The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) was one of the most important symphonists of the early twentieth century: his seven symphonies, written between 1899 and 1924, are the core of his oeuvre and stalwarts of the standard concert repertoire.[1] Many of classical music's conductor–orchestra partnerships have recorded the complete set, colloquially known as the "Sibelius cycle".[2] Specifically, the standard cycle includes:
Additionally, the Sibelius cycle can, in its non-standard form, include its "grand precursor"[20]Kullervo (Op. 7, 1892), which some commentators view as a programmaticchoral symphony.[21] This perspective conceptualizes Kullervo as Sibelius's de facto "Symphony No. 0",[22] thus expanding his completed contributions to the symphonic canon from seven to eight. Eleven of the 48 cycles include Kullervo as a supplement.
Precursors: 1930–1951
From 1930–1932, Robert Kajanus made premiere recordings of the First, Second, Third, and Fifth symphonies, but his death in July 1933 prevented him from completing the first cycle.
Sergei Koussevitzky was the first to program the entire cycle in a concert season (1932–1933, Boston); he also made the premiere recording (1933) of the Seventh with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Sir Thomas Beecham's recordings of the Fourth and the Sixth replaced Schnéevoigt's in the HMV catalogue; Sibelius called the latter his "favourite recording of any of his symphonies".
In 1934, Georg Schnéevoigt and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra made the premiere recording of the Sixth and the second of the Fourth; Sibelius expressed disappointment with the performances.
In 1930, the Finnish government, perceiving a wide audience for Sibelius's works, enlisted Britain's Columbia Graphophone Company (later merged in 1931 with HMV to form EMI) to record the First and Second symphonies.[23][24] The government's subsidization of such an artistic project (it contributed 50,000 Finnish marks)[25] was, according to Sibelius's biographer Erik Tawaststjerna, "an enlightened and at this time unprecedented gesture... a measure of the unique importance Finland attached to Sibelius as a national figure".[26] Sibelius was permitted his choice of native-born conductors and selected his long-time interpreter, Robert Kajanus,[23][24] writing of the septuagenarian conductor, "Very many are the men who have conducted these symphonies during the last thirty years, but there are none who have gone deeper and given them more feeling and beauty than Robert Kajanus".[25]
The First and Second were recorded in the Westminster Central Hall on 21–23 and 27–28 May, respectively;[25][27] although the orchestra was credited as the "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra", the musicians were "largely drawn from the London Symphony [Orchestra], which could not be named for contractual reasons".[23][28] Two years later, in 1932, the British record producer Walter Legge founded the His Master's Voice (HMV) Sibelius Society, a subscription service that promised to record "all his [Sibelius's] major works and to culminate in the forthcoming Eighth Symphony".[26] Legge enlisted Kajanus—by then in ill health[29]—to record the Third (21–22 June) and Fifth (22–23 June) symphonies at Abbey Road Studio No. 1, again with the London Symphony Orchestra (this time properly credited).[30] Each of Kajanus's recordings was a world premiere and, because of his close association with and personal selection by Sibelius, they "can generally be regarded as authoritative... he communicates overwhelmingly a sense of total identification with the composer's mind".[31]
Legge and HMV had planned for Kajanus to complete the cycle by recording the Fourth, Sixth, and Seventh symphonies, but the maestro's death on 6 July 1933 prevented it.[26] At Sibelius's "express wish",[26] they turned to the Finnish conductor Georg Schnéevoigt to record the Fourth and the Sixth in June 1934; Schnéevoigt was touring London with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (it was billed as the "Finnish National Orchestra"), the principal conductorship of which he had inherited in April 1933 due to Kajanus's ill health. They recorded the Sixth in studio on 3 June (its world premiere recording) and the Fourth at a public concert on 4 June (its second recording, the premiere having been by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra on 23 April 1932 for Victor Records).[29][32] However, Sibelius did not approve the test pressings of Schnéevoigt's Fourth and Legge did not issue it commercially; although Sibelius permitted the release of Schnéevoigt's Sixth, his response to the performance was tepid.[33][34]
With the Schnéevoigt recordings lacking favour, the English conductor Sir Thomas Beecham stepped in to fill the void: for Legge, he and the London Philharmonic Orchestra recorded the Fourth on 10 December 1937 at Abbey Road.[35] To prepare this performance, Beecham referenced a "detailed list of [Sibelius's] comments concerning tempi, phrasing, note durations, and so on", which the composer had sent to Legge upon hearing Schnéevoigt's Fourth.[33] As such, Beecham's performance is seen as adhering more closely to Sibelius's standards. Ten years later, in 1947, Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra would displace Schnéevoigt's Sixth, recording the work for Legge from May to November 1947 at Kingsway Hall.[35] According to Robert Layton, Sibelius is said to have referred to Beecham's Sixth as "his favourite recording of any of his symphonies".[36][h]
