Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Karelia Suite, Op. 11 (1893) [15:26]
Four Legends from the Kalevala, Op. 22 (I Lemminkäinen and the Maidens
of the Island [15:24]; II Lemminkäinen in Tuonela [15:05]; III The Swan
of Tuonela [8:23]
7 IV Lemminkäinen’s Return [6:08]) (1893-95) [45:10]
The Bard, Op. 64 (1913) [6:53]; En Saga, Op. 9 (1892 rev 1901) [18:26]
Helsinki Radio Symphony Orchestra/Okko Kamu
The Tempest: Overture, Op. 109 No. 1 (1926) [5:54]; The Oceanides, Op. 73
(1914) [8:39]; Nightride and Sunrise, Op. 55 (1907) [13:29]
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Eugen Jochum
rec. Concert Hall, Helsinki, Finland, October 1972 (The Bard, En Saga), October
1975 (Karelia Suite, Four Legends); Residenz, Herkulessaal, Munich, Germany,
November 1955 (The Tempest, The Oceanides, Nightride and Sunrise). ADD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON ELOQUENCE 480 3297 [61:06 + 54:00]
Here we have prime analogue recordings from Jochum in the 1950s and Kamu in
the 1970s. The first CD is an exact read-across of DGG LP 2530 656 - quite
generously filled for vinyl. The second compiles two 1970s vintage Kamu-led
tone poems previously keeping company with his classic Finnish RSO versions
of symphonies 1 and 3 (he also recorded 2 with the Berlin Phil) alongside
Jochum’s rarely encountered Sibelius from DGG 17075 - an earlyish 10”
LP. So far as Kamu is concerned whatever happened to this Karajan protégé
who here delivers a very succulent Bard - quite the most romantic version
I have heard. He also puts across a good En Saga but not excelling
Stein or Furtwängler. As to the stirring Lemminkainen Suite this
for many years held sway in the LP catalogue. There were not many other versions:
Jalas and the Hungarian State were reputedly rather rough but with good credentials;
Jensen sounded rather matte. On Nonesuch Lukas Foss was very good indeed but
not always easy to get hold of. In the late 1970s Ormandy signed up with EMI
and re-recorded the Lemminkainen Legends that he had originally recorded
with the Philadelphia in the 1950s for CBS. It was and remains revelatory.
Kamu is very good so it is well worth tracking down this inexpensive set.
The woodwind are given a burnished emphasis and those crashing chords at the
end of Lemminkainen and the Maidens of Saari are still stunning. There
is a great deal here to enjoy. If you want to extend your knowledge of Kamu
in the symphonies then do go for the DG
Trio set. It’s intriguing to see Cord Garben credited as executive
producer of the Kamu tracks. We are more used to hearing him now as pianist
in lieder by Zeisl, Loewe and Zemlinsky. Wind back two decades and here is
Jochum with a slowly stuttering start to a satisfying Nightride and
a very good Oceanides. He is let down only by an overly mechanistic
Tempest prelude. This will appeal to LP era nostalgiacs but also and
more widely Sibelius fans will find that Kamu in particular has much to tell
us about Sibelius performing tradition.
Rob Barnett
Will appeal to LP era nostalgiacs and the wider constituency of Sibelius fans.