Barbirolli: Sibelius – Symphonies no.1-7 (5 CD box set, APE)

Orchestra: Halle Orchestra
Conductor: John Barbirolli
Composer: Jean Sibelius
Audio CD
SPARS Code: A-D
Number of Discs: 5 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: EMI Classics
Size: 1.65 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

Disc: 1
01. Finlandia, tone poem for orchestra, Op. 26
02. Karelia Suite, for orchestra, Op. 11: 1. Intermezzo
03. Karelia Suite, for orchestra, Op. 11: 2. Ballade
04. Karelia Suite, for orchestra, Op. 11: 3. Alla marcia
05. Pohjola’s Daughter (Pohjolan tytär), symphonic fantasy for orchestra, Op. 49
06. Valse Triste, for orchestra (from Kuolema), Op. 44/1
07. Lemminkäinen Suite: Four Legends from the Kalevala, for orchestra, Op. 22: 2. The Swan of Tuonela
08. Lemminkäinen Suite: Four Legends from the Kalevala, for orchestra, Op. 22: 4. Lemminkäinen’s Return

Disc: 2
01. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39: 1. Andante, ma non troppo – Allegro energico
02. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39: 2. Andante (ma non troppo lento)
03. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39: 3. Scherzo (Allegro)
04. Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39: 4. Finale: Quasi una fantasia (Andante – Allegro molto)
05. Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63: 1. Tempo molto moderato, quasi adagio
06. Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63: 2. Allegro molto vivace
07. Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63: 3. Il tempo largo
08. Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63: 4. Allegro

Disc: 3
01. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43: 1. Allegretto
02. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43: 2. Tempo andante, ma rubato
03. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43: 3. Vivacissimo
04. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43: 4. Finale (Allegro moderato)
05. Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52: 1. Allegro moderato
06. Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52: 2. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
07. Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52: 3. Moderato – Allegro (ma non tanto)

Disc: 4
01. Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82: 1. Tempo molto moderato – Allegro moderato – Presto
02. Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82: 2. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto
03. Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82: 3. Allegro molto – Un pochettino largamente
04. Pelléas et Mélisande, suite for orchestra (or piano), Op. 46: 1. At the Castle Gate
05. Pelléas et Mélisande, suite for orchestra (or piano), Op. 46: 2. Mélisande
06. Pelléas et Mélisande, suite for orchestra (or piano), Op. 46: 7. Mélisande at the Spinning Wheel
07. Pelléas et Mélisande, suite for orchestra (or piano), Op. 46: 9. The Death of Mélisande
08. Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105: Adagio
09. Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105: Un pochettino meno adagio – Vivacissimo – Adagio
10. Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105: Allegro molto moderato
11. Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105: Vivace – Presto – Adagio

Disc: 5
01. Scènes Historiques I (3), suite for orchestra, Op. 25: No. 1, All’ overtura
02. Scènes Historiques II (3), suite for orchestra, Op. 66: No. 1, The Hunt
03. Scènes Historiques I (3), suite for orchestra, Op. 25: No. 2, Scena
04. Rakastava (The Lover), suite for string orchestra, triangle & timpani, Op. 14: 1. The Lover
05. Rakastava (The Lover), suite for string orchestra, triangle & timpani, Op. 14: 2. The Way of the Lover
06. Rakastava (The Lover), suite for string orchestra, triangle & timpani, Op. 14: 3. Goodnight, my beloved, farewell
07. Romance, for string orchestra in C major, Op. 42
08. Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104: 1. Allegro molto moderato
09. Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104: 2. Allegretto moderato
10. Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104: 3. Poco vivace
11. Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104: 4. Allegro molto

A Stunningly Beautiful Set

Let me add my praise to this amazing set of performances. I’ve been going through just about every complete set and so far this one is it. I, unlike most, don’t think much of the Davis recordings, neither in sound or performance. I just got through with Sanderling, which I quite enjoyed. But I’m over the moon with this set – the sound is so beautiful and detailed, and Barbirolli is just great with these – you hear every detail and in certain cases it’s like hearing the music in a completely different way. After this, the Bernstein sounds very heavy-handed at times, although I do enjoy some of his versions. Ormandy is always a favorite of mine – I have the Columbia recordings but not the RCA – those are on their way to me. The Kamu, for me, at least on the CD layer of the SACD is a bust for the most part, but maybe I’ll feel differently when I’ve heard it on SACD. I have the Lintu on Blu-ray to get through. I’m not much for Maazel. The Berglund continues to grow on me, but I’m not in love with the sound – a bit washy to me. What I’ve heard of the Vanska isn’t thrilling, at least to me. So at this juncture, this set has become my favorite and until something else supplants it or equals it this will be my go-to. And the tone poems included are also wonderfully done in beautifully detailed sound – done at a time when recording engineers seemed to understand they were making, you know, a RECORDING, not something that sounds like you’re sitting in the lobby listening to an orchestra play somewhere far away, which is of absolutely no interest to me. Highly recommended!