Sir Simon Rattle/Sibelius Symphonies 1-7 (Limited Ed. 7 LP, Clear Vinyl)[Sealed]

$

195

Sir Simon Rattle/Sibelius Symphonies 1-7 (Limited Ed. 7 LP, Clear Vinyl)[Sealed]. Condition is "New".

For Simon Rattle, Jean Sibelius is “one of the most staggeringly original composers that there is”. And indeed, this music has a unique musical language whose many beauties are particularly succinctly conveyed in Sibelius’s seven symphonies. There is sonorous warmth as much as there is austere Nordic folklore. Moreover, there is a conceptual boldness that takes the listener on exciting musical journeys of discovery. In 2015, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Sibelius’s birth, Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker presented the cycle live, which was met with unanimous delight by audiences and critics alike. “The Philharmoniker show that with them and Simon Rattle, Sibelius is in excellent hands,” wrote the Berliner Zeitung, “because the orchestra has that astringency and sheer power which is so important for this kind of music.”

Simon Rattle was familiar with the music of Jean Sibelius from childhood. When, as a ten-year-old, he heard the Fifth Symphony live for the first time, it struck him – to use his own words – “like a thunderbolt”. The Berliner Philharmoniker can also look back on a long Sibelius tradition and the orchestra was conducted by the composer himself in 1902. However, the first complete performance of the seven symphonies was not realised until 2010 under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle, with the Third Symphony being performed by the Philharmoniker for the first time. For many music lovers in Berlin, this new encounter with Sibelius was an exhilarating experience, and so it was only natural to repeat the performance of the cycle in Sibelius’s anniversary year.

Following the cycle’s critically acclaimed CD-release, the symphonies are now being released as an exclusive vinyl edition, limited to 2000 copies worldwide. In cooperation with the Finnish photographer Jorma Puranen individual covers for the seven symphonies were created to present the LPs pressed on 180g transparent vinyl. The edition is accompanied by a hardcover book, which includes numerous photos and essays.

Berliner Philharmoniker

Sir Simon Rattle

Jean Sibelius

Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39

Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43

Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52

Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63

Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82

Symphony No. 6 in D minor, Op. 104

Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105

Recorded at the Philharmonie Berlin,

December 2014 and February 2015