The essential

Leonidas Kavakos (violin), Marko Ylönen (cello), Dong-Suk Kang (violin), Lilli Paasikivi (mezzo-soprano) & Raimo Laukka (baritone), Tommi Hakala (baritone), Stina Ekblad (narrator), Helena Juntunen (soprano), Monica Groop (mezzo-soprano) & Sauli Tiilikainen (baritone), Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) & Bengt Forsberg (piano), Jaakko Kuusisto (violin), Marko Ylönen (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano), Jaakko Kuusisto (violin I), Laura Vikman (violin II), Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic (viola), Joel Laakso (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano), Marko Ylönen (cello) & Folke Gräsbck (piano), Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) & Taneli Turunen (cello), Folke Gräsbeck (piano) & Harri Viitanen (harmonium), Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano), Torleif Thedéen (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano), Nils-Erik Sparf (violin) & Bengt Forsberg (piano), Folke Gräsbeck (piano), Erik T. Tawaststjerna (piano) & Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki University Chorus, Lahti Boys’ Choir & Helsinki University Chorus, Dominante Choir, Jubilate Choir, Orphei Drängar, Tempera Quartet, Osmo Vänskä, Neeme Järvi, Matti Hyökki, Astrid Riska, Robert Sund

Deze box biedt een panoramisch beeld van een componist die maar al te vaak wordt gezien als 'slechts' een groot symfonist. The Essential Sibelius probeert deze visie recht te zetten door een gevarieerde selectie te presenteren van alle genres die de Finse meester nastreeft: naast de zeven symfonieën bevat de doos ook het vioolconcert, toongedichten en theatermuziek, evenals liederen, koorwerken, kamermuziek werken en pianomuziek.

Sibelius:
 Symphonies Nos. 1-7 (complete)
 En Saga, Op. 9
 Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49
 Valse Triste, Op. 44 No. 1
 Finlandia, Op. 26
 Tapiola, Op. 112

 Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
  with Leonidas Kavakos (violin)

 2 Earnest Melodies for violin or cello & orchestra, Op. 77
  with Marko Ylönen (cello)

 Two Serenades, Op. 69 for violin and orchestra
 Six Humoresques, Op. 87 and Op. 89 for violin and orchestra
  with Dong-Suk Kang (violin) & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi

 Kullervo, Op. 7
  with Lilli Paasikivi (mezzo-soprano) & Raimo Laukka (baritone) & Helsinki University Chorus

 The Wood-Nymph (Skogsrået), Op. 15
 Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22
 Karelia Suite, Op. 11
 Scènes historiques, Set I, Op. 25
 Rakastava, Op. 14, for strings & percussion
 Andante festivo, JS34b
 King Kristian II, incidental music, Op. 27
 Pelléas and Mélisande Suite, Op. 46
 The Tempest, Op. 109 (excerpts)
  with Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi

 Atenarnes sång (Song of the Athenians), Op. 31 No. 3
  with Lahti Boys’ Choir & Helsinki University Chorus

 Tulen synty, Op. 32 (The Origin of Fire)
  withTommi Hakala (baritone) & Helsinki University Chorus

 The Captive Queen, Op. 48
  with Dominante Choir

 Snöfrid, Op. 29
  with Stina Ekblad (narrator) & Jubilate Choir

 The Bard, Op. 64
 The Oceanides, Op. 73
 Luonnotar, Op. 70 (Text: Kalevala)
  with Helena Juntunen (soprano)

 Sortunut ääni
 Venematka (Text: Kalevala)
 Sydämeni laulu (Song of my Heart) (Text: Aleksis Kivi)
  with Helsinki University Chorus, Matti Hyökki

 Rakastava, JS160c (text: Kanteletar)
  with Monica Groop (mezzo-soprano), Sauli Tiilikainen (baritone) & Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska

 Suite mignonne, Op. 98a
 Saarella palaa (Fire on the Island), Op. 18, No. 4
 Soi kunniaksi Luojan
 Män från slätten och havet (Men from Land and Sea), Op. 65a
 Symphonies Nos. 1-7 (complete)
 En Saga, Op. 9
 Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49
 Valse Triste, Op. 44 No. 1
 Finlandia, Op. 26
 Tapiola, Op. 112

 Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
  with Leonidas Kavakos (violin)

 2 Earnest Melodies for violin or cello & orchestra, Op. 77
  with Marko Ylönen (cello)

 Two Serenades, Op. 69 for violin and orchestra
 Six Humoresques, Op. 87 and Op. 89 for violin and orchestra
  with Dong-Suk Kang (violin) & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi

 Kullervo, Op. 7
 with Lilli Paasikivi (mezzo-soprano) & Raimo Laukka (baritone) & Helsinki University Chorus

 The Wood-Nymph (Skogsrået), Op. 15
 Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22
 Karelia Suite, Op. 11
 Scènes historiques, Set I, Op. 25
 Rakastava, Op. 14, for strings & percussion
 Andante festivo, JS34b
 King Kristian II, incidental music, Op. 27
 Pelléas and Mélisande Suite, Op. 46
 The Tempest, Op. 109 (excerpts)
  with Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi

 Atenarnes sång (Song of the Athenians), Op. 31 No. 3
  with Lahti Boys’ Choir & Helsinki University Chorus

 Tulen synty, Op. 32 (The Origin of Fire)
  with Tommi Hakala (baritone) & Helsinki University Chorus

