Some 20 years have passed since Davis's last Sibelius cycle, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for Philips, now represented in the catalogue solely by the Second Symphony. Writing shortly after Sir Colin's 1992 Sibelius survey with the LSO at the Barbican, one distinguished critic spoke of it in the same breath as Furtwangler's post-war cycle of the Beethoven symphonies in London. (Davis's Kullervo was certainly the finest I have ever heard.) Hence readers will approach this issue with high expectations, and will not, I'm happy to say, be disappointed.
There was a time in the 1950s and 1960s when the Third Symphony was moved along at too headlong a speed. Although statistics in themselves mean nothing, it is worth noting that Anthony Collins took only 24'41'' (1954) over the whole symphony as opposed to Kajanus's 29'24'' (1932) and Sir Colin's 30'25''. Even the late Sir Alexander Gibson and the Scottish National Orchestra (Alpha, 1/66—nla) and Lorin Maazel and the Vienna Philharmonic in 1968 stressed the con moto in the Andantino movement, losing something of its ruminative character. It was with Okko Kamu (DG, 9/74—nla) and Sir Colin's Boston account (Philips, 8/77—nla) that the authentic view represented by Kajanus resurfaced. (It was Kajanus who was closest to Sibelius's wishes and whom Sibelius recommended to HMV in 1930.) The slow movement was allowed to breathe more naturally and to unfold at its own unforced, leisurely pace, giving us time to take in its shadowy landscape.
Generally speaking Sir Colin's new version of the Third has greater breadth and sense of scale than his previous account or any other that I know. His first movement has a majestic stride and great power; and he has the measure of the slow movement's pantheistic musings, particularly at the withdrawn magical moment at fig. 6 (track 2, 3'54''). The Fifth is more tautly held together than before; the first movement moves forward and onwards with a powerful feeling of inevitability and purpose. The transition in the first movement to the scherzo section is masterly.
Listening to this disc, one wonders anew at the sheer originality of this piece, and that is, of course, the touchstone of a great performance. Sir Colin Davis understands Sibelius as do few others and senses the vital currents that flow through these symphonies, and the LSO know this and respond with playing of distinction. The RCA recording is in every way first-class, vivid in detail and truthful in perspective.'