Search - Jean Sibelius, John Barbirolli, Hallé :: Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5

Barbirolli's finest Sibelius

Anthony Fast | Asheville, nc | 08/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These are Barbirolli's 2 finest Sibelius symphony recordings. The 5th with his Halle Orchestra was recorded in the late 1950s, and the 2d in 1962 with the Royal Philharmonic for Reader's Digest. Both have been previously issued on CD. The 5th came on EMI in a series of recordings Barbirolli made for the PYE label, and the 2d was issued on a Chesky CD.



Most listeners who know Barbirolli's Sibelius have listened to the EMI recordings of the cycle made in the late 60s at the end of SJR's life. While they are excellent in their way, they are somewhat ponderous and slow compared to these earlier tapings.



The recording of the Second is especially important in that it was made the day after the conductor's mother died. He announced this to the orchestra and off they went to create the most heart-felt performance ever committed to disc. Nearly a half century later it still stands at the summit of recordings of this masterwork. The sonics leave nothing to be desired.



The Halle Orch in the 50s was not as rich and smooth as the finest London orchestras, and its lack of finesse is evident in the 5th. Yet the performance has tremendous energy and intensity, and any slippage in discipline is more than compensated by the clear communication of passion.



A top-drawer CD of Sibelius done in the Grand Old Tradition.



Captain Classics"

Olympus, Indeed!

Good Stuff | 05/01/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"That these are two of Sir John Barbirolli's finest recordings, and that they are at least amongst the finest recordings of Sibelius ever released cannot be argued. Both recordings are simply magnificent.



The 2nd was indeed released by Reader's Digest Records (those were the days!). The recording was produced by Charles Gerhardt and recorded by the legendary RCA engineer Kenneth Wilkinson at Walthamstow Hall, London, on October 1 and 9, 1962, some four years before he would record it for his complete set of the Sibelius symphonies. The Royal Philharmonic is in fine form here. It is simply glorious.



The 5th, however, is not from 1959 as stated elsewhere. It is a live performance (in fine stereo)from a BBC Proms broadcast concert at Royal Albert Hall on August 9, 1968, some two years after Sir John's recording of the same symphony, with the same orchestra, for his complete recording of the Sibelius Symphonies. There are profound differences in interpretation here. Not so much in tempi. The live performance clocks in at about one minute less than the commercial performance. But within the confines of the movements there is much more a feeling of ebb and flow in the live performance. Yes, the horns and strings are slightly less precise here (the treacheries of live performance) but the playing is so heartfelt. It is impossible, in my opinion, to walk away from this performance unmoved. I would never take a thing away from Sir John's recordings of the complete Symphonies. As a set, they have never been equaled.



But this single disc, capturing as it does one of Sibelius' greatest interpreters conducting, arguably, Sibelius' two most popular symphonies, should not be missed."