The Essential Sibelius - Premium Music Composition Software for Composers & Musicians | Perfect for Film Scoring, Orchestral Arrangements & Music Education

"The Essential Sibelius" is truly a remarkable set and a major accomplishment for the BIS label. As the other reviewer pointed out, there is something very definitive about anything BIS puts out regarding Sibelius. It appears that this set is out-of-print now. Truly a shame as I haven't even began to discover all the jewels hidden in this box. BIS does, however, have a series called "The Sibelius Edition," which is much more comprehensive than this box, but the great thing I have found with this set is that it contains all the major works Sibelius wrote: all the symphonies, the "Violin Concerto," most of the tone poems, including a fantastic version of "Kullervo," choral works, and a lot of chamber works. The orchestral performances are either with Osmo Vanska/Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Neeme Jarvi/Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. The audio quality is also excellent.Another nice thing about this box is that it's a much better deal than any of the previous sets released and much more cost friendly. Here are the contents of "The Essential Sibelius" taken from the BIS website:The Essential SIBELIUS - Table of contents/artistsDisc 1:Symphony No.1 in E minor, Op.39Symphony No.4 in A minor, Op.63Lahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäDisc 2:Symphony No.2 in D major, Op.43Symphony No.3 in C major, Op.52Lahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäDisc 3:Symphony No.5 in E flat major, Op.82En saga, Op.9Pohjola's Daughter, Op.49Valse triste, Op.44 No.1Finlandia, Op.26Lahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäDisc 4:Symphony No.6 (in D minor), Op.104Symphony No.7 in C major, Op.105Tapiola, Op.112Lahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäDisc 5:Concerto in D minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op.47Leonidas Kavakos, violinLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäTwo Serious Melodies for cello and orchestra, Op.77Marko Ylönen, celloLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäTwo Serenades for violin and orchestra, Op.69Six Humoresques for violin and orchestraDong-Suk Kang, violinGothenburg Symphony Orchestra · Neeme JärviDisc 6:Kullervo, Op.7Lilli Paasikivi, mezzo-soprano · Raimo Laukka, baritoneHelsinki University ChorusLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäDisc 7:The Wood-Nymph, Op.15Lemminkäinen Suite, Op.22Lahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäDisc 8:Karelia Suite, Op.11Scènes historiques, Set I, Op.25Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra · Neeme JärviAthenarnes sång (Song of the Athenians), Op.31 No.3Lahti Boys' Choir · Helsinki University ChorusLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäTulen synty (The Origin of Fire), Op.32Tommi Hakala, baritone · Helsinki University ChorusLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäVapautettu kuningatar (The Captive Queen), Op.48Dominante ChoirLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäRakastava for strings, timpani and triangle, Op.14Andante festivo, JS34bLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäDisc 9:Kung Kristian II (King Christian II), Op.27 (suite)Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.46 (suite)The Tempest, Op.109 (extracts)Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra · Neeme JärviDisc 10:Snöfrid, Op.29Stina Ekblad, narratorJubilate ChoirLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäThe Bard, Op.64The Oceanides, Op.73Lahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäLuonnotar, Op.70Helena Juntunen, sopranoLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäSortunut ääni (The Broken Voice), Op.18 No.1Venematka (The Boat Journey), Op.18 No.3Sydämeni laulu (Song of my Heart), Op.18 No.6Helsinki University Chorus · Matti HyökkiRakastava (The Lover), JS160a (Op.14)Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano · Sauli Tiilikainen, baritoneubilate Choir · Astrid RiskaIsänmaalle (To the Fatherland), JS98aSaarella palaa (Fire on the Island), Op.18 No.4Soi