Repertoire: The BEST Sibelius First Symphony 

I love this symphony! That final movement is exhilarating. Listening to any Sibelius is practically a spiritual experience for me.

I bumped into an extremely fine live recorded performance (without audience) of this symphony, which I love due to it's Tchaikovsky overtones, by chance on RU-vid very recently. The piece is played by the Flanders Symphony Orchestra under Kristina Poska. Everyone seems to be committed, together and in tune. The timpanist seems to be having a ball, the harp is very clear in the mix and the recording has an open, detailed, fresh yet still lush sound to it. I was knocked out. I am not sure I saw a triangle hanging about though; did they leave it out!? I need to check again. I hope to see Ms Poska conducting the Halle Orchestra in Manchester in March on the strength of it. I've not been to a live event for a long time, so I am hoping it will prove to be worth the trek to get there. The Halle are reliable enough, so I am sure she will probably be able to drag some romanticism out of them

I read in a sibelius bio, that he finished listening to a broadcast of Bruckners 5th on radio sometime in the 1950s, and made a comment , calling the music just heard, magnificent, powerful. I think the beginning of En Saga, shows the influence of Bruckners 3rd. I have always loved Ormandy in sibelius 1st. Paul G

Bravo on the legit musicology comparing Bruckner 2 and Sibelius 1. The UK scholar Donald Francis Tovey made a relevant comment as well that Sibelius achieved what Bruckner was trying to achieve in a way Bruckner could not because Bruckner was too tied to traditional sonata / symphonic form that Sibelius was able to take to another level, or words to that effect (in the Tovey Essays) but any comparison of Bruckner / Sibelius is very interesting and thanks again for that.

I agree! It’s a very underrated symphony and not played a lot. I’m playing the Sibelius 1st in the Cleveland Orchestra this summer at Blossom. I don’t believe Szell ever recorded it. That would’ve been interesting had he done so. I will take a listen to the Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra 62 recording.

I listened to most of the recordings your recommended, and, wow, Ormandy’s Sony recording is just truly awesome. I did enjoy Bernstein with the NY Phil, and agree completely that the BSO is gorgeous (their high musicianship can rarely be questioned) but unfortunately too staid. But, man, Ormandy just blows the others out of the water! I am from Philadelphia … and how I wish the old days were still here. The more recent recordings, well, meh … Once again Dave you are spot on.

Hi David, thanks for this new excellent video. I mostly agree with your list, and I'd like to add my favourite one, which is Carl von Garaguly with the Dresdner Philharmonie on Berlin Classics. There is so much passion and energy in this recording. Never had this overwhelming feeling with any other disc of Sibelius 1.

This video inspired me to listen to the symphony again, in the most romantic sounding recording I have: K. Sanderling/Berlin Symphony. There are issues with the recording technique - bad edits, distorted climaxes, degraded tape - but he got wonderfully rich sounds from the strings, and I find his interpretation tasteful and his pacing magical.

I had great pleasure to here Vic Firth live with BSO over 2 summers. It was Magical, Musical, and First Class. As my percussion friends always said about VF, "He ROCKS the tubs."...and he did👍

My personal favorite of this symphony is Paavo Jarvi with Orchestre de Paris. I kept coming back to it.

I didn't click with this amazing work until I've listened to the Maazel with Wiener Phil. This recording is magic, it has the flow, the momentum, the contrast, amazing, magic.

Thanks for the recommendations! Two interesting alternatives IMHO: Järvi's first recording on BIS and Segerstam's first version (originally on Chandos, re-issued on Brilliant), which is *really* expressive!

I have to confess that I occasionally enjoy the Bernstein/VPO recording for its power, passion, and excellent playing. It's a guilty pleasure that I would never consider as a reference or "go-to" version. For that I agree with your primary recommendations : Segerstam, Bernstein (on Sony), Davis, and Blomstedt, who handles the unusual tricky opening of the symphony better than anyone I've heard. I saw a documentary once about Stokowski which partially covered recording sessions for the Sibelius 1 with the National Philharmonic; he maintained tight discipline during the recording (yelling at the players to be silent at a point when they became gabby) and had the engineer amplify the tympani in the scherzo during playback.

My father introduced me to this piece and I still have Sir Alexander Gibson's SNO recording for CFP on LP - it remains a fine performance. Now whilst I have it in Berglund's complete Bournemouth cycle, Maazel's VPO version, and Jarvi's for BIS (which I thought might have got a mention), and all are very good , ultimately I'm still drawn to Ashkenazy's Philharmonia account on Decca - to me it has mystery, and a powerful sense of momentum towards the climaxes which is very compelling (it should be remembered Ashkenazy is a fine Tchaikovsky conductor too); great sound quality is just icing on the cake!

