Sibelius: Symphonies, Orchestral and Vocal Works
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Jean Sibelius
Label: Decca
Magazine Review Date: 6/1987
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 417 378-4DM4

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Symphony No. 1 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 2 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 3 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 4 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 5 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 6 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 7 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Karelia Suite, Movement: No. 1, Intermezzo |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Karelia Suite, Movement: No. 2, Ballade |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Karelia Suite, Movement: No. 3, Alla marcia |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Finlandia |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
En Saga |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Tapiola |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Luonnotar |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Elisabeth Söderström, Soprano Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Composer or Director: Jean Sibelius
Label: Decca
Magazine Review Date: 6/1987
Media Format: Vinyl
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 417 378-1DM5

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Symphony No. 1 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 2 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 3 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 4 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 5 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 6 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Symphony No. 7 |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Karelia Suite, Movement: No. 1, Intermezzo |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Karelia Suite, Movement: No. 2, Ballade |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Karelia Suite, Movement: No. 3, Alla marcia |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Finlandia |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
En Saga |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Tapiola |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Luonnotar |
Jean Sibelius, Composer
Elisabeth Söderström, Soprano Jean Sibelius, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy, Conductor |
Author: Stephen Johnson
So far, so good; but there's more to Sibelius than formal processes, fundamental though these may be to the musical language; there's that uniquely Sibelian sound-world, so powerfully evocative of the atmosphere and imagery of Nordic mythology, of vast Northern land and skyscapes and the stirrings of elemental forces; and there's the simple matter of expression—the music may surge like the mightiest of rivers, but does it speak? In these respects I find Ashkenazy rather less convincing. The playing of the Philharmonia Orchestra is polished and obviously attentive throughout, and the recordings manage to be immediate without upsetting overall balance or allowing intrusive noise, but the end product has a glossy quality—it's as though one had experienced the musical landscape via a magnificently filmed travelogue rather than at first hand. As for expression, Ashkenazy may have a fine sense of the overall shape of each movement, each paragraph, even each phrase, but when it comes to the tiny inflexions that give a phrase or figure its poignancy, which make it 'tell'—here something is definitely lacking. Ashkenazy has succeeded in communicating his understanding of the grand design of each work to the players, but not so much, it seems, his feelings about expressive elements. Thus his interpretations may impress, even grip the listener, but they are rarely affecting. A pity, for the insights are there; too frequently in fact for such a set to be easily dismissed. On balance, these performances should be heard by anyone who really cares about Sibelius: there's plenty to be learned from such acute and penetrating readings. Whether you will want to live with them though is another matter.'
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