Search - Jean Sibelius, Leif Segerstam, Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra :: Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 Op. 63 / The Tempest: Suite No. 1

Unusual interpretation of this dark jewel

08/25/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Fourth Symphony of Jean Sibelius is, in my not-so-humble opinion, one of the most undeservedly neglected works in the entire symphonic literature. It is **genuinely** tragic, unlike the hokey-jokey bathos of Tchaikovsky or the neurotic hysteria of later Mahler. (This was composed at exactly the same time as Mahler's Ninth.) This bleakness is sometimes attributed to Sibelius's fears of a diagnosis of malignant throat cancer; his withdrawal from alcohol and cigars may have also fed into the brooding atmosphere conjured up here. Pettersson picked up the thread begun by Sibelius in his Sixth Symphony, although the economy of expression and austerity of compositional technique is supplanted by an edge of bitterness that Sibelius never manifested.Segerstam's interpretation of the Sibelius #4 is akin to that of Bernstein's DG take of #2 - tempos are elongated to the point that one sometimes scarely recognizes the source material. Now, I don't necessarily consider that a *bad* thing, but it eliminates this from being a first or only recording recommendation. Some examples of timings: Segerstam Karajan'65 Beecham 37I 11:18......9:53..........9:58II 5:03......4:42..........4:06III 12:23.....11:57..........9:35 IV 11:01......9:22..........8:35The opening in particular emerges from a sort of primeval gloom, barely insinuating itself into your consciousness. The lugubrious third movement dominates the whole, as it would in ANY recording, but the mighty climax Segerstam unfolds at such great length is crushing in a way that will haunt you for some time after listening. One thing that would have raised my rating to five stars would have been to use tubular bells (rather than the minature bells that Sibelius "sanctioned" for Beecham) in the final movement. (Those seeking the ideal fourth movement can look to Jarvi's recording on BIS - why almost all other conducters prefer the miniature bells is something I just don't understand.)The accompanying "Tempest" Suite is also excellent; a more "mainstream" interpretation of an unusually underserved work. The "Berceuse" especially is extraordinarily touching - too bad it has that awful "Intrada" stuck in front, but that's not Segerstam's fault!If I were to recommend any single recording of this Fourth, it would have to be Karajan's DG from '65. But I am glad to have this one as a most distinctive alternative."