Vol. 1 of BIS' complete
Sibelius edition contains the Finnish master's complete orchestral tone poems, including alternate versions of some. While the alternative versions included here have already been released, the opportunity to have them all in one place may understandably prove irresistible to dedicated
Sibelius fans. Most of the performances here are by the
Lahti Symphony Orchestra under the direction of
Osmo Vänskä, though both sets of Scènes historique are by the
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under
Neeme Järvi. And while the
Lahti/
Vänska performances are usually quite a bit better than the
Gothenburg/
Järvi performances, that is, a bit tighter, tauter, harder, and more driven, the chance to hear both versions of masterpieces like En Saga, the Lemminkäinen Suite, and Finlandia, as well less known works like In memoriam, Cassazinoe, and especially the elusive Oceanides, will compel any self-respecting enthusiast to get this set -- and a similar treatment will probably convince the listener to get the remaining 12 volumes, as well. As always, BIS' digital sound is clean, clear, colorful, and very vivid.