The Music Pages | September 2007

Five recordings to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Jean Sibelius - including the complete Sibelius recordings for Decca by Eduard van Beinum and Anthony Collins. All the reissues represent a first international release on CD - truly a cause for celebration.

Cat. No.: 442 9447
Barcode: 0028944294477
Label: Decca CD
Release Date:
8 September

TOM KRAUSE | SIBELIUS | R. STRAUSS: Songs

ARTISTS

Tom Krause, baritone

Pentti Koskimies, piano

John Williams, guitar*

TRACK LISTING

SIBELIUS: Flickan kom ifran sin äsklings möte, Op.37, No. 5

Hennes budskap, Op.90, No. 2

Jägargossen, Op.13, No. 7

Längtan heter min arvedel, Op.86, No. 2

På verandan vid havet, Op.38, No. 2

Romeo, Op.61, No. 4

Marssnön

Kullervon valitus [Kullervo Symphony, Op.7]

Höstkväll, Op.38, No. 1

Den första kyssen, Op.37, No. 1

I systrar, I broder, I alskande par, Op.86, No. 6

Våren flyktar hastigt, Op.13, No. 4

Näcken, Op.57, No. 8

Langsamt som kvällskyn, Op.61, No. 1

Jag är ett träd, Op.57, No. 5

Norden, Op.90, No. 1

Narciss

Om, kvällen, (Illalle) Op.17, No. 6

Säv, säv, susa, Op.36, No. 4

Kom nu hit, död!, Op.60, No. 1*

Lastu lainehilla, Op.17, No. 7

Diamanten på Marssnön, Op.36, No. 6

Vilse, Op.17/4

Svarta Rosor, Op.36, No. 1

Var det en drom?, Op.37, No. 4

R. STRAUSS: Zueignung, Op.10, No. 1 - original version

Traum durch die Dämmerung, Op.29, No. 1

Ständchen, Op.17, No. 2

Breit über mein Haupt, Op.19, No. 2

'Ach, weh mir unglueckhaftem Mann', Op.21, No. 4

Heimliche Aufforderung, Op.27, No. 3

Ruhe, meine Seele, Op.27, No. 1

Caecilie, Op.27, No. 2

FIRST RELEASE ON CD

Tom Krause, the celebrated Finnish baritone, recorded Sibelius songs for Decca twice. These early 1960s recordings are among the most sought-after of Decca recordings, and both, the all-Sibelius as well as the Sibelius/Strauss LPs he made are combined on a single disc. The voice is fresh, youthful and hedonistic and for those unfamiliar with Sibelius the symphonist's song writing, this is a perfect place to begin.

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Cat. No.: 442 9486
Barcode: 0028944294866
Label: Decca CD
Release Date:
8 September

ARTISTS

Fitzwilliam String Quartet

George Isaac, cello*

Martin Jones, piano*

TRACK LISTING

SIBELIUS: String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56 'Voces intimae'

DELIUS: String Quartet (1916)

DELIUS: Sonata in one movement for cello and piano (1916)*

FIRST RELEASE ON CD

Hidden gems of the chamber music repertoire, the Fitzwilliam String Quartet's sublime recordings of the string quartets of Sibelius and Delius are released on CD for the first time, coupled with Delius's little cello masterpiece - his Sonata in one movement. Alan George of the Fitzwilliam Quartet provides the liner notes for the two pieces this ensemble has recorded and this reissue is dedicated to the memory of Christopher Rowland, first violinist, who recently passed away.

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Cat. No.: 442 9487
Barcode: 0028944294873
Label: Decca 2CD
Release Date:
8 September

ARTISTS

Jan Damen, violin+

London Philharmonic Orchestra+

Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam

Eduard van Beinum

Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra*

Thomas Jensen*

TRACK LISTING

SIBELIUS: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47+

En Saga, Op. 9

Finlandia, Op. 26

Valse Triste, Op. 44

Tapiola, Op. 112

Four Legends*

FIRST INTERNATIONAL RELEASE ON CD

Eduard van Beinum was quite a Sibelius pioneer and collected here are his complete Sibelius recordings for Decca and Philips. The set also marks the first appearance on CD of his Violin Concerto in a 1952 performance by Jan Damen (a former leader of the Concertgebouw) and the London Philharmonic. A collector's haven, this 2CD set is completed with Thomas Jensen's 1953 recording of the Four Legends, an absolute rarity, played with tremendous energy and spirit.

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Cat. No.: 442 9490
Barcode: 0028944294903
Label: Decca 2CD
Release Date:
8 September

ANTHONY COLLINS | SIBELIUS: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4

ARTISTS

London Symphony Orchestra

Anthony Collins

TRACK LISTING

SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39

Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 43

Symphony No. 3 in C, Op. 52

Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63

High on the list of requests for reissues from Decca are Anthony Collins's recordings of Sibelius's symphonies. Lovingly remastered from the original tapes, they make their first CD appearance on the Decca label as two 2CD sets.

'The name Anthony Collins (1893-1963) probably doesn't mean a great deal to the majority of younger Gramophone readers, but for quite a few serious Sibelius aficionados his 1950s Decca recordings hold cult status. Collins's readings possess a red-blooded fervour and thrusting energy to which many will rightly respond.' Gramophone

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Cat. No.: 442 9493
Barcode: 0028944294934
Label: Decca 2CD
Release Date:
8 September

ARTISTS

London Symphony Orchestra

Anthony Collins

Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra+

Thomas Jensen+

TRACK LISTING

SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 5 in E flat, Op. 82

Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104

Symphony No. 7 in C, Op. 105

Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49

Nightride and Sunrise, Op. 55 (1909)

Pelléas et Mélisande - Incidental Music, Op. 46

Karelia Overture, Op. 10

Karelia Suite, Op. 11+

The second volume of Anthony Collins's Sibelius cycle for Decca, expertly remastered for this reissue, brings the final three symphonies plus all the shorter works of Sibelius from Collins. As a bonus, Thomas Jensen's Karelia Suite, trim, taut and vivid, brings the set to a blazing finish.

'I think the star performance is that of the Sixth Symphony - so elusive, so easy to ruin by over-interpreting. I was fascinated by what seemed like a hint of Russian flavouring in the string chants of the coda - well why not?' Gramophone

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