Karajan and Sibelius

Jean Sibelius
(1865-1957)
Herbert von Karajan was known as an advocate of Sibelius's music in the 1940's and early 1950's when it was rarely played in continental Europe. The composer himself described Karajan as a "great master" and felt that of the younger generation of conductors (he was writing in the 1950's) he was the one who had the greatest feeling for his music.

In 1938 the Head of Swedish Radio had invited Karajan to conduct the Sixth Symphony in Stockholm and the performance by the 30 year old General Music Director from Aachen had been widely admired. So began a life-long enthusiam for the Finnish composer's work which Karajan always felt could never be compared to the music of anyone else. Although he never conducted the Third symphony, the later symphonies and the tone poem "Tapiola" fascinated him as music which evolved organically out of the sound world of the Finnish landscape. The Sibelius scholar and biographer Erik Tawaststjerna inscribed the following dedication in Karajan's copy of his book:

"To Herbert von Karajan.
The only conductor who understands the Fourth Symphony.
Erik Tawaststjerna"

Recording Sibelius Symphony No 5
at Abbey Road studios in 1960
Visiting the grave of Sibelius
at Ainola 15th May 1965




Recordings

En Saga
1976 September - October (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin

Finlandia
1952 29th - 31st July (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1953 11th April (RAI Turin) Radio Broadcast: Turin
1959 5th - 6th January (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1964 28th October (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1965 16th May (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Helsinki
1976 September - December (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin
1976 16th October (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Berlin Click to hear short extract.
1984 19th - 24th February (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin

Karelia Suite
1981 2nd January (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin

Pelleas & Melisande
1982 27th January - 18th February (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin

Swan of Tuonela
1965 18th - 21st September (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1976 September - December (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin
1984 19th - 24th February(B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin

Symphony No 1
1981 2nd January (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin

Symphony No 2
1960 28th - 29th March (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1980 16th - 17th November (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin

Symphony No 4
1953 6th - 7th July (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1965 26th February - 12th May (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1965 16th May (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Helsinki
1976 27th - 29th December (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin
1978 28th January (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Berlin

Symphony No 5
1949 5th October (Stockholm Philharmonic) BIS: Stockholm Note: Third movement only.
1951 1st December (Philharmonia) Columbia: London Note: Recording completed on 29th July 1952.
1957 24th May (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Berlin
1960 20th - 23rd September (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1965 22nd - 24th February (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1965 16th May (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Helsinki
1976 September - October (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin
1976 16th October (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Berlin Click to hear short extract.
1977 31st August (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Lucerne

Symphony No 6
1955 4th - 5th July (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1967 18th April (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1980 16th - 20th November (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin

Symphony No 7
1955 5th - 6th July (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1967 20th - 21st September (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin

Tapiola
1953 14th - 15th July (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1964 30th October (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1976 September - December (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin
1984 19th - 24th February (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin

Valse Triste
1958 16th January (Philharmonia) Columbia: London
1967 30th January (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1972 1st January (B.P.O.) Radio Broadcast: Berlin
1978 24th June (B.P.O.) Television Broadcast: Paris
1980 16th - 20th November (B.P.O.) EMI: Berlin
1983 31st December (B.P.O.) Sony (Film): Berlin
1984 19th - 24th February (B.P.O.) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin

Violin Concerto
1964 29th - 30th October (B.P.O. Ferras) Deutsche Grammophon: Berlin
1971 25th September (B.P.O. Ferras) Radio Broadcast: Berlin




Concerts

En Saga
1939 8th March Aachen (Aachen Stadttheater Orchestra)
1939 9th March Aachen (Aachen Stadttheater Orchestra)

Finlandia
1948 21st February Vienna (V.S.O.)
1948 22nd February Vienna (V.S.O.)
1953 11th April Turin (RAI Turin)
1955 26th October New York (Philharmonia)
1955 7th November Grand Rapids (Philharmonia)
1955 9th November Ann Arbor, Michigan (Philharmonia)
1965 13th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1965 14th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1965 16th May Helsinki (B.P.O.)
1965 5th September Lucerne (B.P.O.)
1965 9th September Athens (B.P.O.)
1976 16th October Berlin (B.P.O.)
1976 17th October Berlin (B.P.O.)
1976 24th October Berlin (B.P.O.)

Symphony No 1
1942 8th February Berlin (Staatskapelle)
1942 9th February Berlin (Staatskapelle)

Symphony No 2
1962 24th February Vienna (V.S.O.)
1962 25th February Vienna (V.S.O.)

Symphony No 4
1943 18th April Berlin (Staatskapelle)
1943 19th April Berlin (Staatskapelle)
1955 1st May London (Philharmonia)
1965 13th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1965 14th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1965 16th May Helsinki (B.P.O.)
1978 28th January Berlin (B.P.O.)
1978 29th January Berlin (B.P.O.)

Symphony No 5
1950 11th November Vienna (V.S.O.)
1950 12th November Vienna (V.S.O.)
1952 16th August Lucerne (Lucerne Festival Orchestra)
1953 20th November London (Philharmonia)
1955 14th October London (Philharmonia)
1955 26th October New York (Philharmonia)
1955 31st October Huntington,W.Va. (Philharmonia)
1955 3rd November Toledo,O. (Philharmonia)
1955 9th November Ann Arbor, Michigan (Philharmonia)
1955 19th November Boston (Philharmonia)
1957 24th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1957 25th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1957 26th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1965 13th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1965 14th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1965 16th May Helsinki (B.P.O.)
1965 18th May Copenhagen (B.P.O.)
1965 5th September Lucerne (B.P.O.)
1965 9th September Athens (B.P.O.)
1973 26th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1973 27th May Berlin (B.P.O.)
1976 16th October Berlin (B.P.O.)
1976 17th October Berlin (B.P.O.)
1977 31st August Lucerne (B.P.O.)
1979 8th December Berlin (B.P.O.)
1979 9th December Berlin (B.P.O.)

Symphony No 6
1938 7th February Stockholm (Stockholm Radio Orchestra)
1938 27th September Berlin (B.P.O.)

Symphony No 7
1948 21st February Vienna (V.S.O.)
1948 22nd February Vienna (V.S.O.)
1967 19th September Berlin (B.P.O.)
1967 20th September Berlin (B.P.O.)
1967 21st September Berlin (B.P.O.)

Valse Triste
1971 31st December Berlin (B.P.O.)
1972 1st January Berlin (B.P.O.)
1983 30th December Berlin (B.P.O.)
1983 31st December Berlin (B.P.O.)

Violin Concerto
1971 25th September Berlin (B.P.O. Ferras)
1971 26th September Berlin (B.P.O. Ferras)