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Title: Bland
Review: There's no contest if you're trying to decide between this and the two Philips 2-fers: the Philips recordings are more flowing, better-recorded, and contain more drama and attention to the long line and long argument--so important in Sibelius. Based not just on these but his other recordings recently, Colin Davis seems to be softening in old age. Leslier Gerber's statement that these recordings are *more* aggressive baffles me. Compare literally any section side by side and you'll find the climaxes here more muted (the tympani is particularly dull and "thuddy"), the string-playing less taut, and the overall conception far less edgy. The sound is a little fuzzy too. When the complete set, plus overtures, tone poems and violin concerto can be had on Philips for about thirty bucks, there's no contest, and no reason this cycle was even necessary.
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