The following summary review provides an overview of the three versions of Berglund’s survey of the Sibelius symphonies and other works where included. They are all the latest masters at the time of the review (2017).
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The Bournemouth set was the first and was originally recorded from 1972-1982 with most being in the late 1970’s. The Helsinki set followed recorded in 1984-87. The final set with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe was recorded from 1996-8 and is both the most expensive and supplied without fill-ups All three sets are expertly played by their respective orchestras and faithfully follow Berglund’s direction at that time. All three sets are well recorded so purchasers may choose any without regard to recorded quality which should give complete satisfaction.
There are clear differences of interpretational intent as Berglund developed his ideas over some 20 years. Essentially the Bournemouth set is consistently the slowest, the Helsinki set the fastest and the COE set somewhere in the middle. Conductors only revisit recordings if they feel that there is more to say or if they are otherwise dissatisfied with earlier attempts. Collectors have found much to praise in each of these sets all of which are impressive leaders in their field. Enthusiasts will find that the three sets are all worth purchasing as there is little interpretive duplication with only the 7th symphony being practically identical in each set. All the other works have different emphases to savour and consider. They all convince in different ways.
Broadly speaking the Bournemouth set gains from preponderantly slower tempi with its resultant breadth and weight accompanied by a clear feeling of both spontaneity AND joy clearly transmitted by the orchestra. The double climax in the Oceanides in Bournemouth is not matched in Helsinki for example where markedly faster tempi in that work, as in the symphonies and other works, leads to an increase of forward drive and drama but at the slight cost of the breadth and weight of Bournemouth. The drive towards drama negates the less pressed sense of joy found in Bournemouth. Both of these sets provide a full orchestral textural pallet and for this reason there are plenty of collectors who would choose either of these sets as being by very nature, more in line with the thought processes of the composer. The COE set is, for that reason, the most controversial of the three.
Thus, by way of contrast to the two previous sets of full orchestra recordings, Berglund continued with his quest for further clarity in his final set with the COE. This chamber ensemble however, is no ordinary chamber group having a reduced string section that SOUNDS much bigger than it is in reality. The rest of the players, woodwind, brass and percussion, remain the same in all orchestras. The result is undoubtedly one where listeners will hear more textural detail with much of the breadth of the Bournemouth set retained. Nevertheless despite the power of the strings there is still a change in the orchestral balance that allows more of the solo detail of the woodwind and brass to be heard – and Sibelius wrote much for solo woodwind especially and set this against the massed strings. There is even a return to the personal level of engagement so obvious in Bournemouth and missing in Helsinki. In many ways therefore, this could be considered the best of both opposite worlds. The bite of the chamber orchestra also challenges the drive of the Helsinki set. The significant problems for collectors are the cost, the lack of additional smaller works and the difficulty in obtaining the set.
This is therefore a case of ‘You pays your money and you takes your choice’ to quote a well-worn phrase. All three sets offer equal pegging in musical and recording values and a persuasive case can be made for owning all three as here! Collectors are really spoiled for ultimate choice between these three fine versions.
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