Warner Classics release of all twenty one EMI Jansons/Oslo recordings plus five DVDS of selected NRK TV concert broadcast concerts
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 – Karelia Suite – Finlandia
This recording is the tenth in the Jansons/OPO recordings made originally for EMI and re-released as a box set by EMI’s successor, Warner Classics. Recording sessions for this release were held at the Oslo Konserthus in August of 1990. Our recording team of John Fraser and Mark Vigars were working on other projects, so David Murray and Mike Clements – who produced our first three EMI releases were on hand to do the honors for these sessions.
Sibelius is another composer that Mariss Jansons admired and did well, and being an outstanding interpreter of Tchaikovsky didn’t hurt him one bit in the interpretation of the first two Sibelius symphonies. It has been said that an understanding of the music of Tchaikovsky is almost essential to the interpretation of these two symphonies – especially the First Symphony. I heartily concur with that view, particularly with regard to the First Symphony.
There are three compositions on this release. First up is the Suite from Karelia, consisting of the Intermezzo; Ballade; and ending with the Alla Marcia. This is followed by Finlandia, and the Symphony No. 1 in E minor is the final work on the disc.
I have to say right off that this is one of my favorite discs of the release, and for several reasons. First, Sibelius wrote extremely well for the timpani, and the Symphony no. 1 in E minor is a timpanist’s smorgasbord. Second, Jansons’ affinity for Sibelius’ music comes to the fore, and his pacing is to my mind just right. And last, but not least, the recorded sound is very good and the performance has a lot of heart as well as the required energy. I was pleased with the Scherzo in particular as it had the required fleetness of foot without being too heavy. I was pleased with it when it was originally released and I come back to it fairly often. Finlandia got blasted in the original review as being too “woolly” in sound. I disagree – it has the required weight and it gets a fine performance. The Karelia excerpts also fare well. All in all, a fine recording. When we recorded these works, we were hoping that this would be the beginning of a cycle. Unfortunately, no. Another opportunity missed, in my opinion.
Shostakovich: Symphonies No. 6 & 9
I now come to the eleventh recording in the series, Shostakovitch’s Symphonies No. 6 and 9. These symphonies were recorded in January 1991, with our regular recording team of John Fraser and Mark Vigars. Both symphonies were rehearsed and performed in concert before the recording sessions, although in the case of the Ninth Symphony, there was only one performance as the second concert was canceled immediately after the first, due to the death of Norway’s King Olav V. Even though all performance venues were closed for several days out of respect to King Olav, we were allowed to record on the weekend following the King’s death. The sessions went well enough and I was curious to hear the results of the finished product. Upon its release, I was satisfied with most of it, and upon repeated hearings, that remained my judgement over the years.
Shostakovich was another composer that Jansons did extremely well. In listening to this reissue, my judgement remains pretty much the same. Jansons directs a well-considered performance of the Sixth, giving the first movement the necessary gravitas and judging well the tempi. The Allegro and Presto movements have a high degree of energy, and the Presto has the right amount of light-hearted fun! The Ninth is also a fine performance, with some virtuoso playing from the orchestra’s wind and brass sections.
As a sound recording, it is very good, as the recording team was able to somewhat tame the difficult acoustics of the Oslo Konserthus, although it a bit dry in my opinion. That said, it is an excellent version of the two symphonies, due mainly to Janson’s understanding of the music. EMI later included this recording with the complete Shostakovich symphonies with Jansons, and it is available as part of that box to this day. That is a good thing.
Wagner: Overtures and Orchestral Music
This recording dates from August of 1991 and consists of music from Die Meistersinger, Tristan und Isolde, Tannhauser, Gotterdammerung, Die Walkure, Lohengrin and Rienzi. Most of these works were played in concert during the week of the recording, and the Tristan and Lohengrin excerpts were a regular staple of our tour repertoire. John Fraser and Mark Vigars were on hand to record the music, and the orchestra played their very best. While I was happy that we recorded the music and enjoyed the concerts and recording immensely, after repeated listening to the recording, I now have mixed feelings about this issue. While I enjoy the Meistersinger, Tristan, Walkure and Rienzi excerpts, I feel that the Trauermarsch from Gotterdammerung, while played well enough, needs to have more weight. It is just a tad too fast. Also, there is the usual suspect – the difficult acoustic of the recording venue, which does not favor the bass enough to provide the necessary weight. For me, the Prelude to Act I of Die Meistersinger, the Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, the Walkenritt from Die Walkure and the Overture to Rienzi come off best. The Overture to Tannhauser is also good. The main problem with this issue is not so much musical or as a recording – with so many other similar compilations of Wagner available on the market, this fact relegated and relegates this recording as another “also-ran.” It is sad when you think that we could have recorded a complete Dvorak or Sibelius cycle, especially when we were off to a good start with both composers. Yet another missed opportunity.
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