Sakari/Iceland on Naxos. Sakari knows how to take the tempo and pauses, the band follows Sakari's lead, all play with excellent tone and skill(no sour soloists). This Naxos recording really suprised me. I'm enamored with Sibelius music, and collect the sym. cycles, Berglund/Helsinki, Sanderling/Berlin, Segerstam/Danish. Barbirolli has some fantastic soloists, the pauses and tempo is not as tight as Sakari's, but still holds together in a wholesome musical image. Sakri's lack the polished soloists, but the tempo and pauses are pefect and offers a transparency, in other words the orchestra "disappears", leaving only the music to listen to. I "hear" (notice, whatever you call it)too much of the orchestra with the Berlin, Danish.(due to soloists, tempo, pauses too long, short). Though Berglund does offer a tight orchestra and tempo, the timings on most of the 7 syms are way too short.??? (cannot highly recommend Sakari/Iceland's Chandos recording)
Sibelius Sym/Sakari/IcelandSO/Recommendation
Finnish conductor Petri Sakari has conducted all 7 Sibelius sym's with the very highly talented Iceland S.O. Just listen to the opening to sym #4, that alone is worth the purchase. That same fine conducting, orchestral and soloist performance is throughout the entire 7 symphonies. Upon some comparisions of Barbirolli (second recording), Segerstam, Sanderling, I found the Halle with Barbirolli to offer great enjoyment. Barbirolli's recording I would describe as "mystical" in nature, not to be fully comprehended no matter how many times you listen to them, always something unique to hear, again due to the high talents of the soloists. The 1960's Halle must have had well seasoned "old-timers" from the Halle's early days. With the Barbirolli set you get various other well performed incidential music, tone poems, all a must to own as well. Onto Sakari/Iceland's recording. Sakari's tempo brings an exciting vitaltiy to these symphonies, and the Iceland does not let him down, with a sense of organic unity and intergration. With this Naxos set you get the Tempest 1&2, as well an excellent recording of the Kullervo with Panula/Turka P.O. On the Sakari/Iceland recording on Chandos of Pohjola's Daughter and Ensaga, there is some problems here. Barbirolli's Pohjola is again a must to hear. I place both recordings in the "must-have" category.
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- 12 posts total
- 12 posts total