OVERVIEWS - THE COMPLETE JEAN SIBELIUS EDITION

A set of 13 box-sets on the BIS label - All the music Sibelius ever created

The 50th anniversary of the death of Sibelius occurred in 2007, and BIS, the label that has always been a strong supporter of his music since their beginnings, in September of that year, released the first set of a projected 13 volume edition of every note put down to paper by Jean Sibelius, spanning a total of 65 compact discs.

The series contains all the published works, rare original versions of works kindly granted by the Sibelius family, and world premiere recordings of early works, from material unique to BIS. A large extent of the recordings included in the special box-sets are recordings that have previously been released over the years, some of them recipients of Gramophone and Grand Prix du Disque awards, and most of them greeted with high acclaim and glowing reviews. The release schedule for the complete series spanned 4 years, during which time brand new recordings of yet unheard music were added to the collection.

Some of the musicians and artists involved in this epic undertaking are the conductors Osmo Vänskä, Neeme Järvi, singers Monica Groop, Anne Sofie von Otter, pianist Folke Gräsbeck, and the Gothenburg and Lahti Symphony orchestras, to name only a few.

I've had the pleasure of experiencing the rush of adventure and discovery, much like a saga, that listening to the complete series entails, and it has proven to be a substantial and definitive traversal of the life's work of this great Finnish composer. Each volume has been planned with great care and expertise, and contains an overview of the complete projected collection, a 50 page biography of Sibelius, and a very detailed booklet with copious notes on the pieces, including the year of composition, opus number, if it's a first, revised or final version, etc....and sets of 5 or 6 cds sell for the price of 3. A good bargain for the quality that is ever present from BIS. All the performances and recordings are of the highest standards. Included in the final volume is a separate booklet with the complete index to the recordings and works included in the entire edition, as a key to the over 80 hours of music that form the lifework of Sibelius, the classic 'Jean Sibelius at Home' film, and a bonus DVD titled 'Visual Journey to the Music of Jean Sibelius'.

Tone Poems

Chamber Music 1

Voice & Orchestra

Piano Music 1

Below is a list of the completed cycle, including dates of release.

As the end of the project approaches, the search for previously unknown material intensifies: after all the aim of the Edition is to be as comprehensive as possible – to include 'every note Sibelius ever wrote'. And although we have yet to locate the Holy Grail of all Sibelians – Symphony No.8 – new manuscripts are being unearthed, needing to be deciphered, copied and recorded. - Robert von Bahr, CEO of BIS Records

BIS have put years of work into this considerable offering and have shown the greatest respect and devotion to the composer with every note they have commited to these recordings. If you enjoy the music of Jean Sibelius and would like to make some discoveries, or if you are an avid collector, this definitive, detailed, first rate edition is for you.