Jean Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Legends, Op 22/En Saga, Op 9

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Esa-Pekka Salonen's performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic are rapidly coming to represent the last word in technical excellence. He has the orchestra playing at top form, and his own superbly musical and clear-sighted interpretations make this Sibelius disc something special. The music comprises all of his early tone poems, though the composer suppressed two of the Lemminkainen Legends (for no good reason) late in his life. En Saga features a central climax with thundering bass drum that will wreck your sound system if you're not careful. The performance is so exciting, however, that you may well find it worth the risk. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

I. Intermezzo. Moderato
II. Ballade. Tempo Di Menuetto-Un Poco Piu Lento
III. Alla Marcia. Moderato
Tempo Moderato - Soile Isokoski
Andante Festivo For String Orchestra
Sostenuto Assai
Nocturne. Molto Moderato
I. Elegie. Andante Sostenuto
II. Musette. Allegretto
Serenade. Moderato Assai (Quasi Menuetto)
Ballade. Allegro Molto-Vivace
Andante Sostenuto-Allegro Moderato-Allegro

Tracks:

Largo-Allegro
Allegro-Tempo Del Commincio-Moderato Assai-Largamente-Largo
Allegro Molto Moderato
Andante Molto Sostenuto
Il Tempo Largamente
Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Moderato Assai-Allegro
Tempo Moderato E Sostenuto
Lento
Scene With Cranes Op.44 No.2
Andantino
Commodo
Lento Assai
Largamente-Allegro Moderato

Customer Reviews:

More Great Sibelius from GSO/Jarvi.......2006-06-02

I recently purchased this 3-disc set new for about 18 bucks, including shipping and handling. Each disc has over 70 mins of music. More importantly, the performances are evocative and highly emotional. The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (of Sweden, for those of you who might not know this) and Neeme Jarvi did a terrific job on the Sibelius Symphonies for the BIS label in the 80s. I have 'em all, and they are my favorite cycle.

These are more recent recordings done by Deutche Grammaphon, with somewhat different engineering, but equally satisfying sound (to me, at least). Purchasing this "Trio" was almost a no-brainer, given the price. Now that I have the set in hand (and in CD-player), I know that it was a good decision.

Whether you know nothing about Sibelius but want to hear terrific classical music-making, or you have some Sibelius and would like to hear some arguably definitive performance of the tone poems, this set is for you.

Enjoy, Adam.

Tons of Great Sibelius, All Very Well Done.......2006-05-23

I may be in a minority, but I think Sibelius is a far more successful composer of program music than of so-called absolute music. In fact, his most successful symphony, No. 2, has a definite program, and his most successful symphonic movement, the marvelous finale of Symphony No. 5, is also pictorial, supposedly inspired by a flight of geese and the bell-like music that their calls made as they passed overhead. So I believe these generously filled discs in the Trio Series present some of the best of orchestral Sibelius, including "Pohjola's Daughter," "En Saga," "The Oceanides," and "Tapiola." There are other favorites as well, of course, including "Finlandia," "Valse Triste," and "The Swan of Tuonela" (part of the spacious "Four Legends"), as well as some lesser-known (to non-Sibelians, anyway) masterworks such as "Luonnotar" and "Night Ride and Sunrise," a quirky, more interesting incarnation of the binary form that Sibelius tried out in the finale of his Third Symphony.

