Thomas Sondergard - Sibelius: Finlandia - The Arts Desk

Earlier releases in Thomas Søndergård’s ongoing Sibelius cycle were marred by indifferent engineering, so it’s nice to report that this collection of tone poems and incidental music boasts excellent sound, with impressive playing from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. This En Saga has plenty of energy, Søndergård never letting the tension flag. He even manages to make Finlandia seem freshly-minted, the evergreen Big Tune preceded by a dark, glowering opening. Best of all is The Oceanides, a brooding masterpiece which highlights Sibelius’s ability to spin so much from so little, the tiny scraps of themes building to an extraordinary, brassy climax. Close your eyes and taste the salt. This release would be worth buying for The Oceanides alone, but we also get affectionate readings of Valse Triste and The Swan of Tuonela, the latter’s unnamed cor anglais soloist singing out over limpid divisi strings. Lovely. As is the less well-known suite from King Christian II. Clarinets and bassoons burble happily in the tiny “Musette”, and the closing “Ballade” has plenty of punch.