Shostakovich: Symphony No.5 Berlin SO/Kurt Sanderling
Kurt Sanderling was a great but sadly underappreciated conductor whose recordings are well worth seeking out. This deep, thoughtful, captivating reading, with the East German orchestra playing with polish and warmth, is IMHO one of the best accounts of the Shostakovich Fifth - and packaged very nicely by Berlin Classics with good liner notes and a facsimile of the original LP cover on the inner sleeve. Excellent!
Grieg & Schumann: Piano Concertos Radu Lupu - London SO/Previn
Lupu's effortless, poetic playing and Previn's sensitive and assured support make this one of the best choices for this classic concerto coupling - and with Decca's full and airy sound, one of the best recorded too.
Sibelius symphonies, exploring one by one, currently listening to this particular recording, which I enjoy quite a bit. Not the first or only cycle I listen to, but without a doubt one of the finest. It's quickly becoming (one of) my favorite Sibelius cycle(s).
Sibelius symphonies, exploring one by one, currently listening to this particular recording, which I enjoy quite a bit. Not the first or only cycle I listen to, but without a doubt one of the finest. It's quickly becoming (one of) my favorite Sibelius cycle(s).
Sibelius's music is nice and calming, especially his third and fifth symphonies. I have The Sibelius Edition from 2000. All seven symphonies and some of his other works are performed by the Hallé Orchestra, conducted by the great Sir John Barbirolli. The cover contains a picture, presumably taken in Finland, of a snowy forest.
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