There's still more and more, including some music (such as "King Christian" and "The Bard") that is rarely heard but well worth hearing. In fact, if there are any clunkers here, I don't know of them. Sibelius emerges as a composer who rarely failed when inspired by literature, especially his beloved Kalevala, or the purely pictorial. Neemi Jarvi, whose baton is sometimes too fleet and whose interpretations sometimes skate along the surface of the music, is here inspired to give some of his finest interpretations (and there are many, many on CD). The Goteborg Orchestra has this music in its blood and proves the perfect medium for the dark vision of "The Four Legends," for the shimmer and sheen of "The Oceanides," or for the easy folksiness of "Karelia" and "King Christian." Fine, wide-ranging sound from DG as well. It's up-front but not oppressive, allowing woodwind and percussion detail to emerge with real clarity. Try "Night Ride and Sunrise" as an example; it's rarely sounded this alive in recording.

a perfect introduction to sibelius.......2006-02-18

this is a great set of Sibelius's work. There are some of unknown as as well known pieces. I recommend this work to introduce people to Sibelius and Sibelian's as well. neeme jarvi is a master interpreter of Sibelius work and the orchestra is brillent.

Sibelius: Finlandia; En Saga; Valse triste; Karelia Suite; The Swan of Tuonela

Average customer rating:

Is this the greatest Sibelius recording ever?

Sibelius: Finlandia; En Saga; Valse triste; Karelia Suite; The Swan of Tuonela

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sibelius: Symphony No. 2
Jean Sibelius: Symphonies No. 4-7, Tapiola etc.
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 (The Karajan Collection)
Beethoven, Sibelius: Violin Concertos
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7

ASIN: B000AQACWU
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

En Saga Op.9
The Swan Of Tuonela
I: Intermezo
II: Ballade
III: Alla Marcia
Finlandia Op.26
Valse Triste Op.44
Tapiola Op.112

Customer Reviews:

Is this the greatest Sibelius recording ever?.......2005-12-14

Is this the greatest Sibelius recording ever?

It may well be.

This particular CD combines Karajan's 1976 analog recordings of four Sibelius tone poems with his 1981 digital recordings of Valse Triste and the Op 11 Karelia Suite. The analog material - Finlandia, The Swan of Tuonela, En Saga and Tapiola - have always been demonstration-quality recordings. This particular CD marks the SEVENTH time I've purchased these recordings: first in their initial USA Angel LP & cassette issues, then as a British LP import, next as a German LP import, again in their initial EMI Studio CD release, once more in their second EMI CD release, and now in their almost-always-better-sounding Great Recordings of the Century series (there are exceptions to that particular rule, BTW).

Why all the copies? Simple: I was constantly seeking out a version that did full justice to the sound that one could tell was inscribed on the original tapes, and I think that finally, finally EMI have got it just about right.

First off, these recordings are very lifelike. They very much represent the Berlin Phil under Karajan that I heard in live performances at Carnegie Hall. And - except for a few intonation problems here and there that were previously buried in various degrees of sonic mush - the execution of the BPO is near immaculate (no clams in the brass!), matching American orchestras in their typical note-perfect playing.

The recorded ambience is also very easy on the ear, but - and this is a big but - the listening perspective on these recordings has now been shifted forward from second row orchestra to the conductor's podium. What I mean by that is that there is much more clarity and transparency in the orchestra than I recall from previous issues (it also helps if you listen to the CD at a slightly boosted volume level). It's a bit like the difference one gets when auditioning a recording on headphones rather than through speakers (in fact, I could swear that I can now hear Karajan - or someone - humming at certain points or urging on the orchestra).

There has also been a re-sequencing of the tracks themselves. Previous issues all opened with Karajan's massive version of Finlandia - an opening track that was sure to grab a listener by the gonads and pull him into the recording. This time around the CD opens with En Saga with Finlandia buried down the track listing. If you've never heard this disc and want to hear what it's all about, you'll play Finlandia first, trust me!

On the subject of this recording of Finlandia, it surely gains from Karajan opting for doubled winds who maintain their sound and texture over the massive strings and brass (augmented by VERY present timpani). Here, Karajan and the BPO launch what has to have set the all-time record for gravitas in Finlandia openings. This is slow, ballsy and brilliant. I can think of no greater compliment to give both Karajan and his orchestra than to say that they here play Finlandia as if it were the most important piece of music ever composed by anyone, ever.

