Sibelius Symphony No 1 LSO Anthony Collins

This extract is from Beulah 14PD8 four disc box set.14PD8 Collins Sibelius Cycle.
Recorded between 1952 and 1955 the Hastings born Anthony Collins takes the London Symphony Orchestra on a journey through all seven symphonies. At times you can sense the orchestra are on the edge of their seats.
The four disc set contains:
Symphonies nos 1 to 7
Karelia Overture
Pohjola's Daughter
Nightride and Sunrise
Pelleas and Melisande - excerpts

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" A Sibelius cycle that is yet to be bettered". - Sunday Telegraph (Aug 30th 2009)

"Still in a class of its own" - Patrick Waller Classical CD Reviews- March 2006 MusicWeb-International

Andrew Achenbach writes in The Gramophone for May 2006:
Anthony Collins' 1952-55 Sibelius cycle with the LSO for Decca has acquired something of a cult status over the decades. Personally, I've long held mixed feelings about this much vaunted venture so was profoundly grateful for the chance to renew acquaintance and see if my reactions would alter. Of course Kenneth Wilkinson's hugely vivid and tastefully balanced Kingsway Hall sound remains an enormous pleasure in itself. Beulah's thankfully non-interventionist transfers are slightly less smooth but have marginally more body and projection than Tony Hawkins' exemplary previous efforts for this same label.
Collins' readings possess a red-blooded fevour and thrusting energy to which many will rightly respond.


"This is music that should be in the hands of everyone" - Steve Nystrom in Classical Disc Digest April 1994

"The recordings that helped to bring Sibelius in from the cold in the fifties have stood the test of time" wrote Andrew Clements in The Guardian 14 Feb. 1997

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Music

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• classical

[David69547]

When I got my first record token in 1959 I asked my dad what I should buy

He immediately responded 'Sibelius 1'

I had never heard of Sibelius, but when I put this recording on the turntable i was immediately hooked.

My Dad was a professional clarinet player - so perhaps he had enjoyed the opening few bars of the symphony

I wonder if the player on this recording was the great Jack Brymer?

[A60stock]

@David69547 No Jack played in the RPO at the time. It is more likely to be Gervese de Peyer.

[A60stock]

Collins had died by the time Decca came around to recording stereo versions of these symphonies. Still Ken Wilkinson's mono is amazing and heard on good systems you are transported into the orchestra. For me these performances have always been the benchmark.

[A60stock]

They are a pretty incredible band. At the time Sibelius was writing Symphonies, Mahler was the NYPO conductor. At the same time the NYPO dubbed Samuel Coleridge-Taylor their black Mahler. SC-T conducted the orchestra on two of his visits to the USA in the early years of the 20th century. SC-T had an African father and English mother ( reminds me of a Democratic hopeful).

[onofrioscriba]

While Boult expressed domestic and cultivated nature, Collins represented

wild and tutonistic nature. I smell in his music roky beach. How wouderful they are! In front of them Beecham seems to be more human and with humor. Nowadays there is no talented conductors more in England neither in Europe. Europe is becoming extincting.

[ggn1234]

Probably the most successful recording of this movement ever made. No one else gets the tempo quite as perfectly as Collins.

For the finale of this wonderful symphony, I urge you to check out Victor de Sabata's recording also available on this site.

[RattleAbbado]

Beautiful clarinet solo. I played it just yesterday with our orchestra and I know what is about... Very complex symphony... One of the Sibelius´s best...

[shadoman1992]

Our orchestra just played this. Being a viola player, our part was pretty dull but i must say that the brass solo at the end was brilliant!

[bannan61]

Anthony Collins, the viola player and composer of Vanity Fair. As a conductor he should have been asked by Decca to do a stereo remake of his Sibelius cycle. At around 2'20'' nobody has ever done the timp and horn motif as well as Collins. Maazel's Decca version failed to reach this standard. As good as Hannikainen was as a Sibelius interpreter, Collins beat him hands down. If you haven't got this, then go and buy it!!

[merkleel1]

I heard the New York Philharmonic play this, and it was incredible!