Columbia SAX 2379: Karajan's Sibelius 2nd

Columbia SAX 2379
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43
Philharmonia Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Pressing: UK, ER2

Matrix numbers: YAX 573-6, 574-4

Date first published: 1961

Performance: 7/10

Sound: 6/10

Price range: $23-235 (mean $70 on popsike.com)

Comments: UK Columbia released two recordings of the Sibelius 2nd Symphony, the first one with Paul Kletzki and the Philharmonia (SAX 2280), previously reviewed on this blog, and this one with Herbert von Karajan with the same orchestra.  I surmise that Karajan's was the more popular one, since the Kletzki seems to be the rarer find and had only one run (I have only seen blue and silver first pressings on the market) whereas the Karajan was reissued multiple times and is available in blue/silver, red semi-circle, and postage stamp labels.  I was able to snag the second pressing for a reasonable price a couple of years ago, though I'd love to hear a blue/silver for comparison.  I wasn't thrilled with this one, that's for certain.  The presentation is a little bit distant, not uncommon for so many of these UK Columbia orchestral releases, yielding somewhat of a cavernous sound that is warm but perhaps slightly rolled off in the treble.  Though dynamics are quite good, orchestral textures can be slightly muddy, and there is an overall lack of clarity on the recording.  Loud orchestral tuttis are plagued with some noticeable distortion.  I found myself preferring the Kletzki recording, which is far from being sonically perfect but seemed to offer more in terms of clarity.  Now it's entirely possible that this is a pressing issue, and that a first blue/silver pressing could improve on these quibbles.  I'll have to wait and see if I can ever find one for a decent price.  I wonder if my colleague Meles has this LP and can also comment.