Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6 - Maazel (1995)

Jean Sibelius

Symphony No. 2 Op. 43 in D Major

Symphony No. 6 Op. 104 in D Minor

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Lorin Maazel

SK 53 268

Recorded in 1990 (2nd) and 1992 (6th) well into Maazel's tenure at the Heinz Hall, in the city he has grown up in, this amazing recording showcases the Pittsburgh Symphony in all its brilliance. The orchestra's stunning technique and beauty of tone proves once again very wrong the old elitist cliché of the "Big Five" (Boston, New York, Cleveland, Chicago and Philadelphia).

The venerable Maestro presents a poignant meditation on the great 2nd Symphony, and a radiant and fragrant take on the lighter, golden tone of the 6th.

Flac Image & Covers

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos.2 & 6 - Helsinki Phil. Orchestra, Segerstam

Jean Sibelius

Symphonies Nos.2 & 6
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam
Ondine CD

No comment from me.
They liked it over at classicstoday.com ('course they did: after all, it doesn't go against any of their dogmas, and neither the Helsinki Phil. or Segerstam are on their 'enemy-of-the-people list').

Classics Today Rating: 9/10

Leif Segerstam's new Sibelius cycle continues in strength with this fine pairing. Symphony No. 2 receives a first-rate performance that offers biting energy and taut rhythms despite the generally relaxed tempos. In fact Segerstam's natural and idiomatic phrasing and the fulsome sound he draws from the Helsinki Philharmonic gives the music a special vitality, whether in the first movement's climactic development (where the strings soar sweetly and the brass offer golden-toned declamations), in the andante's somber drama, or in the finale's grandly sweeping rhetoric. The great performances of this symphony remain those of conductors such as Barbirolli, Bernstein, and Szell, but Segerstam's handsomely played rendition stands as a fine modern alternative, worthy to take its place beside them.

The Sixth is an outright marvel. Again, Segerstam employs relatively slow tempos, but such is the beauty of sound and rhythmic vibrancy that the music maintains a fluidity that defies the pacing. Segerstam's careful rendering of Sibelius' precisely calculated balances draws you irresistibly into this symphony's special sound world. The tranquil slow movement achieves a near-hypnotic effect through the exceptionally vivd woodwind detail. The gently dancing scherzo here suggests Debussy, while the slightly relaxed finale evokes a uniquely refined euphoria and gentle melancholy. This Sixth is a triumph, one of the finest available. Ondine's realistic recording perfectly complements Segerstam's ravishing sound concept.

--Victor Carr Jr