Lorin Maazel & Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Sibelius Symphony No.1 & Karelia Suite Japanese

Esoteric Masterpiece Collection Limited Edition 180g Vinyl LP!
Remastered from the Original Master Tapes!
Recorded at Sofiensaal, Vienna in March 1963 (Karelia Suite) and September 1963 (Symphony).
Jean Sibelius is considered one of Finland's most important composers and is one of the few who became famous beyond the borders of his homeland. In the German-speaking world, he is best known for his "Violin Concerto in D minor, Op.47" and his symphonic poems, in which he worked on themes from Finnish mythology and mythology, among other things. The "Symphony No.1 in E minor, Op. 39" was written in 1899 and premiered on April 26 of the same year by the Helsink Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of the composer. Unfortunately, the original version of the work has not been preserved. After the premiere, Sibelius made some changes to the version in which the symphony is played today. This revised version was completed in the spring and summer of 1900 and performed for the first time on 18 July 1900 in Berlin – again by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, but this time under the direction of Robert Kajanus. In Reclam's concert guide, the symphony is described as a "harsh work", it is "filled with the expression of longing, lamentation, pain". The "Karelia Suite, Op.11" (1894) – a collection of orchestral pieces – is one of his earliest works and one of his most popular! The individual pieces are taken from various independent works composed by Sibelius in 1893 for a patriotic procession of the students of the University of Helsinki in Vyborg in Karelia (now Vyborg in Russia).
The collaboration of the American violinist, composer and conductor Lorin Maazel with the Vienna Philharmonic was an artistic connection that lasted for more than five decades, resulting in a wealth of excellent recordings – including the "Symphony No.1" and the Karelia Suite. The latter was recorded in March 1963, the symphony in September 1963 in the legendary Sofiensaal in Vienna, Austria. The symphony, which is characterized by late Romantic influences and Finnish folk music, offers a multi-coloured sound world that already attracts the listener's attention in the first bars, with the original use of the solo clarinet. The "Karelia Suite" rounds off the listening experience with folkloric charm. Thanks to the loving remastering, the new LP edition by Esoteric, pressed on high-quality 180-gram vinyl, shines in fresh audiophile splendour - a must for classical music lovers and fans of the Finnish master symphonist!
Classical masterpiece collection
The Esoteric's "Masterpiece Collection Series" brings back superb performance humankind created by using Esoteric's high-end equipment, under supervision by Mr.Ohmachi.
The vinyl records of the "Masterpiece Collection" have been reissued by re-mastering the original master, exclusive for the vinyl records.
New Mastering Environment
The mastering process employs the newly established the "Esoteric Mastering" system, including Esoteric's top-of-the-line equipment "Master Sound Discrete DAC" and "Master Sound Discrete Clock." In addition, the Mexcel cables employed to achieve flawless high quality sound as the master data.
Re-mastering
Date: June, 2025 Esoteric Mastering Center
Producer: Motoaki Ohmachi (Esoteric Mastering Center)
Associated Producer: Jo Yoshida (Esoteric Mastering Center)
Mastering Engineer: Masaya Tohno (Esoteric Mastering Center)
Cutting Engineer: Katsutoshi Kitamura (Mixer'S Lab)

Features:

• Limited Edition One-Time Pressing
• Esoteric Masterpiece Collection
• 180g Vinyl LP
• Digitally Remastered Using Esoteric Mastering
• Analog Cutting by Mr. Katsutoshi Kitamura at Mixer's Lab in Tokyo
• Made in Japan

Musicians:

• Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
• Lorin Maazel, conductor

Selections:

Side A
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
Symphony No.1 E Minor, Op.39
1. First Movement: Andante-Allegro Energico
2. Second Movement: Andante
3. Third Movement: Scherzo
Side B
1. Fourth Movement: Finale (Quasi Una Fantasia)
Jean Sibelius: Karelia Suite, Op.11
2. I. Intermezzo (Moderato)
3. II. Ballad
4. III. Alla Marcia