Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43

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The work of Jean Sibelius quickly attracted Leonard Bernstein as he could let his generosity and love for orchestra sounds run wild. After directing the first stereophonic integral version of Sibelius’ Symphonies between 1960 and 1967 with his New York Philharmonic, Bernstein started working on a second one, recorded live with the Vienna Philharmonic at the end of his life, unfortunately brutally interrupted by his passing.
In 1965, Bernstein performed all of Sibelius’ Symphonies live in just one single season, on the occasion of the composer’s centenary. With the New York Philharmonic, he had a splendid orchestra at his disposal, with buttery smooth strings and powerful brass. Bernstein conferred an epic dimension to Sibelius’ music, perfectly illustrating the great spaces that had inspired the composer, broadly painting ample sound frescoes while still paying attention to all the countless little details of this singular music.
A telluric force emerges from this integral version, comparable to natural phenomena that can rock and overwhelm the natural world. The Symphony No. 2 is like a hymn to the freedom of Finland, recovering its identity after centuries under Russian and Swedish domination. It ends with a slow and glorious rise towards the light, a flamboyant climax directed by Leonard Bernstein with a passion close to elation. © François Hudry/Qobuz