Osmo Vanska - Sibelius: The Sound of Sibelius

Regularly described by reviewers as "the pre-eminent Sibelius interpreters of our day" (American Record Guide) and "the Sibelius orchestra and conductor of the moment" (International Record Review), Osmo Vanska and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra have become synonymous with idiomatic, pioneering and authoritative interpretations of the music of Jean Sibelius. In fact the team's very first Sibelius recording, in 1991, caused a sensation; juxtaposing the final version of the composer's famous violin concerto with the original version - never before recorded - made for a disc that was of eminent interest to the world of classical music, as witness the Gramophone Award that it received upon its release. The present program unashamedly glories in some of the composer's most popular pieces, all in the versions familiar to concert audiences around the world. Recorded in 5.0 surround sound during sessions in 2006 and 2007, the performances constitute a sonic spectacular - and some of the last Sibelius recordings by a legendary team.