The same "greatest piece ever" philosophy also inhabits the other works on this CD. The Swan, in particular, is hauntingly beautiful, no more so than in the huge string phrases that take over before the English horn's final, plaintive utterances. This is music making on such a high level that one might miss it for the emotional involvement of all concerned. You may find yourself - as did I - immediately replaying this track just to convince yourself that it really was that good.

Likewise, Karajan's 1981 Valse triste surpasses his previous efforts (not to mention those of most others). This is a slow but enervated version of a piece that I just never tire of hearing. However, I will say that the digital sound is slightly less fulsome than that captured on the analog tracks. The Karelia Suite is also of digital origin and reflects the same caveat, though this is picking nits - the recordings are all fabulous.

The real revelation on the disc is Tapiola. Karajan recorded it a few times, and I find this one to be his best if not THE best recording of the piece ever made. If you want to know what the term "heavy classic" means, seek no further. It was once opined that Sibelius' fame could have rested on Tapiola alone, and it may well be that Tapiola recordings may come down to this one and this one alone. It is just that impressive as a recording and as an interpretation.

Seventeen years after his death, it's becoming quite clear to me that Karajan went through something of a golden age in the 1970s. His recordings from that period - particularly his EMI recordings - showcase an orchestra and conductor at the absolute summit of their powers, fully in tune with each other and the music at hand. These Sibelius recordings rank with the very best from that period and are well deserving of the Great Recordings of the Century moniker.

I'd urge you to purchase this disc before EMI consigns this issue to deletion status.

It simply doesn't get any better.

Sibelius: Finlandia Op26/7; Karelia Op11

Average customer rating:

An admirable collection of musical treasures!
Great Sibelius from Ashkenazy with Philharmonia
very good recordings
Great Music, Sturdy Performances

Sibelius: Finlandia Op26/7; Karelia Op11

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: The Great Serenades
Sibelius: Finlandia/Karelia Suite/The Symphonies Nos. 1, 2 & 4

ASIN: B0000041L7
Release Date: 1997-08-26

Tracks:

Finlandia, Op. 26 No. 7 - Jean Sibelius
Karelia Suite, Op. 11: I. Intermezzo - Jean Sibelius
Karelia Suite, Op. 11: II. Ballade - Jean Sibelius
Karelia Suite, Op. 11: III. Alla marcia - Jean Sibelius
Luonnotar, Op. 70 - Jean Sibelius
Tapiola, Op. 112 - Jean Sibelius
En saga, Op. 9 - Jean Sibelius

Tracks:

Night-Ride And Sunrise, Op. 55 - J. Sibelius
Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49 - J. Sibelius
Four Legends From The Kalevala, Op. 22: I. Lemminkainen And The Maidens Of Saari - J. Sibelius
Four Legends From The Kalevala, Op. 22: II. The Swan Of Tuonela - J. Sibelius
Four Legends From The Kalevala, Op. 22: III. Lemminkainen In Tuonela - J. Sibelius
Four Legends From The Kalevala, Op. 22: IV. Lemminkainen's Return - J. Sibelius

Customer Reviews:

An admirable collection of musical treasures!.......2005-12-03

Sibelius Finlandia must signify to his citizens the same meaning that Elgar `s Pomp and circumstance for the British people, the final expression of fervent, passionate and fevered feeling of brotherhood and national fervor. Vladmir Ashkenazy achieved an incisive and towering performance with the members of one of my beloved orchestras ever: The Philharmonia Orchestra. He extracted the musical vein in its whole expression and exultant boiling.

Karelia was also another artistic achievement, having in Colllins the maximum peak until this date. This version could be my second choice.

Tapiola Op. 112 ha a winner: Hans Rosbaud and Berlin Philharmonic in 1957 but Ashkenazy transmits us the essential and reminiscent echoes of Debussy 's La mer and obviously his Fourth Symphony through his intense performance. En Saga, in the glorious baton of Collins is simply unsurpassed, but this version is mercurial and very propulsive. Luonotar, Op. 70 is an exquisite version.

