Osmo Vänskä’s new disc proves he’s no flash in the pan.

Once upon a time, says Osmo Vänskä, there was a Symphony...

Osborne's classy impressions, Takács' sparkling Dvorák, Vänskä and his Minnesotans embrace Mahler's Fifth and more.

On the final disc of Yevgeny Sudbin’s Beethoven concerto cycle with Osmo Vänskä, the Russian pianist gives a vivacious account of Beethoven’s first two published forays into the genre – Sudbin has been working backwards through the concertos. He’s accompanied on this release by the Finnish Tapiola Sinfonietta, rather than the Minnesota Orchestra, with whom he recorded the rest of the series. The First Concerto’s Allegro con brio is brilliantly articulate – every note is alive and charged with energy. Sudbin deliberately eschews Beethoven’s cadenzas in the first movement for one he describes as a “cocktail of material” based on one by Friedman – a shimmery, almost gushily romantic flourish that bounces into the final tutti. Sudbin traces crystalline melodies in the pulsing Largo and the Tapiola’s clarinet player draws clean lines in the prominent solo part. The finale barrels along with a relentless joy and a jocular cadenza (all Sudbin). The Tapiola’s sound is full and healthy – a little too healthy, perhaps, though this gives moments like the fugal section in the first movement of Piano Concerto No 2 plenty of heft. There are some dreamlike moments in the Adagio, before the comically bright Rondo caps off the…

The Finnish maestro discusses the joys of Sibelius’s symphonies and thoughts on his second cycle. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

The classical music recording industry must be in better shape than we think: this is the culmination of Osmo Vänskä’s second Sibelius cycle in little more than a decade. The first with Finland’s Lahti orchestra was widely regarded as “the one to have” but these BIS performances with the Minnesota orchestra (which seems to have at last survived its travails, fortunately) have run that cycle close. This CD lasts 82 minutes – with magnificent sound. As an aside, why, one wonders, can’t more CD’s offer such outstanding value?  The Third, Sixth and Seventh are, each, in its own way, emotionally ambiguous and unconventional and occupy their own unique sound world’s, just as do the symphonies of Beethoven and Vaughan Williams. The Third Symphony has always been one of my favourites, despite, or perhaps, because, of being, along with the Sixth, the least performed, but arguably, the most original, even by Sibelius’ standards. The coherent whole transcends the disparateness of the individual movements. I love the Haydnesque bustle of the opening movement and that sudden pause shortly after the start, which seems like a sort of gasp from someone suddenly realising they’re hovering on the edge of a precipice, or contemplating…

Such a coupling is unusual on CD these days. However, bearing in mind that Beethoven was influenced by the Mozart concerto, the juxtaposition is appropriate. Yevgeny Sudbin is talked of as one of the top pianists of the new century. I ran comparisons of his Beethoven with one of the benchmarks, the old Emil Gilels recording from 1954. I also chose a contemporary recording with François-Frédéric Guy on Naïve. In every way this new recording matches the Gilels. Sudbin’s evenly measured runs, with just enough lift in the middle of each phrase to keep the performances from sounding too academic, evinces a superb technique. Similarly his elegant and stylishly executed turns are almost cheeky as he exhibits the balance required between power and delicacy demanded from the best Beethoven performers. Guy is gentlemanly by comparison. The Mozart is notable for the balance between soloist and orchestra. If you think you can hear Beethoven coming through the Mozart at times, then so do I. The orchestra is on superb form. Vänskä is not simply an attentive accompanist, but a partner in these adventures. One can see why the Critics’ Circle gave Sudbin the 2013 Exceptional Young Talent award. It is sad…

Locked out orchestra sends off their Finnish Principal Conductor with a series of farewell concerts. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in