These CDs come as part of an ambitious series that Neeme Jarvi is undertaking with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra to record the complete orchestral output of Sibelius for BIS, an enterprising project that will run to 25 records. I have reported on three of these performances before: the First, Third and Fifth Symphonies and will concentrate in this review on the two newcomers.
First, as far as the CD catalogue is concerned, there is at the moment no rival listing of the First, Third and Sixth symphonies though Chandos will surely be releasing more of their cycle with the SNO and Sir Alexander Gibson in due course. Number 2 is already on the market (CHAN8303, 3/84) as is the Philharmonia/Ashkenazy (Decca 410 206-2, 4/84). The Gothenburgh Concert Hall is celebrated for its splendidly alive acoustic and all departments of the orchestra are heard to their best advantage. (It is good news that the Gothenburg orchestra is to record the Berwald symphonies on their home ground for DG.)
CD221—Symphony No. 1; Finlandia: The Chandos will be coupled with No. 7, which on paper is the more competitive proposition. However, the Swedish performance is generally superior and even though Jarvi pulls back in a weird fashion just before the lush second theme of the finale, his account has the edge over the Scots. In terms of sound, the CD format offers altogether striking realism and constitutes a great gain over the LP.
CD222—Symphony No. 5; Andante festivo; Karelia—Overture: Again the sound is even better than on the LP but neither the performance nor the recording can be said to outclass the Philharmonia version with Simon Rattle (EMI CDC7 47006-2, 4/84) or the same orchestra and Ashkenazy (Decca 410 016-2DH, 8/83). All the same enthusiasts may well want to investigate this for the sake of the two rarities, for neither the Karelia Overture nor the Andante festivo is otherwise available and these are excellent performances.
CD228—Symphony No. 3; King Christian II—suite: Writing of the LP, I said that Jarvi's account of the Third could hold its own with any in the catalogue, though I would not prefer it to the Boston Symphony and Sir Colin Davis on LP (Philips) nor, for that matter, the currently deleted account from Okko Kamu and the Helsinki Radio Orchestra (DG). However, there is again no CD alternative of either work and the sound is undeniably stunning.
CD 252—Symphony No. 2; Romance: This is a new issue altogether and is a very interesting and often powerful performance. Those who recall Paavo Berglund in the first movement of the symphony (HMV ASD3497, 7/78) will hardly recognize this new version as the same piece. Where Berglund was leisurely, Jarvi is very brisk: the marking is, after all, Allegretto: he is every bit as fast as Kajanus in his pioneering account of 1930 which enjoys the composer's own imprimatur (World Records). This version has more sinew and fire than its rivals and the Gothenburg orchestra is more responsive and disciplined than the SNO (mentioned above), and Jarvi has an unerring sense of purpose and direction. The momentum never slackens and yet nothing seems overdriven. Neither the orchestral playing nor the recorded sound has quite the same opulence as the Philharmonia under Ashkenazy on Decca (410 206-2DH, 4/84), but the performance is concentrated in feeling and thoroughly convincing. I like its honesty and directness. Again, the Romance for strings is not otherwise available in CD format though there is an alternative LP account by Sir Charles Groves (HMV) to which this has no reason to yield. A thought-provoking and excellent-sounding issue with plenty of presence and body.
CD237—Symphony No. 6; Pelleas et Melisande: Another CD first for the symphony. Again the response of the Gothenburg orchestra to Jarvi's direction is whole-hearted and I warmed to the eloquence of the opening string polyphony and the impassioned finale. Jarvi takes the main section very fast, much in the manner of Schneevoigt whose 1934 recording (World Records) is Head-long in this section. There are one or two overemphatic gestures (the closing paragraphs of the slow movement) but on the whole this is well thought out and often impressive. If Ashkenazy's account with the Philharmonia Orchestra is as good as his Festival Hall performance it will be difficult to beat, but it will not appear until Spring 1985, and this vividly-recorded account is a very fine one and the playing totally committed. In the LP format, which I have not heard, it will surely more than hold its own and can therefore be recommended, albeit not in preference to Sir Colin and the Boston Symphony (Philips) or the classic Karajan version (DGe though it is better recorded. Pelleas et Melisande is already in the CD catalogue from Karajan (DG 410 026-2GH, 9/83), an altogether magical account that is as likely to reign as the unchallenged classic for as long as the celebrated Beecham HMV version on LP. Jarvi produces a very atmospheric account of this score in particular the brief but concentrated ''By the sea'' but it would be idle to pretend that it can be preferred to the Berlin performance. However, these are extremely fine issues and well worth investigating, particularly the robust and enthusiastic version of the Second Symphony.'
