Search - Sibelius, Anthony Collins, Lso :: Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 (Collins)

Anthological performances!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 10/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There have been just a few conductors in the history you can immediately establish an automatic link with a special composer. Fürtwangler -Beethoven, Munch-Mendelssohn, Fricsay-Bartok for instance. So add in this sense, Sibelius-Collins.



This Fourth Symphony is played with such nuance and verve with such expansive nervous and vigorous energy without permeates the intense epic lyricism immersed in the score.

The Fifth Symphony constitutes the most enraptured and cosmic of Sibelius Symphonies. It 's a work that hardly can catalogue itself as human in strict sense.



And this Finale must be played with such fevered intensity and elusive mood without falling in romantic approach that many conductors are entangled by this motive. It 's a everlasting Farewell a gradual vanishing and dissolution in the immensity of the cosmos.



There are many interesting visions around. Segerstam, for instance makes an extraordinary an original proposal, Koussevitzky made a legendary performance with the Boston Symphony and Kajanus an epic and human pronouncement. But you the most of conductors simply ignore the intention beneath the score, conforming themselves with the rigor of the notes: that 's the point. And that 's the reason why the most of the interpretations sound so similar, because these are Apollonian readings. They lack of Dionysian approach, of that sublime exultation and post epic halo.



Try to get this album and everything you can about Collins conducting Sibelius. It will crown all your efforts.

"