Search - Jean Sibelius, Mariss Jansons, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra :: Sibelius: Symphony in D No. 2; Valse Triste; Swan of Tuonela; Andante festivo

Excellent in musical terms, if not in orchestral playing

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 06/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD has been reissued as part of a bargain two-fer from EMI, giving us a fair sample of Jansons' early workwith Sibelius when he was a rising star with the Oslo Phil. It was recordings like this one of Sym. #2 that made his reputation, although I must say the recent remake with the Concertgebouw on that orchestra's house label turned out to be dullish. Here there's lot os spirit and conviciton. You get the feeling in eery bar that the Oslo musicians are playing music that's in their blood, and even better, the level of execution rises higher than what we hear from provinical Finnish orchestras.



Thankfully, Jansons doesn't try to be profound in the first movement, playing it for propulsion and pace. The result is one of the more exciting versions on disc. The second movement is a bit of a let down rhythmically, but nowhere as much as Colin Davis in his various genteel readings. The brass-dominated climaxes bring us into the stirring world of finlandia quite effectively. The Oslo strings aren't quite up to the Vivacissimo marking of the third movement -- you won't mistkae this for the NY Phil. under Bernstein or the Berlin Phil. under Karajan. The finale is dramatic but marred by less than first-rate brass playing, which isn't to say that the musicians aren't giving their all. In a field crammed with good but not riveting versions of the ever-popular Second, Jansons' belongs on the top shelf. It's not as emotionally wrenching as the famous Barbirolli account, but I'd put it ahead of Bernstein from Vienna on DG, Ormandy on Sony, Rattle on EMI, and even the sainted Beecham live on BBC Legends. The fillers are also well done, but one misses Karajan's sumptuousness in the Swan of Tuonela and Stokowski's hypnotic atmosphere.







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