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Alexander Gibson's Sibelius recordings for Chandos represent the high point of his career on disc, and none is finer than this set of tone poems, an excellent value as reissued at a twofer price. Several of the performances here never have been bettered. Luonnotar features the sensational Phyllis Bryn-Julson, whose accuracy of pitch and evenness across registers delivers thrilling results, culminating in a mystical, luminous conclusion quite unlike any other. Here, and also in Oceanides, Gibson paces the music ideally, with perfectly timed climaxes, giving both works the effortless feeling of movement and organic unfolding that remains the hallmark of Sibelius' symphonic writing.