Jukka-Pekka Saraste - Sibelius :Comp.symphonies - Import 3 CD

Credits:

Jukka-Pekka Saraste

Description:

[“Sibelius’s Orchestra”: The Helsinki Philharmonic and Principal Conductor Saraste. Their third complete symphony cycle, created with the shared goal of reaching the pinnacle of excellence, is now available!] The Helsinki Philharmonic, which premiered Sibelius’s Symphonies Nos. 1 through 6 and considers itself “Sibelius’s Orchestra,” They released complete symphony cycle recordings with Berglund from 1982 to 1987 and with Segerstam from 2002 to 2004 (in Japan specifically, a live recording from their 1982 tour, conducted jointly by Okko Kamm and Akio Watanabe, was also released). Saraste, who has served as the Helsinki Philharmonic’s chief conductor and artistic director since 2023, also recorded a complete symphony cycle with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra between 1987 and 1989. In 1993, he released a complete cycle recorded live in St. Petersburg. This marks the third recording of the complete cycle for both artists. This project, launched in 2023 as “Sibelius & Saraste” to coincide with Saraste’s appointment as chief conductor, initially aimed to capture on video a benchmark for contemporary Sibelius performances (as of April 2026, this footage is available on Stage+). Following the success of these performances, both parties decided to release a complete symphony cycle on CD—their third such release. However, at Saraste’s strong insistence, Symphony No. 1 was completely re-recorded (a different performance from the Stage+ version), and for Symphonies No. 2 and beyond, different takes from the video have been used in various sections. Recording and mastering were handled by Enno Maamets, a veteran engineer known for numerous outstanding recordings, including Segerstam’s “Earthquake,” which garnered attention for its intense sound. Another appealing aspect is how it conveys the orchestra’s sense of scale and energy without compromising either. Born in 1956, Saraste was in his late 60s at the time of recording. His conducting, as seen on video, features broad arm movements and is energetic and dynamic. His conviction regarding these works comes through clearly. While the playing time is nearly identical to the 1993 recording with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the range of tempo and dynamics has expanded, and accents are more pronounced, resulting in a performance that feels more intricate and dramatic. At the same time, the inner voices are rendered more clearly, and the subtle movements of the woodwinds stand out even in passages where the strings sing the melody as a unified whole—a feature that makes it easier for the listener to share in Salaste’s understanding of Sibelius’s score. Although the orchestra’s tone is somewhat subdued, the performance is passionate. At the climax, it delivers a magnificent crescendo accompanied by a fiery sound, and the recording masterfully conveys the movements of the lower registers within this intensity. A dynamic complete set has been born that will likely go down in history as a milestone in the performance history of Sibelius. The recordings of Symphony No. 2 and No. 5 include audience applause following the performance. *The Japanese edition includes a Japanese liner note by Satoshi Kobe. Naxos Japan