Symphonie no. 1 / Karelia Suite cover

Symphonie no. 1 / Karelia Suite

Herbert von Karajan · 1987

54 min · 7 tracks · classical music

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Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental
78 /100
Alpine
Higher than 87% of albums we've rated

Sibelius’s strong symphonic arc and memorable orchestral writing are served by controlled playing; the added suite makes a satisfying but not tightly unified second half.

What we noticed

  • The First Symphony opens with a solo clarinet over quiet string tremolo, then expands into a forceful Allegro; its finale recalls the opening material at much greater volume.
  • The four-movement symphony gives way to the three shorter Karelia Suite movements, ending with the brisk Alla Marcia rather than extending the symphony’s dramatic close.
  • The performance favors a polished, blended orchestral sound, with the symphony’s surges and the suite’s lighter march rhythms kept distinct.
Composition 25% of the score
8/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
8/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
7/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
6/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
7/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 3/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Symphony no. 1 in E minor, op. 39: I. Andante ma non troppo - Allegro energico 10:27
  • 2 Symphony no. 1 in E minor, op. 39: II. Andante (ma non troppo lento) 10:18
  • 3 Symphony no. 1 in E minor, op. 39: III. Scherzo (Allegro) 5:34
  • 4 Symphony no. 1 in E minor, op. 39: IV. Finale (Quasi una fantasia - Andante - Allegro molto) 12:05
  • 5 Karelia Suite, op. 11: I. Intermezzo 3:57
  • 6 Karelia Suite, op. 11: II. Ballade 7:26
  • 7 Karelia Suite, op. 11: III. Alla Marcia 4:54

What to play next

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1987
Matthäus-Passion
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Matthäus-Passion

1987
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Reference: MusicBrainz