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Review by beardawgs February 1, 2004 (4 of 5 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
This is a great collection of Sibelius’ music for stage. As comparison, Grieg comes first to mind, but if you don’t know this music don’t expect something like Peer Gynt. Sibelius is much more ethereal and doesn’t have Grieg’s catchy tunes, but it is by no means less worthy. It comes as a welcome addition actually to hear a completely different Nordic approach (more philosophical and meditative) to theatre music of the same period.
The most famous piece here is Pelleas and Melisande. As expected, Swensen is less grandiose and more humane than Karajan (with whom I discovered this great music) and his reading is concentrated on detail. But he never looses the unity of the sound picture, which is bold and intimate respectively. And the favourite filling to every Sibelius disc, Valse Triste has the same qualities. Swensen naturally understands where this music is coming from, and he treats even the smallest pieces as any of the composer’s late symphonies.
The orchestra, for sure one of the best British chamber orchestras nowadays is fascinating and responsive. Swensen is eloquent in slow sections, but never dragging his tempos, how ever slow they are. He never rushes his crescendos, fills in the space with music and meaning likewise. And the music is full of varieties, swapping chamber-like and symphonic episodes all the time.
Sound wise, this is probably the best Linn SACD we’ve ever heard. Orchestral sound is homogenous, with every solo instrument given its natural presence (in MC). It is mainly on the quiet side, with quite a few impressive dynamic outbursts, not just loud, but voluminous as well. A winner all around!
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Review by Oscar June 28, 2005 (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S/MC): / |
Sibelius is a composer that took big advantage of the strings section of the orchestra in writing his works.
This attractive volume of Theatre Music, played by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra plays with verve and commitement. The interpretations are detailed and at the same time very elastic and flexible, giving a wonderful flow to the music. The various pieces are among the lesser known Sibelius composition, a music giant of the XX Century.
While hearing the disc, one sometimes could consider a certain lack of weight from this orchestra: it is after all only a Chamber ensemble, and it seems to me a minor drawback.
Sound is the usual from Linn: excellent. Detailed and with good ambiance. A good buy.
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