Jean Sibelius: Symphonies 5-7: The oceanides; Finlandia; Tapiola
Sep 19th, 2012 by dcronin
“[Paavo Berglund] recorded the complete symphonies three times; the middle set, done between 1984 and 1987 with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, makes for an inexpensive and readily available introduction…. Symphony No. 5 is a particular treat; Sibelius had swans in mind, and Berglund’s just keep getting whiter and whiter. As for ‘Tapiola,’ it’s a conversation with the god in which no quarter is asked and none is given.” –The Boston Globe