Simon Rattle on Sibelius's Symphonies

[@Ian24s]

One of the five or six greatest symphonists there ever was. Can't disagree.

[@FAH1966]

Awesome interview!

[@pietalpha2]

I am in luck! Sir Simon and the BPO are coming to London for a Sibelius series of performances next week. It should be a once in a lifetime experience to hear them perform live. Pity about the cost of the tickets though!

[@TheVaughan5]

How extraordinary that the B.P.O. have paid so little attention to one of the greatest composer of all time! (7th symphony, Tapiola, never been equaled in my opinion) I know Karajan recorded some of the symphonies with the Philharmonia in the late 50's/early 60's and presumably did likewise with the B.P.O. but I had no idea this music was so under appreciated in Germany.

[@newgeorge]

The BPO had NEVER played Sibelius 3????? I´m astonished!!!! Thank goodness Rattle corrected this serious omission!

[@301250]

newgeorge, Karajan in fact did record Sibelius 1,2,4,5 & 6 (plus the lesser pieces) with the Berlin Philharmoniker.

[@tulliusagrippa5752]

Okku Kamu conducted the BPO in Sibelius no 3 and recorded it - I don’t know in which year, but it was released in the 70’s with Karajan’s recordings of nos 4,5&6. I think Simon is wrong on this one. Perhaps he was a bit rattled in that interview.

[@BrucknerMotet]

My Sibelius symphony appreciation began predictably late (maybe because of my German genes), and with the 2d and then 5th. But lately I've embraced the 7th and I treasure it in some ways more than any other symphony ever written. Then for some reason I can't quite grasp, 4 gets attention, followed by 6. Now I'm going to concentrate on 1 and 3 and try to see what I can find there.

[@robinblankenship9234]

Amen

[@N_Loco_Parenthesis]

(05:30) 'When it's fin(n)ished what it has to say, it just stops.' If he likes that he should move on to Icelandic music.

[@berlinphil]

@mortalfrog0815 Oops, thank you!

[@noriemeha]

Finland doesn't like Bruchner? Sibelius admired and was influenced by Bruchner's symphonic style, particularly Anton's 3rd. It's in his journals.

[@commontater8630]

Bruckner!

[@vilebrequin6923]

As a composer, Sibelius appreciated Bruckner. That does not equate to the country warming to him, as an audience.

[@coosoorlog]

I've heard the same. While many Finnish composers of the early 20th century did in fact regard both Bruckner and Mahler very highly, there is a sense that the audiences later haven't, for whatever reason, been perfectly welcoming to them. No idea whether this is true or if it's has been some kind of self fulfulling talking point.

[@lowelldykstra8229]

The BPO did play and record all Sibelius symphonies together with some of his tone poems, conducted by Kurt Sanderling. This was between 1971 and 1976. At least this is what my CD box and covers say.

[@ecriturecinematographique2987]

No, Sanderling recorded them with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra in East Berlin.

[@lowelldykstra8229]

Yes, you are right. I mixed up the two orchestras. Thanks for correcting me.@@ecriturecinematographique2987

[@mortalfrog0815]

in the description you put links to the sibelius symphonies, but you marked them as beethoven concertos with uchida! and by the way, there are only 5 beethoven piano concertos... ;-)

[@imtiazseth4254]

mortalfrog0815 t

[@musikve.k.4342]

👌🏻

[@Robcrankey]

Where is your sense of history, Sir Simon? Karajan and the Berliner Philharmoniker were recording and performing Sibelius back in the 1960s and '70s. The sound of the orchestra has always been ideal for this composer's soundworld. All you have to do is let them play. If you REALLY want to do something new with the Berliners, Simon, play NIELSEN!!

[@mikepanick9362]

Karajan’s Sixth is stupendous!

[@CitirArt]

Sibelius was not so careful about dynamics..? Hmm....

[@celloguy]

What a strange accent Rattle has acquired!

[@narekavakianmusique]

celloguy wash spshl shingsh you qqqan toq about Shblesh? :D

[@monstrbb]

Can you, please, clarify, what's strange about that? Some influence of German? As non-native speaker, learning English, I'm very interested in how you perceive it.

[@amydunne25]

celloguy yeah!! My thoughts exactly

[@Varese13]

It's an old saw that Adorno "ruined" Sibelius for Germans, as if one philosopher who was living in NY at the time could have THAT much influence. Besides, as someone pointed out, the Berliners recorded nearly all of the Sibelius Symphonies, as well as Tapiola and Valse Triste, sometimes numerous times. The Sibelius Violin Concerto is a staple of the repertoire. As well, the orchestra recorded Nielsen's Fourth during the Karajan years. So much for Rattle's revisionism.