Search - Edvard Grieg, Jean Sibelius, Herbert von Karajan :: Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites/ Holberg Suite

Very good performances for newcomers, but confirmed listener

Sam | 10/30/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Gathering nearly all of Grieg's and Sibelius' most popular works in a very generous timing (77 minutes), this Karajan Gold CD is probably the best buy for a newcomer willing to discover the two most famous Nordic composers. It should however be recommended mainly to this public rather than to music lovers who already know these works and own recordings of them, because there are other performances around that are both more expressive and closer to the spirit of the music - including other ones by Karajan. Previous reviewers seem precisely to belong mainly to the first category.



The playing is very good indeed throughout, and the Karajan Gold remastering has much improved the originally rather opaque and lacklustre sound, especially in the Peer Gynt suites, which has now much more depth and a chamber music quality common to other Karajan recordings from that time (his Wagner CD on the same series for instance). There are however some coughs and other minor noises (chairs?) in the Sibelius works that could have been avoided - at the very end of Finlandia for instance.



What is generally missing in these performances is the sense of contrasts in tempi - it has often been the case with Karajan, like in his complete recording of Bruckner symphonies.

The Peer Gynt suites are played nearly throughout at the same flowing speed, which prevents a satisfying contrast between the two tunes in Anitra's Dance, makes the accelerando in The Hall of the Mountain King ineffective, and deprives Peer Gynt's Return Home from all its necessary drive. Solveig's Dance is played in a very self-conscious manner too, as if it was a mere demonstration of string sonorities.



Karajan's previous recording (from 1974) is comparatively more polished, cold and detached, but with the brilliant passages much more effective - the crescendo in the Hall of the Mountain King is much more overwhelming and skilfully managed and Peer Gynt's Return Home much rougher. It is however coupled with an excellent Sigurd Jorsalfar suite (much lesser known than Peer Gynt but just as good) that is well worth listening to.



The Holberg Suite is generally the most successful performance on the CD, all the more as it was the only time Karajan recorded it. The Gavotte and its central Musette could be better contrasted though, and the Sarabande and Air sound a little laborious and void despite their flowing speeds. The outer movements are however very crisp and exciting. The whole of the suite is played in a very `noble' and dignified way which may sound too serious and not appeal to everyone, but I find it paradoxically brings humor as I cannot help but imagine Karajan suddenly put a wig and silk stockings on before conducting this work!



As for the three Sibelius pieces, Karajan's 1970s performances on EMI have far more depth and character than these ones, in which the orchestra sound moreover rather thick - the Valse Triste is rather heavy in particular. The Swan from Tuonela is played too quickly and fails to convey any sense of mystery and awe - this is supposed to be a swan swimming over the dark waters of a lake in the land of the dead, not one eating bread from passers by on a Sunday afternoon! Finlandia is seriously lacking in bite too, and in too undifferentiated tempi - just listen to Karajan's two previous recordings on DG and EMI in comparison! When the Finnish anthem appears at the end of the work, it is so understated that I cannot but think that had the Finns been so shy at this crucial time of their history, they would still be under the Russian yoke nowadays!

"

POWERFUL WORKS; GREAT PERFORMANCES

Steven K. Szmutko | EWING, NJ USA | 03/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have long been fond of both composers, but have not always been pleased with the performances of their works available on CD. I have an old London Phase Four on vinyl that I enjoyed a great deal. Other offerings of Peer Gynt just do not provide the same level of satisfaction.



This CD however, offers wonderful performances by the Berliner Philharmonic, led by Herbert von Karajan. The audio quality is wonderful and is, in my opinion, superior to more recent recordings. One of my favorite selections is the performance of "Finlandia," which evokes the emotion inherent in the piece. I must say that Deutsche Grammophon has rarely disappointed me; even if one does not like a particular composer or performance, the presentations are always top-notch and the accompanying notes are always informative.

"

Good CD, but nothing to get too excited about

Prescott Cunningham Moore | 05/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These are good, solid, typical recordings by Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic. Although not necessarily fascinating performances, Karajan handles these lighter pieces well. The Berlin Philharmonic is, as always, in top form and provides a solid base for Karajan to work from, if it does exhibit the typical viscous string sound that typifies nearly all of their recordings with this conductor. Still, morning mood is lovely, the Hall of the Mountain King features some really exciting brass playing, and Aase's death is touchingly played.



The Holdberg suite is more problematic. The creamy Berlin strings simply do not create an idiomatic sound and, even at Karajan's rather steady tempo, do not really articulate the music as well in the first movement as Ole Kristian Ruud's Bergen Philharmonic, an orchestra that knows this music about as well as any. The gavotte is equally flatfooted.



The Sibelius, on the other hand, is thrilling, and despite the fact that Finlandia is really nothing more than a showpiece, it really is a winning performance all around.



Certainly, there are better performances of this music. Indeed, one would not have to look very hard to find them. However, fans of this conductor will certainly be pleased."