SIBELIUS Symphonies Nos 5 & 6 - Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra - LSO Live LSO0537 (2010) SACD rip via PS3 to iso (3.08GB) | 24bit/88.2kHz flac | Mch (2.42GB) (+5.58dB gain) | 2ch (0.98GB) DR16 (+5.52dB gain) | Classical This is 4th & last in the series. ** DSD recording ** ------------------------------------------------------------------ English conductors have loved the music of Sibelius with a true & undying love. From Beecham & Barbirolli straight through to Davis & Rattle, English conductors have always championed the terse but tremendous Finn's music. With these recordings of Symphonies #5 & #6, Davis has now recorded each work 3 times: 1st with the Boston Symphony in the '70s, then with the London Symphony Orchestra in the '90s, & now with the LSO again early in the 21st century. Both his earlier recordings were among the best ever made by an English conductor with a slight edge going to the later LSO recordings because of their sense of awe & inevitability. This recording is not in the same league as either of the earlier recordings. Part of the reason is that Davis' tempos are too little too forceful in the outer movements, a bit too flaccid in the central movements, & not quite as cogent from start to finish. Part of the reason is that the LSO's playing is a little too scrappy in the accelerando in the 5th's opening movement, a bit too sloppy in the 6th's closing movement, & not quite as radiant from beginning to end. Part of the reason is that the LSO's thin but dim recording is nowhere near as lucid & evocative as the Philips' stereo recordings & nowhere near as clear & deep as the BMG digital recording. If you already have both Davis' earlier recordings, plus the recordings by Beecham & Barbirolli, plus a half-dozen recordings by assorted Finnish conductors reaching back to the '30s, by all means try the latest Davis. SA-CD.net review by Luukas: This is 4th & the last release of Sir Colin Davis' amazing live Sibelius cycle with London Symphony Orchestra. This SACD includes Symphonies #5 & 6. 5th Symphony is very cool: 1st movement's bassoon solo is excellent, & 2nd movement's beautiful thema is very effective. Last movement shows LSO's virtuosity: horns famous "swan theme" is stunning. Symphony ends orchestra's fff accords. 6th Symphony is also very good: 1st movement's beauty (harp's & woodwinds' singing themes) comes very close in LSO Live's Mch recording. 2nd movement's tempo is moving & little fast, but I like it. Last movement is very good: end's strings' thema is very beautiful. Symphony ends in silence. Highly recommend, indeed! Tracks: 01-Symphony No 5: i. Tempo molto moderato - Allegro moderato 02-Symphony No 5: ii. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto 03-Symphony No 5: iii. Allegro molto 04-Symphony No 6: i. Allegro molto moderato 05-Symphony No 6: ii. Allegro moderato 06-Symphony No 6: iii. Poco vivace 07-Symphony No 6: iv. Allegro molto Time: 56:48 ** Zebedee ** http://www.filefactory.com/folder/ea85ff5e866fb41d ------------------------------------------------------------------ Checksum for iso: a3f0b3b08b6cc3910b50a407c09b4762 *Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra - SIBELIUS Symphonies Nos 5 & 6.iso Checksums for flac tracks Mch: 21975b3bb30658b15e4e626518ad65b9 *01 - No 5 i. Tempo molto moderato - Allegro moderato.flac 6971f82b37810730d510e5206d1413b5 *02 - No 5 ii. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto.flac 85c74c5bc73826cfa1c9e776f01157a2 *03 - No 5 iii. Allegro molto.flac cf5f7a132f45bdeacac07659cd6f8d93 *04 - No 6 i. Allegro molto moderato.flac 31e3f353a4805d5e3f8aef642d6f1c40 *05 - No 6 ii. Allegro moderato.flac 3433d4cf937ab3048bfd63d7d817978d *06 - No 6 iii. Poco vivace.flac 2050e2823dd1e929b940a8eb599535c7 *07 - No 6 iv. Allegro molto.flac Checksums for flac tracks 2ch: 1cba037a50ff32fa98d96d27e3558faf *01 - No 5 i. Tempo molto moderato - Allegro moderato.flac ee4e2ac289a50ad33b2ba8b23d597ce6 *02 - No 5 ii. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto.flac 84f317b44977d30b1efb1f55ba754b00 *03 - No 5 iii. Allegro molto.flac c6c909aae2268a7f6224852e686b4bfd *04 - No 6 i. Allegro molto moderato.flac 3f3d71d453f9b83b304ba4600c60ced4 *05 - No 6 ii. Allegro moderato.flac a1c0aebf2a9f240bd60bd2f90d2ed40c *06 - No 6 iii. Poco vivace.flac f5302a2a088a362537740b8dbb609c72 *07 - No 6 iv. Allegro molto.flac