It’s all-Sibelius this morning, as we anticipate the 150th anniversary of his birth on December 8. December 8 also marks the 100th anniversary of the first performance of his Symphony No. 5, commissioned by the Finnish government to celebrate Sibelius’ 50th birthday, which was declared a national holiday.
The Sibelius 5th is among the noblest music in the entire literature. It is about nature, it is about something larger than ourselves. It is elemental, like a symphony built on tectonic plates. The opening “sunrise” in the horns gives way to awe and terror in the precipitous scherzo. The tension in the finale, following the noble “swan theme,” is like massive blocks of granite grating against one another as the mists disperse and great shafts of light ride in on the brass and a powerful truth is revealed. It is music of optimism and strength.
Join me in the 10:00 hour for the Symphony No. 5 of Sibelius. We celebrate the great Finnish master until 11 ET on WPRB 103.3 FM and at wprb.com.