But what it is really worthy to remark is this sense of full aristocratic and committed approach; the horns, woods and strings of this Orchestra are pure gold. A colossal artistic triumph, and perhaps the major musical achievement of Ashkenazy as conductor, until this date.

Horst Stein conducted a very heartfelt performance of this superb musical treasure of Sibelius: The Four Legends are performed in just few opportunities. However, Erik Tuxen made a historical register in the early Fifties with the Royal Danish that still belong to the most prominent achievement ever made of this mythical work.

Pohjola 's Daughter has serious rivals: Koussevitzky and Toscanini and the night-Ride and Sunrise found in Essa Pekka Salonen a distinguished interpreter

In sum, an album to be collected, because in just two CD's for Sibelius newcomers constitutes a notable contribution and a very complete approach to the work of this noted composer: the most conspicuous and beloved musical son of Finland: Jean Sibelius.

Great Sibelius from Ashkenazy with Philharmonia.......2005-05-05

Before I launch into my review, I would like to make it clear that I do not actually have this album. I do, however, have two other albums of Ashkenazy/Philharmonia that are not listed on Amazon, which include the works Symphony No. 4, Luonuotar, Finlandia (twice), Karelia Suite, Tapiola, and En Saga.

Ashkenazy conducts Sibelius better than anyone else I have heard. Under his baton, the music is more exciting, more colorful, and far more alive than I have heard it elsewhere. His interpretation of Finlandia is the only one that I will listen to; nothing else even compares. These are recordings that I would trust to the ends of the earth.

Ashkenazy's instrument for the recordings I refer to is the incredible Philharmonia Orchestra of London. They are well up to the task, technically, musically, and sonically. Every section is filled with color. The strings are beautiful and lush (with VERY powerful bassi), winds have a very dark sound with much more presence than I often hear elsewhere, and brass are more alive, have more blend, and are more together than virtually anyone else I have heard - certainly more so than anyone else I've heard play Sibelius.

I highly recommend all recordings of Sibelius by Ashkenazy with the Philharmonia Orchestra, without reservation.

very good recordings.......2003-09-22

This box set contains, all famous symphonic poems of Sibelius...

i think, especially, The Night-Ride and Sunrise and Leminkainen in Tuonela (No. 3 of suite) is best tracks in CD 2, perhaps these are among in Horst Stein's all recordings...L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (the orchestra of E. Ansermet) is very good...

In CD 1, all works recorded by Ashkenazy and his PO. Already, his all Sibelius recording are very good, and especially the performances of Finlandia and Karelia are best.

And Elisabeth Sodeström is very good on Luonottar. This is a lied-symphonic poem and not too known, but very interesting music. And based on famous Kalevala epic...

However, the tempos of "En saga" is very slow (aproxx. 20 min.)
But not bad. This symphonic poem is Sibelius' first succesful work and hasn't a programme.

In other words: this box set (at this price) very good and highly recommended for all Sibelius fans.

Great Music, Sturdy Performances.......2002-01-10

With some composers, it seems that when it is a matter of writing symphonies, the music is a little graver, a little rhetorical, perhaps even a little long-winded and heavy-footed; but when such a composer turns to symphonic poems, or dances/ballet, the music is more imaginative, lighter in spirit and surer of foot, or even in some cases, just plain more inspired.

While Sibelius managed to write brilliant and engaging music in both "spheres," there are times when I feel [parts of] the symphonies are a little ruminative, a shade too self-absorbed ... and it is then that I find the tone-poems - in which he often, simply, sang, and sang for the sheer joy of singing - especially welcome.

This recording is one of those re-issues, which were originally two separate releases; so we have two different conductors, and two different orchestras, to discuss.

