Ehrling/Stockholm RSO: Sibelius Symphony No. 2 - Mercury MG 10141

$

25

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and rare LP from Mercury (MG 10141, US pressing, black/silver label, mono – no stereo edition exists) features Sixten Ehrling and the Stockholm Radio Symphony Orchestra’s magnificent account of Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major Op. 43, recorded during 9-11 January 1953 at the Royal Academy of Music, Nybrokajen, Stockholm.

Ehrling and the Stockholm RSO’s recording remains a landmark in the Sibelius discography. For this listener, the closing pages of the Finale have never been imbued with such intense emotion – really, it is a thrilling, overwhelming musical experience.

For the interested, the movement timings for Ehrling’s reading are as follows:

Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43 (1901)
I.  Allegretto (9:07)
II. Tempo andante ma rubato (13:26)
III. Vivacissimo; Lento e suave (5:46)
IV. Finale: Allegro moderato (31:54)

When reviewing Finlandia’s CD re-issue of Erhrling’s complete Sibelius Symphony cycle, the superb critic Andrew Achenbach wrote for the March 2000 issue of The Gramophone: “At last, Sixten Ehrling's earliest recording of the Sibelius symphonies makes its first appearance in the UK. And the wait has been worth it ...

“Born in 1918 in Malinti, Sweden, Sixten Ehrling attended Stockholm's Royal Academy of Music, and subsequently studied under B6hm, Ansermet, de Sabata and Albert Wolff. From 1939 to 1960, he worked at Stockholm Opera, rising to the post of Court Conductor and Musical Director in 1951. Twelve years later, he succeeded Paul Paray in Detroit, where he remained for a further decade. After moving to New York in 1973, he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera and held the post of Professor of Conducting at the Juilliard School until 1988.

“I have always treasured Ehrling's marvellously vital 1967 LSO coupling for Decca of Berwald's Sinfonie singuliere and Symphony in E flat (now available on Bluebell, 8/92), and his recent set of the complete Berwald symphonies (BIS, 4/97) with the Malmti SO showed no diminution in terms of interpretative insight and keen sensitivity. The present offering, however, takes us all the way back to 1952-3 and the outset of this gifted and versatile figure's career.

“Originally made for the Swedish Metronome label, Ehrling's Sibelius symphony cycle (the first ever integral set on disc, never previously released in the UK) strikes me as a pretty astonishing achievement for a conductor not yet 35 years of age. Integrity, intelligence and freshness are the watchwords here, a crusading zeal that courses through the whole venture. In the first two symphonies Ehrling paces the proceedings with impressive grip, and his readings harness epic thrust to an engaging generosity of spirit. Certainly, the First Symphony's Scherzo has terrific bite and sparkle, and Ehrling invests the big tune in No 2's finale with memorable nobility both times round (and the concluding bars blaze magnificently).

“I like the bracing drama and clean articulation of the Third's opening Allegro moderato, its coda distinctively, almost truculently defiant. The slow movement is less twilit, more flowing than usual, the finale purposeful and ultimately very exciting. Ehrling's Fourth steers a clear-sighted course between uncompromising starkness and expressive ardour (the warmth and application of the string-playing in the last movement are very moving).

“The Fifth brings an eagle-eyed conception, with trenchant bass-lines in the finale especially (how thrillingly the double-basses underpin that unforgettable switch to C major between figs E and F, from 1.56). The Seventh, too, attains a thoroughly compelling momentum and rugged, pioneering spirit.  Only the Sixth rather underwhelms: a strong first movement apart, it's no match for the Beecham from six years earlier. Who knows, perhaps session-time was running out (it, along with Nos 2,4 and 5, was set down over a period of just three days). Throughout, the Stockholm orchestra responds with such conviction and humanity that one readily forgives the occasional minor mishap along the way.

“Owing to the perilous state of the mastertapes, the Finlandia technicians have had to return to the original LPs (for the most part, US Mercury pressings from the archives of Warner Music Sweden were used). On the whole transfers have been judiciously executed. True, the opening few minutes of the First Symphony don't bode well, with blasting strings (and a minute, but queasy drop in pitch at 129"), but thereafter things settle down nicely, and the sound is both vivid and often surprisingly well detailed too (especially at the bass end of the spectrum).

“In sum, a most valuable and rewarding set which should provide many hours of stimulating listening to seasoned Sibelians.”

Incidentally, there are fine liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket, provided in English only, by James Lyons.

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the jacket is VERY GOOD. There is a discreet 3” seamsplit along the spine, a second 1” seamsplit to the lower-right corner, slight bumping/wear at corners, a small bit of writing and discoloration to the rear panel. However, the jacket remains perfectly solid, bright, glossy, and highly attractive in apperance – in all, a very good collector's copy.

The condition of the LP is VERY GOOD.  Though the surfaces are not CD silent, in general the playback is excellent. However, those requiring CD silent surfaces are kindly advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this rates as a very good collector's copy.