notch sound quality. Best have both recordings!Symphony 6 is exquisite and less well-known than it deserves to be. Whilst the Boston (and RCA) performances are very good, I do think that Sir Colin can be outdone (if that is the right expression) by Vanska  Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7 / Tapiola , Rattle  Sibelius: Symphonies Nos 1-7/Orchestral Works , and Karajan's DG version  Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4-7 .Sir Colin has the measure of the one-movement symphony 7, and, most probably, can't be bettered elsewhere. On this Boston recording, great sensitivity is shown, and the strings sweep all competition aside. The later RCA performance is a great one, too.The other orchestral works are excellently played and recorded, but I'm not quite so sure about the violin concerto with Accardo. Perhaps this is because the performance is very slow compared with, for example, Perlman on EMI  Sibelius & Korngold: Violin Concertos; Sinding: Suite  or RCA  Tchaikovsky, Sibelius: Violin Concertos , or a recording on Sony by Midori  Sibelius: Violin Concerto/Bruch: Scottish Fantasy , both of which are rather more engaging.All-in-all, a near-essential purchase for Sibelians, especially for symphonies 3 and 7. Recommended Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies, Vol.1Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc. [Box SetSibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7 / TapiolaSibelius: Symphonies Nos 1-7/Orchestral WorksSibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4-7Sibelius & Korngold: Violin Concertos; Sinding: SuiteTchaikovsky, Sibelius: Violin ConcertosSibelius: Violin Concerto/Bruch: Scottish Fantasy

...et lui faire cracher des flammes » avait déclaré Colin Davis après l'enregistrement en 1975-1976 de sa première intégrale sibélienne, qui marqua aussi ses débuts discographiques avec l'orchestre de Boston.Je doute toutefois que cette prétentieuse ambition (que dirait-on alors de Rojdestvenski ?!) caractérise vraiment ce qu'on entend, châtié et tout en finesse.Cette lecture atmosphérique, infiniment nuancée et lumineuse de la Sixième symphonie est la meilleure que j'aie entendue, avec celle de  Karajan , plus nourrie mais tout aussi poétique. L'équilibre interne du tempo est prodigieux : dans l'Allegro moderato, la subtile accélération à 2'32... Quel aérien délié des cordes dans le Poco vivace ! Dans le Finale, les effets d'antiphonie violons-violoncelles (1'45-) réalisés avec une diaphane légèreté.La Troisième est abordée avec sérénité et grandeur, à tel point qu'on pourrait la souhaiter plus vigoureuse. Dans l'Allegro moderato, l'agressif épisode à 7'07 semble ici s'affaisser au lieu de contester, à cause d'une scansion trop distendue, et malgré la hargne des violoncelles.Mais le chef anglais sait par ailleurs affermir le ton si nécessaire : le passage extrêmement virtuose à 3'14 du Finale.Contrairement aux éruptifs témoignages de Serge Koussevitzky et Thomas Beecham, Davis défend une conception plutôt civilisée de la Septième. Par le sostenuto, il homogénéise la temporalité de l'Adagio initial : observons comment il amène le premier solo de trombone (5'19) sur un tapis camaïeu.Le discours se gère avec subtilité mais sans inertie, n'hésitant pourtant pas à laisser rugir les cuivres sur les reptations Vivacissimo-adagio. Dans l'Affetuoso conclusif, les archets distillent une pénétrante intensité et attaquent les cordes avec mordant.Malgré le brillant éclat des cuivres, le tableau sylvestre de "Tapiola" me semble trop pastellisé, délavé, ce qui peut s'imputer à une captation un peu plate et terne.Idem pour le léthifère "Cygne de Tuonela" voguant sur une morne onde grise. A comparer avec l'évocation brossée à fresque de  Paavo Berglund .Captée à Londres en mars 1979, l'interprétation du Concerto m'a beaucoup intéressée dans la mesure où elle l'architecture comme une symphonie avec soliste et non une pièce de virtuosité ou une fantaisie rhapsodique. A l'inverse de ces artistes qui enflamment l'Allegro moderato avec passion ou nervosité, Salvatore Accardo discerne une articulation méthodique sur toute la longueur des phrases, fébrifuge les déclarations les plus effusives (4'05-), ménage des césures éloquentes et déploie dans la durée une véritable pensée musicale.L'Adagio fournit l'exemple d'une réflexion tout aussi sainement équilibrée. On admire Oïstrakh, Neveu ou Ferras pour d'autres raisons, mais le violoniste italien a marqué cet opus 47 par sa conception calme et raisonnée. KarajanPaavo Berglund

Cette intégrale a le mérite d'être peu chère... c'est là son seul avantage, les interprétations sont sans saveur, à la limite de la justesse et jouées sans passion aucune. Pour petits budgets en guise de référence.