In general, I am not mad about Ashkenazy as a conductor; and in a sense, this recording is no exception ... I don't walk away thinking, "Wow, what a great conductor." But he is certainly a competent musician, and he does a creditable job here; the Philharmonia sounds fine for the most part. The brass are a little edgier in "Finlandia" than I quite like; and towards the end, the timpani are a little too wild. But on the whole, neither "Finlandia" nor the Karelia Suite is done any great hurt on the Ashkenazy half of this set.

The bright gem on this disc is "Luonnotar," a restless folk-ballad for soprano and orchestra. Elisabeth Söderström is splendid here. "Tapiola" and "En Saga" come across well, too.

Not a disc that you walk away saying, "Wow, what a great conductor"; but, "Wow, what great music."

The other disc is Horst Stein leading L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Any composer might design to follow Sibelius' example here: the program is "Night-Ride and Sunrise," "Pohjola's Daughter," and the four "Legends from the Kalevala" (including the well-loved, and often separately-peformed, "Swan of Tuonela"). Seventy-one minutes of music, and not a dull moment from start to finish.

Jean Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Legends, Op 22/En Saga, Op 9
Average customer rating:

Great Sibelius seldom performed

An Outstanding En Saga.

Salonen's Way with Sibelius

Salonen is a great interpreter of Sibelius

Jean Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Legends, Op 22/En Saga, Op 9

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sibelius: Kullervo

ASIN: B0000027U8
Release Date: 1992-08-25

Tracks:

Lemminkainen Legends, Op.22: Lemminkainen And The Maidens Of Saari
Lemminkainen Legends, Op.22: Lemminkainen In Tuonela
Lemminkainen Legends, Op.22: The Swan Of Tuonela
Lemminkainen Legends, Op.22: Lemminkainen's Return
En Saga, Op. 9

Amazon.com

Esa-Pekka Salonen's performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic are rapidly coming to represent the last word in technical excellence. He has the orchestra playing at top form, and his own superbly musical and clear-sighted interpretations make this Sibelius disc something special. The music comprises all of his early tone poems, though the composer suppressed two of the Lemminkainen Legends (for no good reason) late in his life. En Saga features a central climax with thundering bass drum that will wreck your sound system if you're not careful. The performance is so exciting, however, that you may well find it worth the risk. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Great Sibelius seldom performed.......2006-12-17

Jean Sibelius convinced the musical world for five decades (roughly until 1950) that he was a profound symphonist, almost on the level of Beethoven, and his idiom--rugged, primal, totally original--elevated Finnish culture to a nobel status. Now he's rather more constrained, all but forgottn in American concert halls beyond the Second and Fifth symphonies. You'd never guess it on CD, however, since finnish labels have recorded every scrap of his music even when it's decidedly minor.

If one masterpiece could be revived for sheer musical quality, I'd nominate the Four Legends, also known as the Legends of Lemminkainen. Only the Swan of Tuonela is well known as an excerpt, but all four legends are masterful. This CD from Salonen is the only one by a big-name international conductor since Barbirolli (unless ou ocunt Neeme Jarvi, who's more a CD phenomenon). It's very well played, meticulous in detail, but rather cool and aloof. The heroic side of the hero Lemminkainen is definitely underplayed. It's hard to find (unless you download it from Napster) but Vassily Sinaisky's account with the Moscow Phil. is blazingly exciting. It puts Salonen in the sahde. Even so, I'm grateful for this recording, which is filled out by a veyr good en Saga, a work that enjoys great performances from the likes of Toscanini, Bernstein, and Karajan.

An Outstanding En Saga........2006-09-08

I first encountered En Saga in the form of the soundtrack to the Japanese film The Seven Samurai. My father, a Chinese history professor, showed that film to his classes every year, and I was fascinated by it, and by the music used in the film.

It was twenty years later that I discovered that Sibelius' En Saga had been the basis of the music for the film. Since then, I have listened to and relished many versions.

