My biggest worry about "modern" interpretations is fussiness in the name of freshness: abrupt tempo changes/accelerations, etc; turning the textures inside out, bizarre balances. micromanaging each note/phrase.
Thank Darwin, none of that here. For me, the make or break moment is the trombone solo. In Vanska's hands it's just right: the lead up isn't rushed, and, during the solo, orchestral support is IMHO perfectly balanced-- built from the bottom up, (bass). The massive shifting chords grind and gleam as they should, everything is weighty and resounding. Bravo here.
Considering complaints about BIS' dynamic range, the quiet opening was plenty fleshed-out. During the "stream of consciousness" half-hour that follows, there's not a dull stretch. That said, Vanska blessedly avoids mining this or that passage for "new meaning."
I'm assuming the orchestra was recorded in the same fabulous hall that Aubort/Nickrenz used for the Ravel Vox Box years ago. Yikes: decades ago. Very gratifying balance of detail and glow. Wide soundstage.
Anyone hear the other symphonies from this set? The 2nd and 5th have a lot of competition. It's hard for me to imagine Karajan being replaced in the 5th, or Barbirolli/Maazel/Szell for the 2nd, (though Szell just misses the transcendence of the final pages, as is his wont).
The other CD includes the 1st and 4th. IMHO Karajan's hard to beat in the 4th (the atmosphere!) but the 1st is pretty unbreakable: I've discovered I like the Davis/Boston, Berglund's first EMI, and Maazel's/VPO. Again, hard to ruin the 1st, unless too clinical and/or robbed of it's Tchaikovskian influence. (Of course, too much of a good thing is bad too.)
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Topic - BIS Sibelius #7 Vanska/Minnesota: Fabulous recording, unfussy interpretation, recommended! - jdaniel@jps.net 08:23:27 09/13/16 (35)
- RE: BIS Sibelius #7 Vanska/Minnesota: Fabulous recording, unfussy interpretation, recommended! - kitch29 14:38:42 09/14/16 (10)
- So sorry about the Mravinsky! He thinks everything's about Stalin, apparently. - jdaniel@jps.net 19:30:03 09/14/16 (9)
- If you weren't quite so parochial in your set view of trombone playing. . . - Chris from Lafayette 21:24:19 09/14/16 (8)
- I see the Mravinsky is available as an SACD on Praga Digitals - Russell 16:16:31 09/15/16 (3)
- I haven't heard it - but it seemed like it was overkill to me too {nt] - Chris from Lafayette 16:57:04 09/15/16 (2)
- RE: I haven't heard it - but it seemed like it was overkill to me too {nt] - Ivan303 17:23:44 09/15/16 (1)
- I have an old JVC CD incarnation from Japan - Chris from Lafayette 17:36:32 09/15/16 (0)
- RE: In this corner, Mravinsky...... - kitch29 06:56:49 09/15/16 (1)
- "what makes this work a symphony and not a tone poem?" - Chris from Lafayette 07:09:33 09/15/16 (0)
- I'm sorry, you know I'm not a contrarian, but I just find the whole performance an abomination. nt - jdaniel@jps.net 22:52:47 09/14/16 (1)
- Fair enough - sounds as if you need to get back to the comfort of. . . - Chris from Lafayette 00:01:18 09/15/16 (0)
- Would anyone want to compare Vanska/Lahti vs. V./Minnesota? nt - steve.ott@kctcs.edu 14:18:12 09/14/16 (6)
- I have Symphonnies 1, 4, 6 and 7 from the Lahti cycle - Chris from Lafayette 21:36:53 09/14/16 (5)
- I had forgotten about Kamu doing a cycle - steve.ott@kctcs.edu 13:43:01 09/15/16 (2)
- His 3 is something special. nt - Sigmund 08:58:42 09/17/16 (0)
- I just downloaded the Kamu/Lahti Sibelius "bundle" about an hour ago - Chris from Lafayette 00:07:33 09/16/16 (0)
- I have to recommend the Lintu Blu-Ray again.... - srl1 04:29:49 09/15/16 (1)
- Too many riches! Yes, for sure, that Lintu set is another one I want to investigate! - Chris from Lafayette 07:00:31 09/15/16 (0)
- I like my Sibelius very Nordic.... No bombast please.... - andy evans 12:09:32 09/14/16 (9)
- RE: "Nordic" feeling - genungo 06:55:28 09/16/16 (4)
- That's what I was wondering too! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 11:13:40 09/16/16 (3)
- RE: That's what I was wondering too! - genungo 11:30:33 09/16/16 (2)
- Nordic for me.... - andy evans 12:18:08 09/16/16 (1)
- RE: Nordic for me.... - genungo 16:30:01 09/16/16 (0)
- RE: I like my Sibelius very Nordic.... No bombast please.... - Frihed89 14:44:00 09/15/16 (1)
- Danish and Norwegian... - andy evans 02:53:38 09/16/16 (0)
- Sibelius 7: Szell, Cleveland Orchestra - pbarach 16:06:46 09/14/16 (1)
- RE: Sibelius 7: Szell, Cleveland Orchestra - Todd Krieger 00:44:59 09/15/16 (0)
- The high point of Vanska's new cycle, IMO - Doktor Brahms 06:54:41 09/14/16 (0)
- Glad you like it - I do too - Chris from Lafayette 09:12:17 09/13/16 (2)
- Found it on TIDAL.... - Ivan303 20:32:44 09/13/16 (0)
- Sorry I missed that! Yes, Hurwitz was even more disappointed with the 2 and 5 - jdaniel@jps.net 18:18:58 09/13/16 (0)
- Vanska 2nd and 5th - TGR 08:39:09 09/13/16 (2)
- Totally understand where you're coming from with the Szell. Via Maazel's performances I've come to appreciate - jdaniel@jps.net 18:12:14 09/13/16 (1)
- No Arguments with Maazel's VPO cycle - TGR 07:45:51 09/14/16 (0)