Collins is back!
Robert Mueller | Seattle WA | 06/14/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
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I bought Collins LPs of #1 & #2 in the 60s on London's low-priced Richmond label, after mono records like these became passe' when stereo burst upon the scene. However, Martin Bookspan, in Stereo Review circa 60, still loved Collins' Sibelius, as well as Kousivitsky's, as did I.
After I gave all my 3000 LPs to the local library, most Sibelius recordings I heard seemed tame and uninspired. In a weak moment, I ordered these from Amazon, suspecting I had nostalgically over-rated those performances. I was pleased I was even more impressed upon listening to them now, after decades of experiencing a variety of other conductors, live and on CDs.
Collins has an affinity and flair for Sibelius that he never seemed to matched with other composers. Most Amazon Sibelius reviewers omit mentioning Collins in their comparisons and I suspect are unaware of him. However, Hiram Gomez Pardo writes"...the Second belongs to Anthony Collins (forget about any other recording ever made; this is a supreme musical document); the Third has in Collins another serious contender...." Jeffrey Lee adds"...It is quite obvious that I think very highly of Anthony Collins' interpretations (of Sibelius). His commanding dynamics, emotional sensitivity and attention to color and detail affirm a level of quality that is consistently excellent...."
Besides intensity, cultivated phrasing, and emotional heaving, Collins elevates the drama by having his tympanist add incisive punctuation at key points. For instance, in the coda of #2, he adds a third beat to echo the melody. Koussevitzky also used that tympani triplet in his '35 and '50 recordings, as does Mackerras in '94 and Maksymiuk in '95, but with less dramatic effect then Collins. All other recordings I am aware of eschew that rhythm, as did various live performances I attended. I have talked with several tympanists after Sibelius performances and they have been unaware of that practice. The effect is so Sibelian that I can't understand conductors not using it.
I am thrilled to have acquired these four Sibelius symphonies with excellent sonics and heartfelt playing. My appetite is whetted for the other Collins' set of the last three symphonies and tone poems.
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Famous sibelius recordings
Ivor E. Zetler | Sydney Australia | 09/14/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Anthony Collins (1893-1963), a conductor more renowned as an interpreter of light classics, would nowadays be a name unknown to most music lovers. This fact notwithstanding, these Sibelius recordings, made between 1952 and 1954, have long been famous for the vitality and authenticity of the interpretations. The quality of the Decca mono sound is also amazingly vivid given its vintage.
Although all the symphonies are superbly executed, it is Symphony No 1 that is the most memorable. It is a taut, dramatic performance that puts most other versions in the shade.
These recordings were previously expensive.They are now reissued at a budget price on the excellent Eloquence label. If you are a Sibelius fan, this should be an obligatory purchase."