A final important Sibelian from this period was the Russian émigré conductor Serge Koussevitzky,[37] an "energetic disciple" to whom Sibelius had promised the world premiere of the ever-elusive Eighth Symphony.[38][i] Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra performed the entire cycle during the 1932–1933 season (a programming first),[40][j] and while in London to guest conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Queen's Hall, Koussevitzky made the world premiere recording of the Seventh Symphony at a public concert on 15 May 1933.[41][32] Koussevitzky dispatched the test pressings to Sibelius with a 6 June letter: "if they [the discs] do not please you, they will be destroyed"; the composer, however, was pleased, writing on 3 July: "I find it hard to express the joy I experienced when I listened to you dear Maestro... Everything was so full of life and natural, and I cannot thank you sufficiently".[41] Although he never obtained the Eighth (Sibelius abandoned the project and destroyed the score),[42] Koussevitzky's advocacy remained undiminished: he commercially recorded the Second on 24 January 1935 and the Fifth on 29 December 1936,[43] as well as an additional Second on 29 November 1950, six months before his death.[44][k]
Although early advocates from the 1930s and 1940s had conducted many of Sibelius's symphonies from gramophone, none of these Sibelians recorded all seven.[19] In February 1952, Metronome (the United States distributor was Mercury) and Decca each began cycles: the former enlisted the Swedish conductor Sixten Ehrling and the Stockholm Radio Orchestra (now the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra), whereas the latter employed the English conductor Anthony Collins and the London Symphony Orchestra. For his cycle, Ehrling visited Sibelius at Ainola on 10 June 1952, "loaded with practical questions concerning interpretation and the composer's intentions"; but Sibelius's demurred, refusing to "confine the interpretations of his music to any specific edicts; each artist must be allowed to work according to his capacity and imagination".[47] Ehrling outpaced Collins, completing his Sibelius cycle—history's first—in January 1953; Collins finished two years later in January 1955. These would be the only two cycles completed in Sibelius's lifetime.
Both the Ehrling and the Collins cycles were recorded in mono; the Japanese conductor Akeo Watanabe and Japan Philharmonic Orchestra were the first to stereo, completing their cycle for Nippon Columbia in 1962 (the United States distributor was Epic). A patriotic milestone arrived in June 1977 when the Finnish conductor Paavo Berglund became the first of Sibelius's countrymen to record the cycle (with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, EMI). Ten years later in July 1987, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra became the first Finnish ensemble to complete the cycle (with Berglund, EMI).
The sortable table below contains all commercial recordings of the complete Sibelius cycle. To date, it has been recorded 48 times by 34 conductors (of which 11 are or were Finns, Sibelius's countrymen) and 34 orchestras (three Finnish). In terms of superlatives, Berglund (1977, 1987, 1997, 1998) holds the record for the most cycles by a conductor. The record for an ensemble is jointly held by the London Symphony Orchestra (1955, 1994, 2008), the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (1962, 1981, 2013), and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (1989, 1993, 2014), at three apiece. Finally, among record labels, Decca has produced a record six cycles (Collins, 1955; Maazel, 1968; Davis, 1976; Ashkenazy, 1984; Blomstedt, 1995; Mäkelä, 2022).
Additionally, the Sibelius cycle can, in its non-standard form, include Kullervo (Op. 7, 1892), a five-movement symphonic work for soprano, baritone, male choir, and orchestra. This piece, which predates the First Symphony by seven years and in 1893 launched the young Sibelius as an important composer for orchestra, features sung text from Runos XXXV–VI of the Kalevala, Finland's national epic. Kullervo eschews obvious categorization, in part due to Sibelius's own ambivalence: at the premiere, program and score each listed the piece as a "symphonic poem"; yet, Sibelius nevertheless referred to Kullervo as a symphony both while composing the piece and again in retirement when reflecting on his decades-long career.[95][96][97]
Today, many commentators prefer to view Kullervo as a programmaticchoral symphony, variously due to its deployment of sonata form in the first movement, its thematic unity and recurring material, and its massive scale.[95][98][99][100] Such a perspective thus conceptualizes Kullervo as Sibelius's de facto "Symphony No. 0", thereby expanding his completed contributions to the symphonic canon from seven to eight. Eleven of the Sibelius complete cycles listed above also include Kullervo. The sortable table below lists recording information for these performances.[w]
The sortable table below includes two projected, in-progress Sibelius cycles, which—if completed—would constitute the 49th to 50th entries in the commercial catalogue.