 The Captive Queen, Op. 48
  with Dominante Choir

 Snöfrid, Op. 29
 with Stina Ekblad (narrator) & Jubilate Choir

 The Bard, Op. 64
 The Oceanides, Op. 73
 Luonnotar, Op. 70 (Text: Kalevala)
  with Helena Juntunen (soprano)

 Sortunut ääni
 Venematka (Text: Kalevala)
 Sydämeni laulu (Song of my Heart) (Text: Aleksis Kivi)
  with Helsinki University Chorus, Matti Hyökki

 Rakastava, JS160c (text: Kanteletar)
  with Monica Groop (mezzo-soprano), Sauli Tiilikainen (baritone) & Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska

 Suite mignonne, Op. 98a
 Saarella palaa (Fire on the Island), Op. 18, No. 4
 Soi kunniaksi Luojan
 Män från slätten och havet (Men from Land and Sea), Op. 65a
  with Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska

 Till havs (At Sea), Op. 84, No. 5
 Fridolins dårskap (Fridolin’s Folly), JS84
 Jone havsfärd (Jonah’s Voyage), JS100
 Orphei Drängar, Robert Sund

 March of the Finnish Jaeger Battalion, Op. 91a
  with Helsinki University Chorus

 Finlandia, Op. 26 (for male choir and symphony orchestra)
  with Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska

Selected songs
 with Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), Bengt Forsberg (piano)
 Moderato - Allegro appassionato in C sharp minor, JS131

 String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56 'Voces Intimae'
 String Quartet in A minor
  withTempera Quartet

 Piano trio in D major ‘Korpo'
  with Jaakko Kuusisto (violin), Marko Ylönen (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

 Piano Quintet in G minor
  with Jaakko Kuusisto (violin I), Laura Vikman (violin II), Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic (viola), Joel Laakso (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

 La pompeuse Marche d’Asis, JS116
  with Jaakko Kuusisto (violin), Marko Ylönen (cello) & Folke Gräsbck (piano)

 Water Drops for Violin and Cello
  with Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) & Taneli Turunen (cello)

 Andante in E flat major (1887), JS 30a
  with Folke Gräsbeck (piano) & Harri Viitanen (harmonium)

 Andante cantabile in G major (1887)
 Sonata in F major, JS 178 (1889)
  with Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

 Malinconia, Op. 20
  with Torleif Thedéen (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

 Four Pieces, Op. 78
 Sonatina in E major, Op. 80
 Danses champêtres Op. 106
  with Nils-Erik Sparf (violin) & Bengt Forsberg (piano)

 Florestan. Suite for Piano, JS 82 (1889)
 Impromptu in B minor, Op. 5, No. 5
 Sonata in F major, Op. 12
  with Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

 Romance in D flat major, Op. 24, No. 9
 Kylikki, Three Lyric Pieces, Op. 41
 Three Sonatinas, Op. 67
 Den ensamma furan (The Solitary Fir Tree), Op. 75, No. 2
 The Spruce Tree Op. 75 No. 5
 Scène romantique, Op. 101, No. 5
 The Village Church, Op. 103, No. 1
  with Erik T. Tawaststjerna (piano) &  Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska

 Till havs (At Sea), Op. 84, No. 5
 Fridolins dårskap (Fridolin’s Folly), JS84
 Jone havsfärd (Jonah’s Voyage), JS100
 Orphei Drängar, Robert Sund
 March of the Finnish Jaeger Battalion, Op. 91a
  with Helsinki University Chorus

Finlandia, Op. 26 (for male choir and symphony orchestra)
 Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska

Selected songs
 Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) & Bengt Forsberg (piano)
 Moderato - Allegro appassionato in C sharp minor, JS131

String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56 'Voces Intimae'
String Quartet in A minor
 Tempera Quartet

Piano trio in D major ‘Korpo'
 Jaakko Kuusisto (violin), Marko Ylönen (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

Piano Quintet in G minor
 Jaakko Kuusisto (violin I), Laura Vikman (violin II), Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic (viola), Joel Laakso (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

La pompeuse Marche d’Asis, JS116
 Jaakko Kuusisto (violin), Marko Ylönen (cello) & Folke Gräsbck (piano)

Water Drops for Violin and Cello
 Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) & Taneli Turunen (cello)

Andante in E flat major (1887), JS 30a
 Folke Gräsbeck (piano) & Harri Viitanen (harmonium)

Andante cantabile in G major (1887)
Sonata in F major, JS 178 (1889)
 Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

Malinconia, Op. 20
 Torleif Thedéen (cello) & Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

Four Pieces, Op. 78
Sonatina in E major, Op. 80
Danses champêtres Op. 106
 Nils-Erik Sparf (violin) & Bengt Forsberg (piano)

Florestan. Suite for Piano, JS 82 (1889)
Impromptu in B minor, Op. 5, No. 5
Sonata in F major, Op. 12
 Folke Gräsbeck (piano)

 Romance in D flat major, Op. 24, No. 9
 Kylikki, Three Lyric Pieces, Op. 41
 Three Sonatinas, Op. 67
 Den ensamma furan (The Solitary Fir Tree), Op. 75, No. 2
 The Spruce Tree Op. 75 No. 5
 Scène romantique, Op. 101, No. 5
 The Village Church, Op. 103, No. 1
  with Erik T. Tawaststjerna (piano)