Recently, our public radio station played En Saga, which isn't unusual. But my head instantly turned when I heard the build-up of the bass drums to the climaxes of certain phrases. The cymbals were also used with absolute perfection at those climaxes. I could picture the musician turning the cymbals toward the audience/microphones after they'd been played, to allow the full resonance to reverberate. I've played the cymbals myself. This musician was a master. The entire orchestra was masterful. The playing was clear, precise, and full of well-coordinated orchestra-wide nuances that were ideal to the piece.

I'm a classical pianist with experience in other instruments and in music teaching and directing. But more importantly, I know En Saga very well, through an appreciation that has lasted all my life. This is by far and away the best recording of it that I've ever heard. It leaves me in awe, and with total, profound appreciation. Get a copy now, while it's still in print. Listen to En Saga. Let it invigorate you, and inspire you.

Salonen's Way with Sibelius.......2006-03-03

When Esa-Pekka Salonen first stepped onto the public stage as a bright young conductor from Finland, almost everyone agreed that his specialty would always be the interpretation of his fellow countryman, Jean Sibelius. Now, many years later, Salonen is at the peak of the master conductors of today, having proved himself a master of Stravinsky, Bartok, Schoenberg, Mahler, Bruckner, Debussy, Wagner, Lutoslawski, Haydn, Adams and all new music, et cetera. And so it is a welcome fact that he still also remains one of the great Sibelius conductors of our time.

This recording made in 1992 is one of his finest from that period, conducting his own Los Angeles Philharmonic with passion, clarity, and an obvious intense communication with his players. One this spaciously recorded CD we are given the Lemminkäinen Legends, Op.22 and the En Saga, Opus 9. For sheer power of orchestral sound it is difficult to imagine a more potent En Saga. But for the shimmering ecstasy of Sibelius' writing two of the excerpts from the Lemminkäinen Legends are unsurpassed: The Swan Of Tuonela and Lemminkäinen's Return. Finer interpretive stance and gorgeous orchestral playing would be difficult to find in the recording catalogue. It simply works wonders. Highly Recommended on every level. Grady Harp, March 06

Salonen is a great interpreter of Sibelius.......2000-06-19

I have a couple of Sibelius CD's with Salonen at the helm, and his interpretations of Sibelius' works are masterful. Lemminkainen's Return is particularly powerful. But it is in En Saga that Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic really shine. For my money, it is the definitive En Saga.

Sibelius: En Saga / Lemminkäinen Legends - Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Mikko Franck

Average customer rating:

Another Satisfying Account of Two Lesser Known Sibelius Masterpieces
Phenomenal
Absolutely shamanic; best if listened to with lights out.
A Brilliant Performance

Sibelius: En Saga / Lemminkäinen Legends - Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Mikko Franck

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Great Recordings Of The Century - Schubert: Symphonies nos. 3, 5, & 6 / Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Saint-Saëns: Les 5 Symphonies
Dvorák: The String Quartets
Saint-Saëns: Piano Trios

ASIN: B00004T00Y
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Amazon.com

Ondine's booklet tells us that the young Finnish conductor Mikko Franck (a graduate of Helsinki's Sibelius Academy and still just in his early 20s) has already been creating quite a stir in Scandinavia--no wonder, if this incredibly promising debut CD is anything to go by. En Saga immediately proclaims a vital and intelligent personality on the podium. Textures are imaginatively sifted, phrases thoughtfully shaped, and there's a strong sense of slumbering, bardic atmosphere--in the dusky coda, the clarinet's unforgettably poignant song resonates with an elemental mystery as old as time itself. The Lemminkäinen Legends are even more distinctive, nowhere more so than in the opening "Lemminkäinen and the Maidens of Saari," which Franck surveys in extraordinarily individual fashion (the love music now glows with a voluptuous, positively Wagnerian ardor). "The Swan of Tuonela" glides across the water with a somber, lofty majesty, while the strings' dusky tremolandi in "Lemminkäinen in Tuonela" really do chill to the marrow. Even in "Lemminkäinen's Return," Franck artfully avoids any hint of excitable bluster. While not displacing Segerstam's masterly and characterful Legends (also on Ondine) at the top of the pile, Franck's intensely stimulating interpretation certainly demands to be experienced. --Andrew Achenbach

