16. Sibelius Symphony no. 2
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir John Barbirolli (1962)
As we continue our traversal of the top 50 classical recordings of all-time, you may conclude this business of choosing the greatest recordings is all quite subjective. I don’t disagree. I often encounter multiple recordings of the same work that are equally commendable and each has its own merits. This presents a challenge to creating a list of the “greatest” recordings. Furthermore, what the listener focuses on during one listening may change upon the next listening of the same recording. We don’t come to our conclusions with a blank slate. In fact, we develop certain biases and opinions that can be difficult to dislodge. This can make it more difficult for newer recordings to crack the list, as often we come to believe that everything that can be said or interpreted about a specific work has already been done. It takes an open mind and ear to remain open to new or groundbreaking approaches to music.
Nevertheless, some recordings are established as “classics”, and have stood the test of time. The special qualities that determine which recordings become indispensable are difficult to quantify. It is generally a combination of things, which can include the performance quality, the sound quality, the historical context, the soloist(s), or even the reputation of the performers.
Our #16 entry from the top 50 falls into the latter category of a “classic” recording. It is a recording of Jean Sibelius’ Symphony no. 2 performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (of London) conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. In the collection of essential Sibelius recordings, this glorious recording from 1962 sits near the top. It was recorded by RCA for Reader’s Digest at Walthamstow Town Hall in London with Decca engineers at the helm of the production.
The Composer
Jean Sibelius (b. 1865 – d.1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early Modern periods. Although he was born into a Swedish speaking family (Finland was ruled by Sweden for centuries), Sibelius eventually learned to speak Finnish and later became immersed in Finnish culture and considered himself to be Finnish. He is regarded as the greatest Finnish composer in history, and his music is especially noted for its nationalistic themes and for helping Finland develop a national identity during a time when the country was fighting for independence from Russia. Sibelius is also credited with the further development of the symphony and tone poem as musical forms.
As a young man entering college, he was drawn more and more to music. While he began as a violinist, he soon came to realize composition was his true calling. In 1889, he traveled to Berlin to study composition, and it was there he was exposed to the music of Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner which were very influential to him. Eventually, he made his way back to Finland to teach music and in 1893 his first substantial work Kullervo was premiered to significant acclaim. Kullervo is a symphonic poem for soloists, male chorus and orchestra, and is based on the Finnish folk epic Kalevala. It was so successful that Sibelius was soon dubbed the leading composer in Finland. In fact, 1897 the Finnish Senate decided to pay Sibelius a salary for a time, which was eventually extended to a lifetime pension.
Sibelius’ First Symphony in 1899 was successful, but was then followed in 1900 by the enormously successful and enduring work Finlandia. Finlandia is a tone poem of nationalistic importance, at least in part due to the political climate at the time it was created. Because Finland was under Russian censorship at the time, there was the desire to break free from Russia’s czarist grip. As part of the overall movement toward a free press and freedom of expression, Sibelius composed music for a fund-raising event rallying support for a free press. It was titled Music for Press Ceremony, but the score ends with “Finland Awakens”, which would eventually be called Finlandia. Since then, Finlandia has almost become Finland’s national anthem.
Sibelius loved nature, and his music evokes stark landscapes, cold winter scenes, and an almost other-worldly atmosphere. Sibelius developed his own unique sound that can be heard especially in works such as En saga, The Swan of Tuonela, Valse Triste, Symphonies 1, 2, 5, and 7, and the Violin Concerto. Sibelius met the composer Gustav Mahler in 1907, and they discovered they had some things in common. Generally speaking, as both of them matured as artists and developed their styles during the early 20th century, critics were brutal in their assessment of anything that strayed from the traditional path. Since both men were pioneers in their own ways, they received a great deal of negative press. It took courage to remain true to their own artistry. It was Sibelius’ goal to write music that was distinctively “Finnish”, and he was certainly able to achieve that goal.
Sibelius achieved great fame in his lifetime, but also went through difficult periods. He was a heavy drinker and smoker for much of his life, and this led to marriage problems. Eventually he gave up those vices, and lived a relatively peaceful life in his later years. During the last 30 years of so of his life, Sibelius composed very little new music, but continued to make revisions of his earlier works. He made frequent trips to England, where his music was widely embraced by audiences.
Symphony no. 2
In June 1900, a mysterious benefactor wrote to Sibelius that he and his family were being sponsored to travel to Italy all expenses paid to allow Sibelius to compose in a place where he would learn about harmony, proportion, and Italian “cantabile” style (“singable”). The Sibelius family moved to Rapallo, Italy (near Genoa) where the composer would subsequently begin writing his second symphony.
Sibelius finished his Symphony no. 2 in 1902. Commenting on his symphony, Sibelius remarked, “My second symphony is a confession of the soul.” After the premiere of the revised version in 1903, one critic said the symphony “exceeded even the highest expectations”. The reception the symphony gained in Helsinki and across Finland was rapturous.
Today, Sibelius’ Symphony no. 2 remains his most popular symphony. There is some brilliant orchestration, and you do hear some of the influence of his time in Italy. The symphony is also a continuation of the Romantic tradition with big climaxes and an emotional undercurrent all the way along. It is Sibelius’ longest symphony at about 45 minutes. The movements are in a traditional structure for a symphony:
I.Allegretto
II. Tempo andante, ma rubato
III. Vivacissimo
IV. Finale. Allegro moderato
The symphony and especially the stately finale became associated by some with the struggle for Finland’s independence, similar to his earlier tone poem Finlandia. It is easy to see why this happened, as you can hear the tension in the furious strings especially in the third movement which gives way to the grand main theme of the finale complete with glowing strings, trumpet and brass fanfares, and some fantastic woodwind writing. One may interpret the triumphant hymn at the close to be almost a song of unity for the Finnish people.