I first heard all of Sibelius ' symphonies and major orchestral works when I bought two double CDs on Decca featuring Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia Orchestra. This was a great series as well, but I appreciate learning about other great Sibelians from you! Thanks again.

Agree about the Karajan EMI Sibelius 1. It was the first recording of this piece I heard and I still prefer it above all others. The Davis Boston cycle is a real winner, too! The orchestra is slightly raw at times and the timpani is simply divine. Just great!

I gotta say for me the balance among Berglund's 3 versions for me is Helsinki. They're all worth hearing!

Another belter of a video. Thanks, David. I adore the Berglund/Bournemouth 1st. They get the primal growl of Sibelius just right. It’s that balance of humanity, passion and the tectonic power of natural forces. Stunning. I’m also partial to EMI’s vintage recording. I also have the Vanska/Lahti. I loved its excitement, initially, but I find I don’t go back to it. I recently got the Davis/BSO cycle and I haven’t really listened properly so can’t yet comment. Thanks to your recommendations I’d like to try out Maazel and Segerstam, next. I recently listened to Segerstam after buying several Rautaavara CDs - apart from the Cantus Arcticus. I got Max Pommer instead. Segerstam’s birds are just too damn loud, a common problem with other recordings. I like Segerstam’s way. He’s slower but still holds attention and his build-ups can be volcanic. But I digress. Thank you, again. Please do each Sibelius symphony. They’re so worth it.

Thank you for your inspiring comments! My favourite of the recordings you mention is Berglund Bournemouth. Let me add that I have played this symphony many times both as concert master and rank and file violinist.

David, I’ve sworn by Barbirolli/Halle on Vanguard Everyman forever. I wanted to hear your thoughts about that recording, but alas! You’ve got my curiosity about the Karajan and the Sony Ormandy. I love those Philly strings. And, yes, that harp should be heard!

Carl von Garaguly and the Dresden Philharmonic on Berlin Classics. There are some sonic problems - but it‘s unbelievably exciting. So much passion & fire. Never heard anything just close to it. My alltime favourite.

Thanks Dave yet again for another insightful video. Yes, Karajan is my go-to in this domain. It is astounding how much torque is generated by the Berlin Phil. I had been hoping that you would make reference to that dreadful Rattle / Berlin S1 in the big snazzy box. As you say, one needs to be a great Tchaikovsky interpreter to nail the S1 - something that Sir Simon is decidedly not! Best wishes and more videos please! B

Maazel and VPO my favourite !!

Also, I was impressed by Janson/Oslo in the First. He did some great Tchaikovsky there and it stands out as the most successful of his Sibelius.

Love this work. I have Von Karajan on it.

My two favorites are mentioned; Segerstam and sony Bernstein!

I liked Bernstein's 1 from the box. Maazel is gorgeous. Love the sublimely floated high violin tone over serious fff hefty brass in the last movement. Only the VPO can do that. Works in Bruckner too. Schuricht Bruckner 9 end of first movement. I dug out a vinyl of Carl von Garaguly doing Sibelius 1 with the Dresden Phil. It was as splendid as I remember.

I just last night listened to the Second by the New York Philharmonic and Bernstein. Couldn’t agree more what a phenomenal performance that is. I like it even more than the Royal Philharmonic under Barbirolli. So far in listening to earlier Sibelius I can’t wrap my head around fully removing the Romanticism from a performance, but Bernstein emphasizes the Modernist elements at least as much as the Romantic and I think it’s fantastic.

When I was working my way through these works for the first time I got Bernstein, Davis, and Ormandy for Goodman, Firth, and Hinger. It's a shame Szell didnt record more of these symphonies; I think he would have been great in the later symphonies, and Duffs playing would have been invaluable to study.

Never drew the connection between Bruckner 2 (which I barely know) and Sibelius 1 (which I’ve heard on numerous complete cycles). Thanks for pointing it out - I’ll have to give Bruckner 2 a listen for the first time in ages. Among early Bruckner, I like the 0th (as I tend to call the Nulte) best.

Segerstam is actually a pianist as well. He even won a national piano competition in Finland.

Thanks, Dave. Another great Sibelius First is Ashkenazy’s with the Philharmonia on Decca. His is my first choice. I have the Vanska Lahti set and agree that he doesn’t do the first two symphonies as well as the others, but his 4 and 5 are my favorites, though Ashkenazy also did a really good 4th. For 3 and 6 I prefer Blomstedt, but agree that all of his Sibelius is terrific. Ormandy’s Sony was my intro to the First, but I always found it too string-heavy.