Customer Reviews:

Another Satisfying Account of Two Lesser Known Sibelius Masterpieces.......2007-04-21

Finnish conductor Mikko Franck is a force of growing importance in the concert halls around the world. This 2000 recording of 'En Saga' and 'Lemminkäinen Suite: Four Legends from the Kalevala' by his fellow countryman Jean Sibelius with the Radio Symphony Orchestra is stunning in clarity of the massively complex lines and in propulsive drive of the works. For this listener the recording by Franck's senior, Esa-Pekka Salonen with the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1992, is still the definitive version, but this recording is a triumph nonetheless.

The Lemminkäinen Suite is far too seldom performed as it is some of Sibelius' most vibrantly beautiful work. The long suite (50 minutes) has no dull moments, is full of dramatic urgency and tension, and stops for one of the treasures of 20th Century composition - 'The Swan of Tuonela' which is the third 'movement' in the suite, one of the loveliest pairings of the English horn and the cello. Sibelius' tendency to dwell on the unresolved massive chord, finding every corner of the sonics of that chord pause before moving to yet another unresolved chord is what makes his climaxes almost unbearably beautiful. In a recent performance by Salonen and the LA Phil in Disney Hall, a performance fifteen years after their recording, the true brilliance of the suite found the perfect home: one only hopes that there will be a new recording of the fully matured work with these forces soon.

The sonics of this recording are splendid and the sound of the orchestra is majestic and rich. Mikko Franck is definitely a conductor to watch, especially as a master of Sibelius, and this recording is as fine an introduction to the man's gifts as any. Grady Harp, April 07

Phenomenal.......2002-02-12

I must disagree...this recording DOES displace Segerstam's! It's almost impossible to describe the breathtaking beauty of this album. Mikko Franck has perfectly captured the essence of Sibelius and the dark, frozen land of which he wrote. The SRSO plays immaculately, and the strings in particular are simply electrifying. The opening of "Lemminkainen in Tuonela" will make your hairs stand on end! "The Swan of Tuonela," the most famous of the legends, is also rapturously played, heartbreaking in its sad loveliness. This cd is a must for any fan of Sibelius. It is absolutely stunning!

Absolutely shamanic; best if listened to with lights out........2001-03-23

Once, when much younger, I performed a little experiment while listening to the First Symphony of Jean Sibelius. I simply turned the lights out and listened to it in total darkness. The experience was a revelation; simply put, I was transported to an imaginary world in which my heightened senses could easily conjure up the far-North vistas that Sibelius' music captures.

In the years since that experiment, I have repeated it many times over, both with the music of Sibelius and with the music of a wide range of other composers. For reasons that I am totally incapable of explaining, the effect has always worked best for Sibelius. (This is almost to the total exclusion of other composers, quite a few of whom I otherwise rank at least as high as Sibelius in terms of more conventional music values.) So I quite simply accepted the fact that there is something special in the ability of Sibelius as a shamanic conjuror, whether that was his intent or not. Certainly, others can listen to his works as "absolute" music and not share this odd conclusion of mine.

Of all the music written by him, the tone poems are certainly at the top of this "lights out" experience. While I will not attempt to list and rank every one of them in terms of this eerie phenomenon, certain ones - "Pojola's Daughter," "Tapiola," "Nightride and Sunrise," the "Lemminkäinen Legends" - would be included. And "En Saga." Definitely, always, and first at the top, "En Saga." This led, over time, to a collecting frenzy, to see if it were possible to pick a performance which outdid all the others in terms of this effect. For quite a length of time, my personal "best of breed" had been the Ashkenazy performance on Decca, with the Philharmonia Orchestra, coupled with the 5th Symphony.

