Phils 9: Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Shawn, Ravel

Sibelius: Valse Triste
Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra
Sony Classical

“The world’s greatest orchestra” still sounded like it when this recording was made in 1959. Ormandy’s strings were the most sumptuous in the world, and his pacing here is fittingly melancholic.

WebTip: This Sony recording has been reissued countless times with a constantly changing repertoire on each CD. It is most commonly available in the “Essential Classics” series. Do not confuse it with a later recording for RCA that is currently paired with Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2.

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 (“Reformation”)
Charles Munch, Boston Symphony
RCA

When Munch was hot, he exuded not just excitement but inevitability. He simply catches you up and doesn’t let you go till each movement is over.

WebTip: This recording is available as a single SACD “Living Stereo” CD along with Symphony No. 4 (“Italian”); it can also be found on a 2-CD album with Munch’s recordings of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3 (“Scotch”) plus some overtures with other conductors.

Ravel: La Valse
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Minnesota Orchestra
Regis Records or Mobile Fidelity (SACD)

The sumptuous acoustics of Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis add to Skrowaczewski’s lithe, swirling, amorphous, wicked, impressionistic energy. He brings out both the darkness and the brilliant colors in what is really ballet music.

WebTip: In stores with new and used CDs you may still find this recording on its original budget label (Vox) as part of two Vox Boxes (2 CDs each) of Ravel’s complete orchestral music. Online it’s now on a single CD on both Regis (budget-priced) and Mobile Fidelity (expensive SACD).

NOTE: Allen Shawn’s Violin Concerto is a 2010 world premiere—no recordings are available.