Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Sibelius

Sibelius’ 150th: Celebrating Finland’s Musical Titan

At last the day is upon us – the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jean Sibelius. Sibelius, of course, was Finland’s most revered artist and, though arguably underestimated for much it, one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.

With his 50th birthday imminent in 1915, the Finnish government commissioned from him a 5th symphony. The work was given its premiere one hundred years ago today, with the composer conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra – though the original version was quite different, in many respects, from the masterpiece that has entered the standard repertoire. In a remarkable feat of objectivity, Sibelius revised the symphony twice, in 1916 and then again in 1919.

One of the work’s major innovations (showing the influence of Liszt, whom Sibelius greatly admired) involved the elimination of the break between the first two movements of the original, four-movement structure. The demarcations are blurred so that the first movement slips inexorably into the scherzo, and the listener is swept along, as if caught in a powerful current or precipitated into an avalanche, to thrilling effect.

This transition is always a challenge for conductors, since the changeover should appear entirely organic. Sibelius would further experiment with the telescoping of movements and the subversion of classical expectations in his 7th Symphony.

Perhaps the most striking revision is in how the final movement builds to a climax of impressive grandeur, a sublime apotheosis of the ennobling “swan theme,” only to come up against a series of powerful, monolithic chords, each isolated from the other by a moment of silence. The first five suspend the effect, before coming down with an indisputable sense of finality on the sixth. This is music of the gods.

On this day, one hundred years ago, the Finnish government declared Sibelius’ birthday a national holiday. You would do yourself a favor if you put in a call to your boss to tell him or her that you’ll be staying home today so that you can enjoy Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5.

Happy birthday, Jean Sibelius!

Karajan conducts the 5th Symphony:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8qiAMOiygs

Vänskä conducts the original 1915 version!

More Sibelius this Thursday morning, from 6 to 11 ET, when I continue with the second half of my sesquicentennial salute on WPRB 103.3 FM and at wprb.com.

#Sibelius150 #12DaysOfSibelius

December 8, 2015
Sibelius Early Recordings & Stories

Jean Sibelius – Finnish master and a unique voice in 20th century music – was born on December 8, 1865. In our latest contribution to #12DaysOfSibelius, we will honor him tonight on “The Lost Chord” with an hour of early recordings of his music.

Robert Kajanus was a good friend of Sibelius, a sometimes rival and a frequent drinking buddy. The two of them were immortalized during one of their infamous binges in a painting by the artist Akseli Gallén-Kallela (see below). Kajanus set down first recordings of a number of Sibelius’ major works, including the underappreciated Symphony No. 3, which will be heard in a 1932 performance, with the London Symphony Orchestra.

If you’ll allow me a personal anecdote, it was actually this recording that served as an introduction for me to the composers’ grandson. I owned a second-hand book business in Philadelphia for a number of years. I suppose it’s hardly surprising that if anyone ventured into the shop there would be probably an 8-in-10 chance that I would be playing Sibelius.

Well, on this particular occasion, Anssi wandered in during the Kajanus 3rd, which impressed him sufficiently that he struck up a conversation with me. It turns out he is a documentary filmmaker who was actually living in Philadelphia at the time. By further coincidence, Simon Rattle was coming to town to conduct Sibelius’ 5th Symphony. I was able to get Anssi an introduction to Rattle, who invited us to attend a rehearsal. Somewhere in Vanity Fair’s archives there is a photo of Rattle planting a big kiss on Sibelius’ grandson’s forehead.

Anssi later returned the favor by introducing me to Einojuhani Rautavaara, who came to Philadelphia for the premiere of his 8th Symphony. I’ve got a snapshot somewhere of me with Rautavaara, and I’m grinning like a Tyrannosaurus rex. If and when I find it, I will be sure to post it.

Back to tonight’s show: In response to a request from a listener who called during my WPRB tribute this past Thursday, I’ll also include a highly regarded performance of Sibelius’ last major work, the tone poem “Tapiola,” from 1926. The piece takes its name from Tapio, the forest god mentioned throughout the Kalevala, who inhabits the stark pine forests of the wild North. Again, Kajanus gave the piece its first recording, in 1932, but we’ll hear an equally atmospheric, and a times awe-inspiring reading, given seven years later, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Serge Koussevitzky.

Sibelius would live another 30 years after the completion of “Tapiola.” Though he spent a portion of that time laboring at a highly-anticipated 8th Symphony, with the premiere promised to Koussevitzky, he eventually destroyed the manuscript.

Koussevitzky’s recording of Sibelius’ 7th Symphony is a knockout. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to include it on my WPRB playlist. It won’t be heard tonight. However, some might be happy to learn, in response to comments made to me by way of this page, email, and personal interactions in the real world, I’ve decided to devote another five hours to great Sibelius recordings this Thursday, from 6 to 11 ET.

Speaking of the Kalevala, I’ll give the last word to one of the heroes of that work, the swashbuckling Lemminkainen. Eugene Ormandy was a superb interpreter of Sibelius’ “Four Legends from the Kalevala.” A stereo recording he made with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1978 must be one of his finest. However, his 1940 recording of the last of the legends, “Lemminkainen’s Return,” is on a whole other level. It surpasses even Sir Thomas Beecham’s legendary account, in terms of sheer virtuosity and visceral excitement. If there’s a more hell-for-leather performance of the piece, I have yet to hear it.

