The Sibelius Edition - Box Set 69CDs

Label : BIS
Format : Flac (image + cue)
Cover : Yes

A set of 13 box-sets on the BIS label - All the music Sibelius ever created

The 50th anniversary of the death of Sibelius occurred in 2007, and BIS, the label that has always been a strong supporter of his music since their beginnings, in September of that year, released the first set of a projected 13 volume edition of every note put down to paper by Jean Sibelius, spanning a total of 65 compact discs.

The series contains all the published works, rare original versions of works kindly granted by the Sibelius family, and world premiere recordings of early works, from material unique to BIS. A large extent of the recordings included in the special box-sets are recordings that have previously been released over the years, some of them recipients of Gramophone and Grand Prix du Disque awards, and most of them greeted with high acclaim and glowing reviews. The release schedule for the complete series spanned 4 years, during which time brand new recordings of yet unheard music were added to the collection.

Some of the musicians and artists involved in this epic undertaking are the conductors Osmo Vänskä, Neeme Järvi, singers Monica Groop, Anne Sofie von Otter, pianist Folke Gräsbeck, and the Gothenburg and Lahti Symphony orchestras, to name only a few.

I've had the pleasure of experiencing the rush of adventure and discovery, much like a saga, that listening to the complete series entails, and it has proven to be a substantial and definitive traversal of the life's work of this great Finnish composer. Each volume has been planned with great care and expertise, and contains an overview of the complete projected collection, a 50 page biography of Sibelius, and a very detailed booklet with copious notes on the pieces, including the year of composition, opus number, if it's a first, revised or final version, etc....and sets of 5 or 6 cds sell for the price of 3. A good bargain for the quality that is ever present from BIS. All the performances and recordings are of the highest standards. Included in the final volume is a separate booklet with the complete index to the recordings and works included in the entire edition, as a key to the over 80 hours of music that form the lifework of Sibelius, the classic 'Jean Sibelius at Home' film, and a bonus DVD titled 'Visual Journey to the Music of Jean Sibelius'.

Vol.1 - Tone Poems 5CDs
Vol.2 - Chamber Music I 6CDs
Vol.3 - Voice & Orchestra 6CDs
Vol.4 - Piano Music I 5CDs
Vol.5 - Theatre Music 6CDs
Vol.6 - Violin & Piano 5CDs
Vol.7 - Songs 5CDs
Vol.8 - Orchestral Works 6CDs
Vol.9 - Chamber Music II 5CDs
Vol.10 - Piano Music II 5CDs
Vol.11 - Choral Music 6CDs
Vol.12 - Symphonies 5CDs
Vol.13 - Miscellaneous works 5CDs

Complete tracklist & info : The Sibelius Edition