Additionally, beginning in November 2024, the Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra will commence a cycle, "during which all of Jean Sibelius's symphonies will be recorded as high-quality multi-camera productions"; the videos will be available on Deutsche Grammophon's Stage+ streaming service.[111] Once completed, this would be the third Sibelius cycle for both Saraste (previously 1989 and 1993, both with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra) and the Helsinki Philharmonic (previously 1987 with Paavo Berglund and 2004 with Leif Segerstam).
In addition to the 48 completed Sibelius cycles, there are a number of incomplete traversals available to the public. Of particular note is the collaboration between the Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan and the Philharmonia for EMI, because it occurred during Sibelius's lifetime. In 1954, Walter Legge—who, in 1932, had been instrumental in the projected Kajanus–LSO cycle—sought to woo the octogenarian composer to London, either to personally conduct the cycle or, barring that, to supervise the production of one under Karajan (then under contract with Legge's EMI):[112]
As I believe I have already told you, Herbert von Karajan is, in my view, of all the leading conductors, the one with the greatest insight into your music. If you are completely happy with his performances of these three great works [Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5, recorded in 1952; and Tapiola, 1953], I would be deeply grateful if you would write and tell me so, because if Herbert von Karajan's performances satisfy you, it is my intention to record all of your symphonies to be published in time for the celebration of your ninetieth birthday...
— Walter Legge, in a September 1954 letter to Jean Sibelius[112]
Subsequently, Sibelius voiced his approval to Legge in person, remarking: "Karajan is the only one who really understands my music". In the end, Karajan recorded Symphonies Nos. 4–7 with the Philharmonia before Sibelius's death, all in mono;[x] and, in 1960, he added to this set stereo recordings of Nos. 2 and 5.[114][115]
The sortable table below includes these and other incomplete Sibelius cycles for which a conductor recorded with the same orchestra at least three of the seven symphonies, including: Karajan's second and third, each with the Berlin Philharmonic, the orchestra he conducted for over three decades; Bernstein's second; and, Berglund's record fifth.
^The First Symphony premiered on 26 April 1899 in Helsinki, with Sibelius conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Society. It shared the program with the tone poemThe Wood Nymph, Op. 15 (1894–1895) and the Song of the Athenians, Op. 31/3 (1899), for boy's choir, male choir, and small orchestra.[3][4]
^The Second Symphony premiered on 8 March 1902 in Helsinki, with Sibelius conducting the Philharmonic Society. It shared the program with the Overture in A minor, JS 144 (1902) and Impromptu, Op. 19 (1902; revised 1910), for female choir and orchestra.[5][6]
^The Fourth Symphony premiered on 3 April 1911 in Helsinki, with Sibelius conducting the Philharmonic Society. It shared the program with the tone poems Nightride and Sunrise, Op. 55 (1908) and The Dryad, Op. 45/1 (1910), as well as two additional orchestral works: In memoriam, Op. 59 (1909; revised 1910), and Canzonetta, Op. 62a (1911).[9][10]
^The initial version of the Fifth Symphony (then in four movements) premiered on 8 December 1915 in Helsinki, with Sibelius conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. It shared the program with the tone poem The Oceanides, Op. 78 (1913–1914; revised 1914) and the Two Serenades, Op. 69 (1912–1913) for violin and orchestra, with Richard Burgin as soloist.[11][12] Four years later, on 24 November 1919 in Helsinki, Sibelius premiered the definitive version of the Fifth, again with the Philharmonic Orchestra. Programmed alongside it was Song of the Earth, Op. 93 (1919), a cantata for mixed choir; and, the Six Humoresques, Op. 87/89 (1917–1918; No. 1 revised 1940), for violin and orchestra, with Paul Cherkassky as soloist.[13][14]
^The Sixth Symphony premiered on 19 February 1923 in Helsinki with Sibelius conducting the Philharmonic Orchestra. It shared the program with: Autrefois, Op. 96b (1920); Valse chevaleresque, Op. 96c (1922); the Suite champêtre for strings, Op. 98b (1922); the Suite caractéristique, Op. 100 (1922) for strings and harp; and, La Chasse from the Scènes historiques II, Op. 66 (1912).[15][16]
^Beecham left behind an extensive recorded legacy as a Sibelian. In addition to the performances of the Fourth and Sixth mentioned above, he also recorded the Second twice and the Seventh three.
