Fantastic performance of this majestic symphony, played by an excellent but unsung orchestra . All performers excellent though have to congratulate the terrific oboist, and the truly grand Leif Segerstam.

Great conductor. I always wondered what Santa Claus was up to the rest of the year.

これ程に、ゆったりと。気持ち良く聴かせてくれるシベリウス２番は、初めてです✨ 今後も。彼のＣＤを探します! オーケストラのメンバーも、素晴らしいです! ビューティフルサウンド♡

Absolutely astonishing tempi in the finale. A great orchestra conducted by a great and shockingly underrated maestro.

This and Bruckner’s 7th are the two greatest symphonies ever written, in my opinion of course. I realize what a bold statement this is. They both have a deep and profound message to mankind. Probably from God in the body of these two composers.

Leif Segerstam = Sibelius

This just became my favorite symphony 2 of all time.

I really appreciate the tempo of this reading. One can hear and experience all of the individual nuances of each instrument that so often become garbled in quicker versions. Maestro Segerstam is a very wise interpreter indeed for giving this gift to us listeners. Bravo!

This is one of the greatest Symphonies of all time, IMHO, of course! It is so, SOOO beautiful!!

It's worth listening to this if only for the absolute stunned silence of the audience at the end and Segerstam's look of joy as he reacts to it. Frankly this was so epic, even I'd have been unable to speak for a minute after it ended, had I been there. Bravo!

Truly wonderful piece of art

This is so good I had to make a second comment.

Thank you very very much for sharing this priceless gem. This marvellous symphony is undoubtedly one of the very greatest orchestral masterpieces from Sibelius', who is certainly one of the greatest symphonists of the early 20th century, and, of course, this interpretation by Segerstam is extremely impressive.

Turku on Suomen sielu! The slower tempo is more virtuosic. That's the genius of Sibelius, and Turku.

gorgeous rendition - like in slow motion you can hear every nuance and subtlety the composer intended...delving in to the mystery of the piece to reveal it's secrets...

I love this orchestra!!!

Moj Sibelius symfoniczny numer 1!...

This symphony speaks to the soul

I am embarrassed to admit that I am unfamiliar with Sibelius but remember that his 2nd Symphony is Makela's favorite work in music literature. Maestro Segerstam's Bruckner 8th is the finest around. Bravo!

Wow!

Those of us who love this exceptional live performance can compare it with the recording of the same work by Sir Colin Davis and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (also available on KZfaq).

Life!!!!!!

Great music thanks

The only other Sibelius Second I know that comes anywhere near this is Beecham's legendary 1954 live recording with the BBC SO. (Yes, I have heard the Szell Tokyo performance and it's stunning technically but too hard-driven for my taste). If Beecham could be resurrected to re-record his performance in modern sound Segerstam would have a rival but otherwise it's Segerstam and the rest including Szell. Truly awe-inspiring.

So cool and hope he can record Mahler's Symphony again!!!

How marvellous to see this performance. What is the musical trick Sibelius pulls here, in the last five minutes? After all that grinding away, when the conductor makes his little grin at 47.35, and everything lifts and the tension is unwound. Is it a switch from minor to major? It's a great show, anyway.

Well, I can't help seeing a similarity with Väinämöinen

Santa Claus is a conductor as well

Yell at 49:48

There is a lot of patriotism as the Finns were duking it our with the Russians at the time.

Узнали МЫ, что сей шведско-финский ПУЗЫРЬ гастролировал в одной... не очень хорошей стране и корыстолюбиво лизал там башмаки одному... не очень хорошему господину. Римский-Корсаков не виноват в том, что сей финно-шведскийц ПУЗЫРЬ примазался к "Шехерезаде". Им -- лайк. Шведско-финскому ПУЗЫРЮ -- вечное забвение.