kiitokseksi Luojan (We Praise Thee, Our Creator), Op.23 No.6aMän från slätten och havet (Men from Land and Sea), Op.65aJubilate Choir · Astrid RiskaTill havs (At Sea), Op.84 No.5Fridolins dårskap (Fridolin's Folly), JS84Jone havsfärd (Jonah's Voyage), JS100Orphei Drängar · Robert SundJääkärien marssi, Op.91a (March of the Finnish Jäger Battalion)Helsinki University ChorusLahti Symphony Orchestra · Osmo VänskäFinlandia-Hymni (Finlandia Hymn), Op.26Jubilate Choir · Astrid RiskaDisc 11:Svarta rosor (Black Roses), Op.36 No.1Men min fågel märks dock icke (But my Bird is Long in Homing), Op.36 No.2Säv, säv, susa (Sigh, Sigh, Sedges), Op.36 No.4Illalle (To Evening), Op.17 No.6Im Feld ein Mädchen singt (A Maiden Yonder Sings), Op.50 No.3Aus banger Brust (O, Wert Thou Here), Op.50 No.4Die stille Stadt (The Silent Town), Op.50 No.5Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano · Bengt Forsberg, pianoVåren flyktar hastigt (Spring is Flying), Op.13 No.4Se'n har jag ej frågat mera (Since Then I Have Questioned No Further), Op.17 No.1Höstkväll (Autumn Evening), Op.38 No.1Arioso, Op.3 (1911)MariAnne Häggander, sopranoGothenburg Symphony Orchestra · Jorma PanulaNäcken (The Watersprite), song/melodrama, JS138Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano · Lasse Pöysti, narratorJaakko Kuusisto, violin · Joel Laakso, cello · Folke Gräsbeck, pianoGiv mig ej glans, ej guld, ej prakt (Give Me No Splendour), Op.1 No.4Jag är ett träd (The Tree), Op.57 No.5Näcken (The Watersprite), Op.57 No.8Hymn to Thaïs, JS97Kaiutar (The Echo Nymph), Op.72 No.4Längtan heter min arvedel (Longing is my Heritage), Op.86 No.2I systrar, I bröder, I älskande par (Ye Sisters, Ye Brothers), Op.86 No.6Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano · Love Derwinger, pianoDemanten på marssnön (The Diamond on the March Snow), Op.36 No.6Sången om korsspindeln (The Song of the Cross Spider), Op.27 No.4På verandan vid havet (On a Balcony by the Sea), Op.38 No.2Kom nu hit, död (Come Away, Death), Op.60 No.1Jorma Hynninen, baritoneGothenburg Symphony Orchestra · Jorma PanulaSouda, souda, sinisorsa (Swim, Duck, Swim), JS180Norden (The North), Op.90 No.1Narciss (Narcissus), JS140Den första kyssen (The First Kiss), Op.37 No.1Var det en dröm? (Was it a Dream?), Op.37 No.4Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte (The Tryst) , Op.37 No.5Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano · Bengt Forsberg, pianoTanken (The Thought), JS192Anne Sofie von Otter and Monica Groop, mezzo-sopranosBengt Forsberg, pianoDisc12:Moderato - Allegro appassionato in C sharp minor JS131String Quartet in A minor, JS183String Quartet in D minor `Voces intimae', Op.56Tempera Quartet(Laura Vikman, violin I · Silva Koskela, violin IITiila Kangas, viola · Ulla Lampela, cello)Disc 13:Piano Trio in D major, `Korpo', JS209Jaakko Kuusisto, violin · Marko Ylönen, cello · Folke Gräsbeck, pianoPiano Quintet in G minor, JS159Jaakko Kuusisto, violin I · Laura Vikman, violin IIAnna Kreetta Gribajcevic, viola · Joel Laakso, celloFolke Gräsbeck, pianoLa pompeuse Marche d'Asis, JS116Jaakko Kuusisto, violin · Marko Ylönen, cello · Folke Gräsbeck, pianoDisc 14:Vattendroppar (Water Drops), JS216Jaakko Kuusisto, violin · Taneli Turunen, celloAndante cantabile in E flat major, JS30bFolke Gräsbeck, piano · Harri Viitanen, harmoniumAndante cantabile in G major, JS33Sonata in F major, JS178 (1889)Jaakko Kuusisto, violin · Folke Gräsbeck, pianoMalinconia, Op.20 (1900)Torleif Thedéen, cello · Folke Gräsbeck, pianoFour Pieces, Op.78 for violin and pianoSonatina in E major, Op.80Two Danses Champêtres from Op.106Nils-Erik Sparf violin · Bengt Forsberg pianoDisc 15:Florestan, JS82Impromptu in B minor, Op.5 No.5Sonata in F major, Op.12Folke Gräsbeck, pianoRomance in D flat major, Op.24 No.9Kyllikki, three lyric pieces, Op.41Sonatina in F sharp minor, Op.67 No.1Sonatina in E major, Op.67 No.2Sonatina in B minor, Op.67 No.3Den ensamma furan (The Solitary Fir Tree), Op.75 No.2Granen (The Spruce), Op.75 No.5Scène romantique, Op.101 No.5The Village Church, Op.103 No.1Erik T. Tawaststjerna, pianoIf you love Sibelius and want a quick way to get his major works in a box, then this set is for you. Highly recommended.