"How skillfully Mr. Simila balanced his orchestral forces ... how well he graded his climaxes so he always had the resources needed for the greatest ones ... the dark richness of color he evoked from Sibelius’ tonal palette ... Mr. Bjoerling sang with finely sustained, sonorous tones" - NY Times, 1957
This release pairs a previously-unissued memorial concert which took place exactly 60 years ago on what would have been Sibelius' 92nd birthday, featuring the 4th Symphony, En Saga, Finlandia and Five Songs performed by Jussi Björling and the New York Philharmonic, with an album recorded just two months later by Kirsten Flagstad and the London Symphony Orchestra of a 14-Song Recital, which received rave reviews on vinyl issues but has never appeared outside a pricey CD box set:
"Flagstad's Sibelius ... is an indispensible record in any Sibelius collection. ... recommended with the greatest possible enthusiasm" - The Gramophone, 1970