I hope you’ll join me for “Vintage Sibelius,” tonight at 10 ET, with a repeat Wednesday evening at 6; or that you’ll listen to it later as a webcast at wwfm.org.

Then join me on Thursday morning, from 6 to 11, at WPRB 103.3 FM, as we continue with #12DaysOfSibelius.

With thanks to Kenneth Hutchins, for coining the hashtag #12DaysOfSibelius (after #12DaysOfSinatra, of course).

PHOTO: “Kajustaflan,” painted by Akseli Gallén-Kallela. Pictured (from left to right), the artist, composer Oskar Merikanto, Robert Kajanus and Jean Sibelius.

More about “The Symposium,” with the original version of Gallén’s painting, here:

http://www.sibelius.fi/english/elamankaari/sib_symbosion.htm

December 6, 2015
Sibelius at 150 A Birthday Celebration

December 8th marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jean Sibelius. I know, it’s a little early yet, but the Sinatra celebrations are underway, and he wasn’t even born until the 12th!

We’ll salute Finland’s most celebrated composer this morning with outstanding performances by Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Thomas Beecham, Anthony Collins, Sir Colin Davis, Neeme Järvi, Robert Kajanus, Herbert von Karajan, Serge Koussevitzky, Eugene Ormandy, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Leopold Stokowski and Osmo Vänskä – or as many of those as I can get to. I’ll also include a gorgeous rarity, “The Bard,” from a new CD with JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

In addition, organist Gail Archer will be dropping by at 9:30 this morning, to talk about her new CD devoted to music by women composers, “The Muse’s Voice.” Archer will perform a free recital at 12:30 this afternoon at Princeton University Chapel. The program will include works by Joan Tower, Libby Larsen, Nadia Boulanger and Jeanne Demessieux.

Other than that, it’s wall-to-wall Sibelius, from 6 to 11 ET, on WPRB 103.3 FM or at wprb.com. We’ll have the vodka and cigars at the ready, on Classic Ross Amico.

December 3, 2015
Sibelius 5th Symphony Anniversary Celebration

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.

December 3, 2015
Celebrating Sibelius A Finnish Master at 150

December 8th marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Finnish master Jean Sibelius. Since he may very well be my favorite composer (or at any rate, he’s right up there), I will be devoting the entire playlist tomorrow morning on WPRB to his magnificent music, in outstanding performances from the 1930s to the present.

Featured conductors will include Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Colin Davis, Neeme Järvi, Robert Kajanus, Herbert von Karajan, Serge Koussevitzky, Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski and Osmo Vänskä. I’ll also include a lovingly-performed rarity from a new CD with JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

The influence of Sibelius on the establishment of a Finnish national identity cannot be underestimated. He is venerated in Finland as we in the United States venerate the Founding Fathers, though with considerably more passion and a sense of personal connection. Monuments to Sibelius abound, and his name is on public buildings. Why should this be so?

After seven centuries under Swedish rule, Finland was “liberated” by the Russians in 1809. In its new role, Finland served as an autonomous Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire. At times, relations between the two could become palpably tense.

It was the emergence of the Kalevala, compiled in the mid-19th century by Elias Lönnrot from oral traditions, that lit a spark in the frozen north. Here were heroic tales of Finland’s distant past. It brought to a head the issue of Swedish yet being the dominant language of Finland and contributed to a snowballing sense of nationalism that resulted in Finnish independence from Russia in 1917.

Along the way, Sibelius had become the movement’s most dangerous torch-bearer. Like other Finnish artists of the time, he turned to the Kalevala for inspiration, bringing a number of the tales vibrantly to life in his music. But it was “Finlandia” that proved the true firebrand. So directly did it speak to the Finnish heart that performances of the work were banned by the Russian authorities, so that the piece could only be programmed covertly under alternative names like “Happy Feelings at the Awakening of Finnish Spring.”

However, his importance to music transcends the provincial concerns of a small northern country. Sibelius offered a fresh and original path from Romanticism into the 20th century. While Stravinsky and Schoenberg duked it out on the world stage, Sibelius crept quietly like a frost from the north to invigorate the hearts of listeners and stimulate the creativity of (some) composers.

The perception at first, with the rise of rhythmic complexity and the breakdown of tonality, was that Sibelius was a conservative throwback, and not to be taken seriously, but time has proven otherwise. His music took root mainly in the Nordic countries, England, and the United States, went underground somewhat at mid-century, then emerged as an essential part of the repertoire of virtually every major conductor and orchestra.

Even so, he is easily misunderstood. His music is organic, bold, enigmatic and idiosyncratic, often rugged and austere on the surface, but with a soft, warm glow emanating from deep within. I find it irresistible.

I hope you’ll join me tomorrow morning from 6 to 11 ET, on WPRB 103.3 FM or at wprb.com, when it will be all-Sibelius. We’ll be conjuring heroes and magicians, and brooding with migratory birds amidst the snow-capped pines, on Classic Ross Amico.

December 2, 2015

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