Jean Sibelius
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SYMPHONY NO. 2 IN D MAJOR, OP. 43
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
dir : Paavo Berglund
EMI ASD 3497 stereo/quadraphonic LP, [P] 1978
Recorded Abbey Road Studio, London - November 1976
LP rip: 96 kHz, 24 bit (see details below)
FLAC files, scans
The audio chain I use to rip LPs: (1) the LPs are cleaned using a VPI H!-16 record cleaning machine, using TTVJ Vinyl-Zyme Gold cleaning fluid, (2) ripped on a Nakamichi Dragon CT self-centering turntable with integral tonearm and Ortofon cartridge, (3) processed by a Korg DS-DAC-10R (RIAA setting), (4) then recorded and edited using AudioGate 4, Adobe Audition (and rarely iZotope RX) software.
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One of the first things a listener familiar with the symphonies will notice in this set is the prominence of the lines, particularly of the strings. Although we often hear talk about this with reference to Sibelius, the clarity achieved by Berglund and the Bournemouth Symphony is surprisingly effective; there is a sort of transparent “streaking” stringwork which is highly “classical” in quality. Perhaps irritating to some, which I thought it would to me, but somehow – it works.
In the first movements of the First and Second, even the Sixth, Symphonies, you can hear this in the many sequences of short phrases, all sculpted with rippling clarity, yet retaining a palpable sense of cohesion and development...
The first two symphonies are examples of Sibelius’ more “Romantic” side; both are played with tremendous energy, but the hand of an intelligent musician is clearly here. Both are distinguished by the translucency of the orchestral sound. In the nocturnal darkness of No.2’s Andante, witness how the bassoon solo plays its notes to the full, extending the mildly eerie atmosphere. Even the violent eruptions and dramatic contrasts of the Andante has rarely sounded so naturally sculpted and meaningful as here.
The Dust of Hue - a Sibelius blog
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
dir : Paavo Berglund
EMI ASD 3497 stereo/quadraphonic LP, [P] 1978
Recorded Abbey Road Studio, London - November 1976
LP rip: 96 kHz, 24 bit (see details below)
FLAC files, scans
The audio chain I use to rip LPs: (1) the LPs are cleaned using a VPI H!-16 record cleaning machine, using TTVJ Vinyl-Zyme Gold cleaning fluid, (2) ripped on a Nakamichi Dragon CT self-centering turntable with integral tonearm and Ortofon cartridge, (3) processed by a Korg DS-DAC-10R (RIAA setting), (4) then recorded and edited using AudioGate 4, Adobe Audition (and rarely iZotope RX) software.
One of the first things a listener familiar with the symphonies will notice in this set is the prominence of the lines, particularly of the strings. Although we often hear talk about this with reference to Sibelius, the clarity achieved by Berglund and the Bournemouth Symphony is surprisingly effective; there is a sort of transparent “streaking” stringwork which is highly “classical” in quality. Perhaps irritating to some, which I thought it would to me, but somehow – it works.
In the first movements of the First and Second, even the Sixth, Symphonies, you can hear this in the many sequences of short phrases, all sculpted with rippling clarity, yet retaining a palpable sense of cohesion and development...
The first two symphonies are examples of Sibelius’ more “Romantic” side; both are played with tremendous energy, but the hand of an intelligent musician is clearly here. Both are distinguished by the translucency of the orchestral sound. In the nocturnal darkness of No.2’s Andante, witness how the bassoon solo plays its notes to the full, extending the mildly eerie atmosphere. Even the violent eruptions and dramatic contrasts of the Andante has rarely sounded so naturally sculpted and meaningful as here.
The Dust of Hue - a Sibelius blog