In reality, it is unclear whether Sibelius intended the work to carry this message. There is some indication Sibelius denied any sort of programmatic meaning to the symphony, and in his diary from his time in Italy in 1901 he claims to have used other literary sources as his inspiration. In any case, Sibelius may have been happy for the Finnish people to see the symphony as a nationalist piece. Most critics received the symphony warmly, although Virgil Thomson in the New York Herald Tribune thought the symphony, “vulgar, self-indulgent, and provincial beyond all description”. Needless to say, Thomson’s opinion was very much in the minority.
The genius behind the symphony seems to lie in Sibelius’ use of just a few short motifs that he introduces at the beginning that recur throughout the first movement, and indeed the entire symphony. In fact, it develops as a sort of mosaic with similar bits reappearing again and again, but in different guise. The entire picture is not put together completely until the end of each movement. The second movement is a cry of the heart in the face of persecution if you will, and has a melancholic feeling. The third movement is a frenetic scherzo, moving furiously through the strings and brass. But it is interrupted twice by an almost calming, pastoral interlude that seems to hint at the coming positive feelings. The finale is positively bursting with light and victory, a confident and happy ending to the journey.
The recording
For some reason, Sibelius found a huge following in England, and especially with several of the most well-known conductors such as Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Colin Davis, and Sir John Barbirolli. The present recording is with Barbirolli leading the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a 1962 performance set down for Reader’s Digest by RCA, later remastered by the Chesky label, and now in this reissue by the Testament label. Fair warning, it can be difficult to find this recording on music streaming services. I did locate it on Spotify as the four movements listed as separate songs under “Reader’s Digest”.
This particular recording of Sibelius’ Symphony no. 2 is special. The conductor, Sir John Barbirolli, studied playing the cello as a youth. He was something of a sensation as a cello soloist, making his solo debut in London at the age of 17. Barbirolli notably joined the British Army during World War I, but after the war continued with his musical career, playing in several orchestras and performing as a soloist. In 1927, he scored a great success with the London Symphony Orchestra while substituting for an indisposed Sir Thomas Beecham, and pretty much from that time on he focused on conducting. He had stints as a conductor for the Scottish Orchestra, the Leeds Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic among others. But he is perhaps best known for the long and productive time he spent with the Halle Orchestra in Manchester, England. He retired in 1968 with the title “Conductor Laureate for Life”. But for this recording, he took the reins of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, and even though he and the orchestra were unfamiliar with each other, on this occasion he led them to great heights.
Barbirolli clearly loved Sibelius’ Symphony no. 2, as he recorded it at least four times. What makes this one so memorable is a combination of spontaneity, a keen sense of lyricism, plenty of power when needed, and a natural feeling for the building of tension and drama. The sound produced is also very good for its time, and you feel as though you are listening to a live performance. Barbirolli was never one for cheap thrills or over-the-top bombast. He tended to be more understated and analytical in his style. But he and the Royal Philharmonic catch fire in this recording. The entire recording was completed in two days time.
A few examples: listen to the pulsing strings, double basses, and brass at the beginning of the third movement “Vivacissimo”. The playing is vivid, exciting, and right on point. After the lyrical interlude, played with great tenderness and yearning, you hear the very fast brass fanfare snapping us back to scherzo. You can feel the music building and receding throughout the movement, and then building at the end toward the grandiose introduction of the Finale. The final movement is glorious, played with passion with great attention to detail and dynamics. The woodwinds are caught wonderfully, the strings sing out in full, and the bass instruments for once are given equal weight. The quieter passages and the climaxes both have been deeply considered and are held sacred. The words that I associate with this performance are heartfelt, gripping, electric, and brilliant. This recording really cemented Barbirolli as a Sibelius expert. Not to be missed.
It should be noted that on the Testament label release, the performance of Symphony no. 2 is paired with an outstanding performance of Sibelius’ Symphony no. 5 taken from a live BBC broadcast at the Proms Festival at the Royal Albert Hall in London on August 9, 1968. While not quite at the level of the recording of the Second, it is also a special recording and should definitely be heard.
Other recommended recordings of Sibelius Symphony no. 2
There are many excellent recordings of this most famous Sibelius symphony. A handful of others to explore include:
· Herbert von Karajan conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra (EMI, 1960)
· Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic (Sony, 1966)
· George Szell leading the Cleveland Orchestra “Live in Tokyo 1970” (Sony, 1970)
· Paavo Berglund with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (EMI, 1976)
· Leif Segerstam leading the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (Ondine, 2002)
Happy listening!
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Cummings, Robert. All Music Guide to Classical Music, The Definitive Guide. All Media Guide. Pp. 1272-1273. Backbeat Books, San Francisco. 2005.
Korhonen, Kimmo. Sibelius Complete Symphonies, Symphonies 2 & 6. Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and Leif Segerstam. 2005. Ondine liner notes. Pp. 8-10.
Kozinn, Allan. The New York Times Essential Library Classical Music, A Critic’s Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings. Pp. 178-181. Times Books. Henry Holt and Company. New York. 2004.