^According to the music critic and Sibelius "evangelist" Olin Downes, Koussevitzky was a late convert to the cause, having initially in 1924 dismissed Sibelius's oeuvre as "so dark". By the 1930s, however, Koussevitzky had become a "zealot" in service to Sibelius's music.[39]
^The archives of the Boston Symphony Orchestra contain the concert programs that correspond to this landmark cycle:
Having inaugurated the cycle with the Boston premiere of Tapiola (4–5 November 1932), Koussevitzky had hoped—in vain, as it turned out—to conclude the cycle with the world premiere of the Symphony No. 8.
^In the 1960s, Rococo Records issued LPs of "off-air" recordings from the 1940s of Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra in performances of the First, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh symphonies.[28][45][46]
^ abcdRefers to the timespan over which the conductor-orchestra pairing recorded the work(s); this may not be the same as the year(s) in which the recordings were first released to the general public.
^ abcdAll runtimes are official, as printed on CD or LPliner notes. For some recordings, the notes only provide runtimes for a symphony's constituent movements; in these cases, the movement runtimes were added to obtain a total duration.
^In 2015, Sony Classical released a remastered edition of the Bernstein–NYPO cycle (88875026142), which superseded an earlier 2003 release (SM4K 87329). These releases, however, contain conflicting recording information; these discrepancies are as follows:
2003 release: (No. 1) 03/03/1967 in Philharmonia Hall; (No. 2) 05/15/1966 in Philharmonia Hall; (No. 5) 03/27/1961 in Philharmonia Hall; (No. 7) 03/28/1960 & 10/26/1965 in Philharmonia Hall
2015 release: (No. 1) 03/14/1967 in Philharmonia Hall; (No. 2) 05/16/1966 in Philharmonia Hall; (No. 5) 03/27/1961 in Manhattan Hall; (No. 7) 03/28/1960 in Philharmonia Hall
The table above utilizes the 2015 liner notes.
^In the liner notes to the 2015 remaster, Sony Classical incorrectly promotes the Bernstein–NYPO cycle as "the first complete Sibelius symphony cycle in stereo... there had only been two previous traversals of all seven symphonies on disc, both in mono, both dating from the previous decade".[50] In point of fact, Nippon Columbia's 1962 Watanabe–Japan PO cycle (which the Sony liner notes do not reference) was the first to stereo.
^The liner notes to this release do not contain information on the venue(s) at which the symphonies were recorded.
^First complete Sibelius cycle by a Finnish conductor
^First complete Sibelius cycle by a Finnish orchestra
^The Vänskä–Lahti SO cycle also includes the world premiere recording of the original 1915 version of the Fifth Symphony. BIS subsequently made the Vänskä–Lahti SO cycle part of its 13-volume The Sibelius Edition series (Vol. 12, 'Symphonies', BIS-CD-1933/35; released in 2011).
^ abcdeThis orchestra records under its in-house label.
^The Storgårds–BBC Phil cycle also includes the world premiere recording of three fragments purported to belong to Sibelius's Eighth Symphony, a piece that the composer destroyed in the late-1930s to early-1940s.
^Recordings of Kullervo by Paavo Järvi and Sakari Oramo, respectively, are not included in the table above, because each is with an orchestra different from the one with which they recorded the Sibelius cycle.
^ abIn 1955, Legge and the Philharmonia recorded Symphonies Nos. 1–3 at Kingsway Hall with the Polish conductor Paul Kletzki. When combined with the Karajan recordings, this gives Legge and the Philharmonia an unofficial 'complete cycle'.[113]
^Since the 1970s, Deutsche Grammophon has packaged the Karajan–Berlin PO recordings of Symphonies Nos. 4–7 with recordings of Nos. 1–3 by the Finnish conductor Okko Kamu, who 1969 won the first Herbert von Karajan Conducting Competition; Kamu's First and Third are with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, while his Second is with the Berlin Phil. From 2012–14, Kamu recorded a complete cycle with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra for BIS.
Layton, Robert (2001). "Chapter 2: From Kajanus to Karajan: Sibelius on record". In Jackson, Timothy; Veijo, Murtomäki (eds.). Sibelius Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 14–34. ISBN978-0-521-62416-9.
