Symphony No. 6 in D minor

Jean Sibelius

Vladimir Ashkenazi / Philharmonia Orchestra

Mid-1980s Very good-sounding recording.

Top choice. 'Beautiful playing' and 'beautiful sounding.' Captures the 'mystical sound world' and 'understated quality' appropriate to this work.

Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic

1968

A famous version. Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic bring a 'lush, beautiful quality' that 'really works well' for the Sixth. The 'quiet and ethereal and kind of haunting' ending is 'really, really beautiful'.

Label : Deutsche Grammophon

Sir Thomas Beecham / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

1947 Studio recording, 'dimmer side, but not bad'.

Reportedly Sibelius's favorite interpretation. Beecham is the conductor to 'sell' a tricky work like this. The reading is 'gentle... but very probing and introspective'.