Now, along comes this 22-year-old kid, Mikko Franck, pretty much out of nowhere (actually, out of the Sibellius Academy) to turn matters upside-down. In a phrase, I need search and spend no longer, because Maestro Franck truly has the measure of this music.

This is the most visceral, exciting, shamanic and best-performed and recorded "En Saga" there is, in my humble opinion. I cannot find enough fine words to describe the playing of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. But I will single out the principal clarinetist, who has a major part toward the end of the work, done to absolute perfection.

The "Lemminkäinen Legends" are performed with equal aplomb. For those who are familiar only with the most famous of these, "The Swan of Tuonela," it needs to be said that the other three legends are of equal interest and significance. The final movement, "Lemminkäinen's Return," while shorter than "En Saga," matches it in its shamanic conjuring ability.

I can only hope that the next Sibelius project for Franck will include the other tone poems noted in the third paragraph of this review. I cannot see how this young man could possibly fail at these, given what he accomplishes in this album under review.

Try this album with the lights out yourself. You too might reach a similar conclusion, with equally enhanced listening and ability to conjure up those far-North vistas.

Bob Zeidler

A Brilliant Performance.......2001-03-23

First of all this recording was a 2001 Grammy Nominee. Second it is one of the best performances of Sibelius I have heard in a long time. Mikko Frank is a conductor who will I feel bring us many fine recordings in the future. He must have been near the top of his class. Some orchestra will be very fortunate to have him at its helm, maybe an American one. The Ondine recording is a very good one, as one might expect with a label that represents one of the better of the independent ones on the

Customer Reviews:

Must buy.......2006-05-16

Superlative seven-CDS hyper-bargain bid from BMG can't never beat that!!Over-all an allround best buy If you snooze you lose

Simply great Sibelius.......2006-05-15

At less than 20GBP, this set offers a most excellent initiation to the world of Johan Sibelius s'masterly work. A nice collection, that includes the symphonies (1--7) with important compositions such as the ever fascinating Kulervo and myriads of "TonePoems". The L.S.O play together with dedication, the sound and direction by sir Colin Davis increase the impression of greatness in the music. I was a little skeptical of the new Davis Kulervo "live", of which I prefer this one on rca, but been of course amazed by the L.S.O.Live powerful versions of symphonies 3 & 7. Otherwise, I generally love this uniformly excellent set, even more so than the earlier cycle in Boston of which I still like, above all, symphonies 5&6. Here, with this rca set, the "highlights" are to be found in symphonies 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as in a bracing and quite dramatic Kulervo. Among the poems, En Saga and Pohjola really shine along with a wonderful Suite Karelia. Of course everything is not perfection, but who will pretend to be anyway? I recommend highly this important box set, even more than the competitive 5CD Naxos however very good it is. Davis is a master Sibelian, no doubt about that. Kind regards. m.vuriling

Splendid Performances from LSO and Sir Colin Davis.......2004-12-31

This 7 CD set includes all of Sir Colin Davis' second Sibelius symphony cycle recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra in the 1990's, along with almost all of Sibelius' other major orchestral works, most notably his tone poems (Some of these were recorded as recently as 2000 or 2001.). These are impressive, vibrant performances replete with exquisite playing by the London Symphony Orchestra. Critics have praised Davis' first Sibelius symphony cycle with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as among the best; without question, his second symphony cycle is not only just as fine, but comes with better quality digital sound (However, with respect to sound, the best Sibelius symphony cycle that he's recorded may be the recent one with the LSO Live CD label.). I especially enjoyed the recordings of Sibelius' 2nd, 5th and 7th symphonies, and the tone poem En Saga, but all of Sibelius' works in this CD set are quite fine. Those interested in hearing music made by Sir Colin Davis, widely regarded as our foremost interpreter of Sibelius, with one of the world's greatest orchestras, the London Symphony Orchestra, will not be disappointed with this CD set.

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