Tawaststjerna, Erik (1986). Sibelius: Volume 2, 1904–1914. (Robert Layton, English translation). London: Faber and Faber. ISBN978-0-571-24773-8.
Tawaststjerna, Erik (1997). Sibelius: Volume 3, 1914–1957. (Robert Layton, English translation). London: Faber and Faber. ISBN978-0-571-24774-5.
Liner notes
Kajanus conducts Sibelius, Vol. 1 (CD booklet). Robert Kajanus & London Symphony Orchestra [& "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra"]. Naxos Historical. 2012. 8.111393.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC867581760
Kajanus conducts Sibelius, Vol. 2 (CD booklet). Robert Kajanus & London Symphony Orchestra [& "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra"]. Naxos Historical. 2013. 8.111394.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC858154504
Kajanus conducts Sibelius, Vol. 3 (CD booklet). Robert Kajanus & London Symphony Orchestra. Naxos Historical. 2013. 8.111395.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC859432959
Jean Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4, 6 and 7 (CD booklet). Leopold Stokowski & Philadelphia Orchestra / Goerg Schnéevoigt & Finnish National Orchestra / Serge Koussevitzky & BBC Symphony Orchestra. Naxos Historical. 2013. 8.111399.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1131520158
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 / Symphony No. 5 (CD booklet). S. Koussevitzky & Boston Symphony Orchestra. Naxos Historical. 2001. 8.110170.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC191900882
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf / Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 (CD booklet). Serge Koussevitzky & Boston Symphony Orchestra. Naxos Historical. 2008. 8.111290.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC416976080
Koussevitzky Conducts Sibelius, Vol. 1: Symphony No. 1 / Symphony No. 7 (CD booklet). Serge Koussevitzky & Boston Symphony Orchestra. Rococo Records. 1960s. 2-RR-2103-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC50879968
Koussevitzky Conducts Sibelius, Vol. 2: Symphony No. 5 /Symphony No. 6 / The Swan of Tuonela (CD booklet). Serge Koussevitzky & Boston Symphony Orchestra. Rococo Records. 1960s. 2-RR-2103-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC3824659
Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 /Symphony No. 5 / Others (CD booklet). Sir Thomas Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, & London Philharmonic Orchestra. EMI Classics. 1991. CDM 7 640 27 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC28124429
Jean Sibelius: Symphonies 1–7 (CD booklet). Sixten Ehrling & Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Finlandia. 1999. 3984-22713-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC47069132
Sibelius: Great Performances (CD booklet). Anthony Collins & London Symphony Orchestra. Decca. 2015. 0289 478 8589 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC936561655
Sibelius: The complete Symphonies (CD booklet). Akeo Watanabe & Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Denon. 1996. [4-CD-Box: COCO-80406-409 or COCO-80406; Barcode: 4988001446989 (Not listed on websites like discogs but can be found via Google image search, on auction-websites like ebay/yahoo or shopping sites like tower.jp)].{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: The Symphonies (Remastered Edition) (CD booklet). Leonard Bernstein & New York Philharmonic. Sony Classical. 2015. 88875026142.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC910867669
Sibelius: The Seven Symphonies (CD booklet). Lorin Maazel & Vienna Philharmonic. Decca. 2015. 478 8541.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1001522911
The Sibelius Edition: Symphonies 1–7 / Orchestral Works (CD booklet). Sir John Barbirolli & Hallé Orchestra. EMI Classics [Warner]. 2000. 5 67299 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC45170478
Sibelius: The Symphonies (CD booklet). Gennady Rozhdestvensky & Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra. Melodiya. 2010. MEL CD 10 01669.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC707195295
Complete Symphonies / Tone poems (CD booklet). Colin Davis & Boston Symphony Orchestra. Decca. 2012. 478 3696.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC781689113
Sibelius: Symphonies (CD booklet). Kurt Sanderling & Berlin Symphony Orchestra. Brilliant Classics. 2003. 6328.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC52076322
Sibelius: The Seven Symphonies (CD booklet). Maurice Abravanel & Utah Symphony Orchestra. Vanguard Classics. 1995. SVC 3133.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC49033507
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies (CD booklet). Paavo Berglund & Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. EMI Classics [Warner]. 2013. 50999 9 73600 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC823893835
Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies (CD booklet). Akeo Watanabe & Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Denon. 1996. COCO-80410-413.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies (CD booklet). Sir Alexander Gibson & Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Chandos. 2004. CHAN 6559.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC33950599
Sibelius: The Symphonies / Tone Poems / Violin Concerto (CD booklet). Vladimir Ashkenazy & Philharmonia Orchestra. Decca. 2003. 473 590-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC54781243
Jean Sibelius: The Seven Symphonies / Kullervo (CD booklet). Neeme Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. BIS. 1993. CD-622/24.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC29242082
Sibelius: Symphonies 1–7 / Violin Concerto / Others (CD booklet). Sir Simon Rattle & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. EMI Classics [Warner]. 2007. 50999 5 00753 2 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC26668650
Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies / Tone Poems (CD booklet). Paavo Berglund & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. EMI Classics [Warner]. 2001. 5 74485 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC51667439
Sibelius: Symphonies 1–7 / Karelia Suite / Valse triste (CD booklet). Jukka-Pekka Saraste & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. RCA Red Seal. 2020. 19439704812.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1240345371
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6 (CD booklet). Adrian Leaper & Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos. 1990. 8.550197.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC28030033
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 7 (CD booklet). Adrian Leaper & Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos. 1991. 8.550198.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC28885200
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 (CD booklet). Adrian Leaper & Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos. 1990. 8.550199.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC29204087
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 /En saga / Belshazzar's Feast (CD booklet). Adrian Leaper & Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos. 1991. 8.550200.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC30051915
Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies (CD booklet). Leif Segerstam & Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Chandos. 1996. CHAN 7054.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC40855944
Sibelius: Symphonies 1–7 / Violin Concerto / Orchestral Works (CD booklet). Lorin Maazel & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Sony Classical. 2002. SB5K 87882.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC52201392
Sibelius: Symphonies 1–7 (CD booklet). Jukka-Pekka Saraste & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Finlandia. 1995. 4509-99963-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC34102550
Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies / Finlandia / Kullervo / Valse triste / More (CD booklet). Sir Colin Davis & London Symphony Orchestra. RCA Red Seal. 2003. 82876-55706-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC55118128
Sibelius: The Symphonies (CD booklet). Herbert Blomstedt & San Francisco Symphony. Decca. 2006. 475 7677.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC71325962
Sibelius: Symphonies (CD booklet). Paavo Berglund & Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Finlandia [Warner]. 1998. 3984-23389-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC155854395
Sibelius: The complete Symphonies (DVD/Blu-ray booklet). Paavo Berglund & Chamber Orchestra of Europe. ica Classics. 2022. [1].{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1299307765
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 3 (CD booklet). Petri Sakari & Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 1998. 8.554102.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1162527184
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 / The Tempest, Suite No. 1 (CD booklet). Petri Sakari & Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 1999. 8.554266.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC42252832
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 (CD booklet). Petri Sakari & Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 2000. 8.554377.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC45633259
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7 / The Tempest, Suite No. 2 (CD booklet). Petri Sakari & Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 2000. 8.554387.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC47111710
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1–7 / Finlandia / Karelia Suite / Tone Poems (CD booklet). Sakari Oramo & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Erato [Warner]. 2003. 2564 60294-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC783181636
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies / Violin Concerto / Finlandia (CD booklet). Leif Segerstam & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Ondine. 2005. ODE 1075-2Q.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC68623498
Sibelius: The Symphonies & Tone Poems (CD booklet). Neeme Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon. 2007. 4776654.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC302357737
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 /Symphony No. 3 / Rakastava (CD booklet). Vladimir Ashkenazy & Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Exton. 2007. OVCL-00279.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC713662002
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 /Symphony No. 5 / Finlandia (CD booklet). Vladimir Ashkenazy & Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Exton. 2007. OVCL-00282.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC635955299
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 / Tapiola / The Swan of Tuonela (CD booklet). Vladimir Ashkenazy & Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Exton. 2007. OVCL-00292.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC642909278
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 6 /Symphony No. 7 / Karelia Suite (CD booklet). Vladimir Ashkenazy & Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Exton. 2007. OVCL-00293.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC656016325
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1–7 / Kullervo (CD booklet). Sir Colin Davis & London Symphony Orchestra. LSO Live. 2009. LSO0191.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC762569923
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies / Violin Concerto / Finlandia / Valse triste (CD booklet). Arvo Volmer & Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. ABC Classics. 2010. ABC 476 3943.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC729684400
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 (CD booklet). Pietari Inkinen & New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 2010. 8.572305.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC693874209
