CD Review | Sibelius 3 & 4 (ATMA Classique, 2023)

0

This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en: Francais (French)

100%
100%
  • 5
  • User Ratings (0 Votes)
    0

Sibelius 3 & 4
Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52; Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63
Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal; Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor
ATMA Classique 00720564453325
Total Time: 68:41

This is the latest release from Yannick Nézet-Séguin and his “hometown”orchestra, the Orchestre Métropolitain (OM). Yannick remains very active as music director with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera, but he continues to show an admirable loyalty to the organization that really started him on his way. This new CD is a continuation of a recorded Sibelius cycle which started in 2019 with Symphony No. 1 (ATMA Classique 00722056662925).

There is no shortage of recorded Sibelius cycles, with several new ones released each year. Are Yannick and his OM competitive? Absolutely. The OM plays magnificently on the latest release and the recording quality  Maison Symphonique is first-rate. And Yannick shows a real affinity for the music of Finland’s best-known composer.

Yannick finds ideal sweetness—lots of dolce markings in the score—for the slow movement of the Third Symphony, and again in the slow movement of the Fourth Symphony. He also captures the unique mystery and power later in the latter movement. My only quibble would be that the glockenspiel in the last movement of the Fourth Symphony is pretty much inaudible

This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en: Francais (French)

Share:

About Author

Former conductor and broadcaster, Paul E. Robinson, is the author of four books on conductors, Digital Editor for Classical Voice America, and a regular contributor to La Scena Musicale.

Leave A Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.