Doing some relistening now. Werner Thärichen definitely having a great time on the Karajan and, as a result, so are we! Anybody interested in this remarkable musician, he provides many great insights in the Great Conductors documentary, now on RU-vid.

Thanks again, David. I'm very fond of this work - perhaps not quite as much as some of the other symphonies - and I have the Maazel Decca recording which I like. (Actiually I have the entire set on cassette tapes but only this one on CD and SACD). In addition, I've been impressed with the Petri Sakari/Iceland SO recordings of the symphonies when you've featured him in your discussions and wonder what you think of his recording of this symphony? I ask because I am contemplating getting the Naxos set. Thanks.

Thank you for this overview of this glorious work. Too romantic, some say? I don't agree. Certainly, it is colorful and, to me, deeply emotional. To me it sounds timeless. I can't get enough of Sibelius. To me he is as indispensable as Bruckner. (And to a somewhat lesser degree, Mahler, although Mahler is very dear to my heart.) Interesting connection you make between Bruckner's Second Symphony and Sibelius' First. I have Bruckner's Second on Naxos, conducted by Tintner, a very nice performance, I think. I first heard Sibelius' First Symphony under Ashkenazy with the Philharmonia Orchestra. But I listen the most to the recording on Ondine with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under Leif Segerstam, which I think is (one of) the best (until, maybe, I have heard others - I know of course of the Paavo Berglund and Herbert Blomstedt, which I still need to listen to). I am happy you agree with me here ;-) I couldn't say which Sibelius Symphony I love the most, but it depends on my mood, I guess. (I find the sound world of the Fourth very intriguing.)

Thanks, David, for the talk. Agree with you mostly, my favorite are Segerstam (Ondine) and Karajan (EMI/Warner). Have you heard Santtu-Matias Rouvali from Gothenburg? Quite good.

Sibelius 1 is my favourite piece to play, as a bassist, especially that mysterious section with the chromatic scales in the first movement. In my opinion the other symphonies don’t give me that same feeling when i listen to them.

I too was amazed with the Karajan/EMI despite the peculiar sound. Wallop! I'm also pleased that you added Ashkenazy. A fine romantic version with "Thumper" Smith on timps. Talking of timps I'm surprised that you didn't mention the classic mono Collins on Decca. The Beulah transfer is worth checking out. Maybe it's a British thing but the Collins Sib 1 is still regarded as a benchmark by many of us. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this. Ditto Gibson/Chandos. Keep posting. Very enjoyable stuff.

The Lennie/VPO performance is actually quite splendid. Perhaps different remasterings make it sound opaque.

I wonder why I am unable to make the connection between Sibelius #1 and Tschaikowskiy, as other commentators have, even though I very much admire both the Sibelius and Tschaikovsky symphonies. Incidentally, i have heard the Bruckner #2 live in Daegu, South Korea, but at the time i did not make the connection between Bruckner and Sibelius at the time. Good to know that Johnny Sib encountered the music of Bruckner during his years of study in Vienna.~

I agree with you in that I prefer Sibelius's 1st over his 2nd. With this work I am typically disappointed in at least some way or another, but there are several versions that I return to frequently. The Stokowski version is quite good, although a bit dry sounding. I think my favorite version overall is the Okko Kamu/Helsinki Radio Symphony on DG. The Berglund/Bournemouth version is very good, but I equally enjoy his Helsinki Phil recording. This is such a great work, especially the 2nd movement, which for me being from the north country is primarily a nature movement, and not just a purely romantic movement - I want it pretty, but don't pour it on too thick.

I have never got the dismissal of this Symphony as Manfred 2. Sibelius tempered his emotions with Nordic Noir! had of course noticed Bruckner in the form of the scherzo so I am fascinated by your comparison with the opening of Bruckner 2! Amazing how two men could write almost the same notes and yet convey such a completely different emotional sound world! For me this symphony is 5% Tchaikovsky, 10% Bruckner and 100% Sibelius! I can't read music so I may be missing the scholars' references to plagiarism, all I can do is listen and I hear only the natural successor to Kullervo. Berglund woke me up to Sibelius, Segerstam is stunning, and I admire all of Karajan's Sibelius, perhaps because he was a great Bruckner conductor?

Sibelius: Move over Handel, hold my beer. (I know unfair, Handel is great, Sibelius stands on shoulders blah blah ...) Sibelius's 1 1st movement climaxes = The Fireworks! Soaring rockets, explosions, crackling sparkles.

