Compiling a best-of release for Jean Sibelius is difficult, perhaps even more difficult than for other composers of his era. This is because Sibelius had several distinct styles, and a largely different audience to go with each one. Those who immerse themselves in the intense gloom of the Symphony No. 4 have little use for the triumphant strains of Finlandia or the finale of the Symphony No. 2 that came close, the local composers having nothing on hand that would quite fill the bill, to becoming an anthem for World War II ...
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Compiling a best-of release for Jean Sibelius is difficult, perhaps even more difficult than for other composers of his era. This is because Sibelius had several distinct styles, and a largely different audience to go with each one. Those who immerse themselves in the intense gloom of the Symphony No. 4 have little use for the triumphant strains of Finlandia or the finale of the Symphony No. 2 that came close, the local composers having nothing on hand that would quite fill the bill, to becoming an anthem for World War II-era Britain. And Sibelius as a miniaturist had an entirely different outlook from Sibelius as a symphonist. For some listeners he is a lyrical Scandinavian melodist in the mold of Grieg. There are still other Sibeliuses; in his discovery of Finnish epic literature he drew on Wagner's ways of dealing with similar material. This two-disc set from Naxos does a fine job under the circumstances, with good introductions to all the facets of the composer's style. The best-of format works...
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