Here, hot on the heels of
volume 1, is the second of three of Mark Obert-Thorn’s
transfers from original 1930s Sibelius Society 78s. The third and last
should be out very soon. It will feature symphonies 3 and 5 plus the
fascinating
March Of The Finnish Jaeger Battalion. The contents
follow the equivalent CDs issued by Koch International back in the early
1990s. The same engineer was also contracted by Koch to do the transfers.
I have not heard any of the Koch discs but they are unlikely to be preferred
over these Naxos issues since Mr Obert-Thorn tells me: “Back then,
I was just starting out doing transfers professionally. I did the Koch
series on open-reel tape … I was only able to remove the worst
pops and clicks through use of a razor blade and splicing tape. Now,
I record and edit digitally, using CEDAR de-clicking, which cleans the
sound up much more thoroughly than the old method. Also, I leave the
sound much more open and less filtered than I did twenty years ago.”
Naxos tells us that when offered a grant in 1930 to foster a wider
international
interest through recordings to be made in London Sibelius chose Kajanus
without
a blink: “there are none who have gone deeper and given (my
symphonies)
more feeling and beauty than Robert Kajanus”.
The programme is artfully sequenced. First we get the fey and fragile
exotica,
glistening fantasy and wan orientalism of
Belshazzar's Feast. Then
come
the exuberant outer movements of the
Karelia Suite: why did Kajanus
opt
for just the two, I wonder? Was it some non-musical pressure that prompted
the
decision? In any event Kajanus adopts a buoyant upbeat approach. The
Second
Symphony is also pushed and whirled along rather than indulgent or
languorous.
The first movement may even seem a bit breathless and much the same can be
said
of the finale. Otherwise speeds are apt but unremarkable. Phrasing is
nicely
sculpted throughout.
The notes by Colin Anderson are spot-on and there is an extended
introduction
by Mark Obert-Thorn giving us some insight into the diligent and
punctilious
work involved in assembling the best sounding result from as many as four
different
sets of 78s in the case of the Second Symphony.
Sibelius voiced by the composer’s chosen conductor in the best
sounding
transfers yet.
Rob Barnett
Masterwork Index:
Sibelius
symphony 2
Series Index:
Naxos
Historical