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 (CD booklet). Pietari Inkinen & New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 2011. 8.572227.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC694397742
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 / Karelia Suite (CD booklet). Pietari Inkinen & New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 2011. 8.572704.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC729684515
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7 / Finlandia (CD booklet). Pietari Inkinen & New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 2011. 8.572705.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC752482990
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies (CD booklet). Pietari Inkinen & Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos Japan. 2015. NYCC-27286-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies / Three Late Fragments (CD booklet). John Storgårds & BBC Philharmonic. Chandos. 2014. CHAN 10809.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC876016492
Sibelius: The Symphonies (CD booklet). Okko Kamu & Lahti Symphony Orchestra. BIS. 2015. BIS-2076.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC936493089
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 (CD booklet). Osmo Vänskä & Minnesota Orchestra. BIS. 2012. BIS-1986.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC773584674
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4 (CD booklet). Osmo Vänskä & Minnesota Orchestra. BIS. 2013. BIS-1996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC839274411
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3, 6 & 7 (CD booklet). Osmo Vänskä & Minnesota Orchestra. BIS. 2016. BIS-2006.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC958883733
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1–7 & Kullervo (CD booklet). Osmo Vänskä & Minnesota Orchestra. BIS. 2020. BIS-2506.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: 7 Symphonies (DVD/Blu-ray booklet). Hannu Lintu & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Arthaus Musik. 2015. ARTHAUS 101797.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC957192543
Jean Sibelius: Symphonies 1–7 (CD booklet). Sir Simon Rattle & Berlin Philharmonic. Berlin Philharmonic Recordings. 2015. BPHR 150073.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1023032503
Sibelius: Symphonies (CD booklet). Tadaaki Otaka & Sapporo Symphony Orchestra. Fontec. 2021. FOCD9856/8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies (CD booklet). Kim Dae-jin & Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra. Sony Classical. 2016. S80210C.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies & Violin Concerto (CD booklet). Sachio Fujioka & Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra. ALM Records. 2021. [2].{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 in E minor / Symphony No. 3 in C major (CD booklet). Sir Mark Elder & Hallé Orchestra. Hallé. 2009. CDHLL7514.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC471522235
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 / Oceanides / Pohjola's Daughter (CD booklet). Sir Mark Elder & Hallé Orchestra. Hallé. 2013. CDHLL7516.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC866814577
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat / Symphony No. 7 in C / En saga (CD booklet). Sir Mark Elder & Hallé Orchestra. Hallé. 2016. CDHLL7543.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC949907753
Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 /Symphony No. 6 (CD booklet). Sir Mark Elder & Hallé Orchestra. Hallé. 2020. CDHLL7553.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1151355860
Sibelius (CD booklet). Klaus Mäkelä & Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Decca. 2022. 00028948522569.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 (CD booklet). Owain Arwel Hughes & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Rubicon Classics. 2020. RCD1055.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1201358812
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 (CD booklet). Owain Arwel Hughes & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Rubicon Classics. 2022. RCD1072.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, & 7 (CD booklet). Owain Arwel Hughes & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Rubicon Classics. 2022. RCD1073.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Kullervo (CD booklet). Paavo Järvi & Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Virgin Classics [Warner]. 1997. 7243 5 45292 2 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC39802174
Sibelius: Kullervo (CD booklet). Sakari Oramo & BBC Symphony Orchestra. BBC Music Magazine. 2017. BBC MM413.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1004749372
Sibelius: Kullervo Symphony / The Oceanides / Tapiola (CD booklet). Paavo Berglund & Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. EMI Classics [Warner]. 2000. 5 74200 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC47956466
Sibelius: Kullervo Symphony (CD booklet). Paavo Berglund & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. EMI Classics [Warner]. 1994. 5 65080 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1060180370
Sibelius: Kullervo (CD booklet). Leif Segerstam & Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Chandos. 1995. CHAN 9393.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC35755203
Sibelius: Kullervo Symphony (CD booklet). Jukka-Pekka Saraste & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Finlandia [Warner]. 1996. 0630-14906-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC223131185
Jean Sibelius: Kullervo (CD booklet). Osmo Vänskä & Lahti Symphony Orchestra. BIS. 2001. CD-1215.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC49721406
Sibelius: Kullervo (CD booklet). Leif Segerstam & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Ondine. 2008. ODE 1122-5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC223995484