Any opinions about the Okku Kamu Sibelius 1 and 3 (DG, FRSO methinks)? I used to listen to a cassette tape of it repeatedly.^^

I nominate Yoel Levi and the Atlanta Symphony

I'm very fond of Ashkenazy's cycle on Decca with the Philharmonia. What's your opinion about this one?

Berglund! I like my Sibelius icy cold and slightly hard. Thumbs up on most anything by Blomstedt. By the way, I love Beecham in the 7th. Is that wrong?

By the way, what did you make of the sound in general in the Warner Karajan box set? I found it to be harsh and very unpleasant. I suspected the remastering, so I rummaged around for the earlier EMI releases of the symphonies and tone poems - GROTC release for the poems; EMI Double-Forte two-fer release of the symphonies (most of them). Yup, the sound was much better. Ok, they weren’t the best sounding recordings to begin with, but there was far less harshness and crunch; more bloom and more of the room. I fear modern remasterings might be falling prey to the ‘loudness wars.’

It may surprise you .... in Segerstam's upcoming new Mahler 4th recording the Adagio runs 29'50". ^_^

David, would you do a video on #3, please? I know you chose Gibson in the cycle video. I like it but find the recorded sound a bit lacking.

Sibelius! Now here's one I can really sink my teeth into and almost give the impression that I know what I'm talking about. Not that it matters, but I approve of almost all your choices to varying degrees; the only one that has done little for me is Davis/ BSO, too tame and polite overall. But I'm intrigued by your advocacy of Vic Firth. I first heard about him from one of my fellow Bruckerians in the UK who is a freelance tympanist and raves about Leinsdorf's and Steinberg's BSO Bruckner recordings not because he thinks Leinsdorf and Steinberg give great performances, but because VF is the timpanist in their recordings. Those percussion people, eh?... Ormandy-yes! There's nothing more to say, except: I know you're not overly fond of “historic” recordings, but Ormandy's 1941 Philadelphia recording of the Sibelius 1st is valuable for a number of reasons, not least because proves that E.O. was no flash in the pan, but a terrific Sibelius conductor from way back. And it's in much better sound than one would expect, given the year. The Sibelius cognoscenti go on about Kajanus and Koussevitzky and Beecham (didn't he record No. 1 too somewhere back in the mists of time?), but Ormandy was and remains The Man. I had read about the Sibelius-Bruckner connection somewhere, but few musicians/ critics/ scholars/ enthusiasts seem to take any notice of this unexpected intersection, so I thank you for reminding us of it. I do hear similarities in the opening bars of B2 and S1. And didn't Sibelius get some ideas about how to shape a scherzo from Bruckner's scherzos? Here's an idea for you: howzabout making an appearance at the Bruckner Journal Reader's Conference at Yale next January (assuming it goes ahead as scheduled) and presenting a paper - “Bruckner 2 and Sibelius 1: Master and Remaster.” That'll wake 'em up! ~ John Drexel

Hi David I want to buy one set, would you prefer the Blomstedt complete set before Berglund?

Excellent overview. I've listened to lots of recordings on Spotify, especially the 3rd movement. Amazing how in most recordings the timpani fail at the start of the 3rd movement, most of the time you just hear a dull thud, a vague dull sound, or you hear almost nothing at all, only a vague impression what it should sound like.. ok it isn't a concerto for timpani (my imagination i guess makes more of it then it should, because the score just says forte, not fortissimo) but still, i like it rough and a bit dry. If that fails, i don't wanna hear the rest, Segerstam and Bernstein (New York) are the best in this.

Somewhat sad to observe that the orchestra in which ostensibly I play, on hiatus due to concerns about the SARS-Cov-2 virus and the associated Covid-19 disease, was scheduled to commence rehearsal on Sibelius #1 (plus the R. Strauss Duett-concertino for clarinet and bassoon, as well as transcribed and orchestrated traditional Thai music) on July 13th, 2020, with concert performances on Friday, July 17th and Saturday, July 18th. Cancelled! Sigh... Anyway, favourite recording for me personally? On an old cassette of the FRSO Finnish naturally, NOT Frankfurt^^) Radio Symphony Orchestra, paired with Sibelius #3 on the flip side, with Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu on the podium.

Do you have a video on your sound equipment?

David, I agree with you that the Sibelius first symphony needs a good romantic conductor, but I'm surprised you missed my two favorites. Mariss Jansons with the Oslo Philharmonic was superb. He was amazing with Tchaikovsky and you see the same approach here - lush, romantic and powerful. As to historic performances, the classic Anthony Collins version with the London Symphony Orchestra has never been bettered. Yes, you have to make some allowances for the sound quality, but the performance! Amazing! It was the best of his cycle.

