Search - Heikki Keinonen, Jean Sibelius, Osmo Vänskä :: Sibelius: The Tempest, Op. 109

	Heikki Keinonen, Jean Sibelius, Osmo Vänskä Sibelius: The Tempest, Op. 109 Genre: Classical The Tempest was Sibelius's last score for the theater, and also his most extensive. He arranged a couple of suites for separate performance away from Shakespeare's play, as was his custom in similar circumstances, but rece... more » « less
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CD Details

All Artists: Heikki Keinonen, Jean Sibelius, Osmo Vänskä, Lilli Paasikivi, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Kirsi Tiihonen, Anssi Hirvonen, Paavo Kerola
Title: Sibelius: The Tempest, Op. 109
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Bis
Release Date: 3/26/1993
Album Type: Import
Genre: Classical
Styles: Forms & Genres, Concertos, Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music, Instruments, Strings
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 750582498626, 7318590005811, 750582498626

Synopsis

Amazon.com

The Tempest was Sibelius's last score for the theater, and also his most extensive. He arranged a couple of suites for separate performance away from Shakespeare's play, as was his custom in similar circumstances, but recently there has been renewed interest in the complete work. Aside from the orchestral movements that found their way into the suites, Sibelius wrote choruses, songs, and additional interludes, all of which are worth hearing. The overture and storm music are Sibelius's most harmonically advanced pieces--dissonant, and truly frightening. This performance wrings every drop of drama from each number. It's essential for fans of the composer. --David Hurwitz

CD Reviews

Transporting stuff

12/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Perhaps you have heard excerpts from Sibelius's Incidental Music to The Tempest but these do not convey the full evocative potency of the complete score. For one thing, the complete score (given its world premiere recording here) includes much enchanting material often omitted from the suites. For another, the orchestrations are sometimes different, often more elaborate. The individual numbers are arranged in a theatrical sequence, giving a sense of story-telling even though a spoken context is here not given. Last but not least, the complete score includes solo vocal and choral parts. While this music may not have the quite same melodic crowd appeal as Grieg's Peer Gynt, it is possibly even more effective in transporting the listener's mind to a magical time and place. It certainly is among Sibelius's most imaginative scores.

The Bis recording places the microphones at a distance, resulting in extreme pianissimos, and if I have any complaint, it is that the dynamic range is too wide for any one volume setting of the sound system. But certainly the evocation of wide-open spaces is conveyed, particularly in the sections with chorus. The sound definition is almost unnervingly realistic with an great sense of aural perspective and balance. The playing, singing and conducting are sympathetic and cultured, worthy of this fine music."

A monumental recording

Ytzan | Athens, GR | 02/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This account of "The Tempest" will become a classic. Red-hot, full of passion brings out the atmosphere of the Shakespearian drama. Osmo Vanska with the Lahti SO at top form make an exceptional account of the much neglected masterpiece. I am not sure I can judge the singing since my Finnish are non existent but my ears didn't hurt. Along with Jarvi's account of the Symphonies probably the best digital Sibelius you'll find out there."