Sibelius: Kullervo (CD booklet). Hannu Lintu & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Ondine. 2019. ODE 1338-5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1140138975
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 (LP booklet). Paul Kletzki & Philharmonia Orchestra. Angel Records. 1956. 35313.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC3537432
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 (LP booklet). Paul Kletzki & Philharmonia Orchestra. Angel Records. 1956. 35314.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC5810168
Sibelius: Symphony No. 3 (LP booklet). Paul Kletzki & Philharmonia Orchestra. Angel Records. 1956. 35315.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC3537435
Orchestral Spectaculars From Handel To Bartók: Karajan, 1949–1960 (CD booklet). Herbert von Karajan & Philharmonia Orchestra. Warner [EMI Classics]. 2014. 0825646336210.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC908656037
Eugene Ormandy conducts Sibelius (CD booklet). Eugeme Ormandy & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Sony Classical. 2015. 88875108582.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC928140194
Symphonien Nos. 4–7 / Der Schwan von Tuonela / Tapiola (CD booklet). Herbert von Karajan & Berlin Philharmonic. Deutsche Grammophon. 1999. 457 748-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC42387951
Sibelius: Karajan, 1976–1981 (CD booklet). Herbert von Karajan & Berlin Philharmonic. Warner [EMI Classics]. 2014. 0825646336197.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC880359802
Leonard Bernstein–Sibelius: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon (CD booklet). Leonard Bernstein & Vienna Philharmonic. Deutsche Grammophon. 2004. 474 936-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC56079220
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 / Karelia Suite / Finlandia (CD booklet). Mariss Jansons & Oslo Philharmonic. EMI Classics [Warner]. 0777 7 54273 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC25332830
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2/ The Swan of Tuonela / Valse triste (CD booklet). Mariss Jansons & Oslo Philharmonic. EMI Classics [Warner]. 0777 7 54804 2 9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC29404142
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5 (CD booklet). Mariss Jansons & Oslo Philharmonic. EMI Classics [Warner]. 7243 5 55533 2 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC35739856
Sibelius: Symphonie No. 2 / Finlandia / Valse triste (CD booklet). James Levine & Berlin Philharmonic. Deutsche Grammophon. 1993. 437 828-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC30808446
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto / Symphony No. 5 (CD booklet). Adrian Leaper & Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria. Arte Nova. 1997. 74321 51629 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Jean Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6 (CD booklet). Adrian Leaper & Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria. Arte Nova. 1997. 74321 49705 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Jean Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 7 (CD booklet). Adrian Leaper & Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria. Arte Nova. 1998. 74321 59231 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 (CD booklet). James Levine & Berlin Philharmonic. Deutsche Grammophon. 1995. 445 865-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC35210941
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 /Symphony No. 7 (CD booklet). Paavo Berglund & London Philharmonic Orchestra. LPO Live. 2005. LPO 0005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC150252455
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 /Symphony No. 6 / The Swan of Tuonela (CD booklet). Paavo Berglund & London Philharmonic Orchestra. LPO Live. 2012. LPO 0065.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC809034008
Sibelius: Symphonies 2 & 7 (CD booklet). Thomas Søndergård & BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Linn Records. 2015. CKD 462.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC907135086
Sibelius: Symphonies 1 & 6 (CD booklet). Thomas Søndergård & BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Linn Records. 2017. CKD 502.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1016159176
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 / En saga (CD booklet). Santtu-Matias Rouvali & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Alpha Classics. 2019. ALPHA 440.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1089813289
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 / King Christian II (CD booklet). Santtu-Matias Rouvali & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Alpha Classics. 2020. ALPHA 574.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1147955021
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5 / Pohjola's Daughter (CD booklet). Santtu-Matias Rouvali & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Alpha Classics. 2022. ALPHA 645.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 4 / The Wood Nymph / Valse triste (CD booklet). Santtu-Matias Rouvali & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Alpha Classics. 2023. ALPHA 1008.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 (CD booklet). Yannick Nézet-Séguin & Orchestre Métropolitain. ATMA Classique. 2019. ACD2 2452.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)OCLC1091058452
Sibelius: Symphony Nos. 3 & 4 (CD booklet). Yannick Nézet-Séguin & Orchestre Métropolitain. ATMA Classique. 2021. ACD2 2454.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Sibelius: Symphony Nos. 2 & 5 (CD booklet). Yannick Nézet-Séguin & Orchestre Métropolitain. ATMA Classique. 2024. ACD2 2453.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Barnett, Andrew (2000). Kullervo (booklet). Osmo Vänskä & Lahti Symphony Orchestra. BIS. p. 3–7. BIS CD-1215.