Dave, despite your contempt for Collins, the LSO timpani is much more to the fore than the muted VPO one with Maazel.

Hmm, I’m a fan of Blomstedt generally, but I’m at a slight loss as to why this would be anyone’s top recording. The sound is rather subdued, and there not much of a sense of “thrill”, maybe that’s how he goes but I certainly don’t hear much sweep in the first movement. The first time I heard this was actually with Alexander Gibson and the SNO as a teenager in Inverness in the early 1980s. It was a different time from now and goodness, I didn’t realise how interesting it was to do these backstage things and meet Gibson, John Lill (yes there was some discussion of his Beethoven-chanelling, he definitely believed it which was odd), Trevor Pinnock (very nice man), even Menuhin. I agree should sound like some mix of Tchaikovsky and Bruckner, but as I bought this on your recommendation I find the first a bit disappointing. The scherzo even sounds a bit dull. However, the opening of the third (the only one Karajan didn’t do) is very stimulating so i’ll go through the rest certainly. And I want to like Blomstedt :)

The "smooth, homogenized" knock on Karajan doesn't really hold water, at least not consistently. I've recently made my way through the DG "decade" boxes, and have a big chunk of the EMI stuff, too. Yes, some pieces exhibit it. But when the work calls for rawer edges, he is willing to let the BPO impart them. The EMI Sibelius is a good example. But there is also the DG Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovitch, Honegger, Mahler, 2nd Viennese School, and the Decca Planets (the Mars of which has never been topped for frenetic, terrifying energy). Someone with as massive a discography as Karajan can't be painted and dismissed with one critical brush.

I noticed this Sibelius divides opinions like no other. It's interpretation appears to fall into two camps. Some really good modern versions available. I am particularly drawn to Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Santtu-Matias Rouvali. Its not too radical in approach and keeps to a reasonable pace. Comes with a really good En saga as well

I must note that it is very hard to locate singleton issue reviews on the ClassicsToday site, as the pair COMPOSER=SIBELIUS and TITLE/WORK = Symphony returns zero results. Searching on "Symphonies" returns 3pp of results, but you don't get any of the issues with a single symphony. For that you need to clear keywords and trawl through 10pp of results. ( Also a minor nit: the pop-up page to get a ClassicsToday subscription seems to only appear when I'm logged in to the site, never when I was browsing as a non-member. This seems illogical.)

I like your choices very much, but Dave, you overlooked the most passionate, sweeping, Tchaikovskian version of all - Barbirolli/Halle! I know, the Halle isn't the Berlin, Vienna, or Philly, but they are certainly as "edgy" good as Bournemouth, and they play their rears off for Sir John. It's by far my favorite, just for the points you emphasize - big, juicy, passionate to the nines.

I also enjoy Sibelius’s 1st more than the 2nd - not sure why the former is given comparatively short shrift.

I am sticking with Lorin Maazel with the VPO on Decca. This is my 1st choice. I prefer it to all others. Sorry Mr. Hurwitz

Stokowski was at least 450 when he made that recording... Bernstein/NY is my favorite recording. I can't imagine you're too keen on Anthony Collins but I think it's great. I always thought that the ultimate sign Karajan might have been a psychopath was that he was so great in violent music, something in him responded to musical violence with relish. In more humane composers he responded with something like an impression of warmth with a wash of luxuriant sound, but in really anti-humane music he suddenly turned into a beast: Sibelius, Turandot and Tosca, Salome and Elektra, Il Trovatore, Götterdämmerung, Mahler 6, Berg,... There are obviously a couple great recordings of standard German rep (when you record it that many times at some point you have to get something right...), but I often think he expended a lot of effort to cover up his true calling. He could have been a straightforward expressionist like Gielen in the generation before him, and would probably have been a much more interesting musician.

My staples for many years have been the Stokowski and EMI Karajan. I never picked up the NYPO Bernstein but have listened to it online. I will look for the disc, as it's grand. Don't like most of the recent recordings for the reasons you give about conductors emerging since the 1970s. The Jaarvi Paris recording is mush.

...the music needs to have more dirt and more sex in it..." hilarious!

Finally got around to that Karajan First you so highly praised. HATED IT!!! I have so many complaints. I think this is the first major disagreement I've had with you on a great recording. I'll keep my Bernstein/NYPO First for primal energy; Karajan's is not the one for me. I'll give credit where it's due though: Karajan did some FINE Sibelius work in his early years with the Philharmonia. That 1960 Fifth is actually one of the finest I've heard, and his Finlandia and Tapiola from the same time period were absolute knockouts. If only he had done the First then also...