Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Symphony No. 5

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 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
Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphony No 5 Birthday

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite composers of all time, Ralph Vaughan Williams. Since it’s a holiday, perhaps you’ll have time to luxuriate in his radiant Symphony No. 5, an unexpected of ray of hope composed during the darkest days of World War II (1938-1943). Some of the ideas were incorporated from work on his opera “The Pilgrim’s Progress.”

The symphony is dedicated to another one of my all-time favorites, Jean Sibelius. When Sibelius heard the work in Stockholm, conducted by Malcolm Sargent, he wrote, “This symphony is a marvelous work… the dedication made me feel proud and grateful… I wonder if Dr. Williams has any idea of the pleasure he has given me?”

It’s ironic that Vaughan Williams, a self-professed agnostic (who had softened his stance from atheism), often proved to be an exceptionally spiritual composer. The audience at the symphony’s premiere, with the 70 year-old composer conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra, emerged from Royal Albert Hall feeling enriched and empowered to face anything the future threw their way. Vaughan Williams’ music stirred in its listeners a determination to strive for light and life. The music somehow embodied everything the Allies were fighting for.

Happy Birthday, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958).

Here’s Vaughan Williams conducting his Symphony No. 5 in 1952:

And a recording of the work in more up-to-date sound, with the late, great Vernon Handley:

PHOTO: RVW and Foxy

October 12, 2015
Finland’s Music Takes Wing

After a week of bitter temperatures and more falling snow, it’s hardly surprising that my thoughts turn to the north (and I don’t mean Boston).

This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll have a couple of pieces from Finland, both of them inspired by the region’s avian life.

Einojuhani Rautavaara wrote his “Cantus Arcticus” in 1972. He described it as a “concerto for birdsong and orchestra.” The work incorporates tape recordings made on the bogs of Liminka, near the Arctic Circle. More than just a gimmick, the piece is an inspiring triptych that manages to transcend its potentially new age conceit. The final movement takes the form of a long crescendo for orchestra, which incorporates the song of whooper swans.

Swans, of course, also played a crucial role in the creation of Jean Sibelius’ uplifting Symphony No. 5. The composer was moved to write the grand theme of the symphony’s finale after observing a flock of swans in flight over his home on the shores of Lake Tuusula in Järvenpää. The tolling French horns unfailingly generate a glow of hope and optimism. Such noble music! I don’t mind sharing that this is probably my favorite symphony.

Wait a minute – the Symphony No. 5 is standard repertoire. What’s this doing on “The Lost Chord?”

In 1995, conductor Osmo Vänskä recorded Sibelius’ first thoughts on the symphony, as it was heard at its 1915 premiere. Though the work was extremely well-received, Sibelius became increasingly dissatisfied with it, as he prepared the manuscript for publication.

In what must be one of the most amazing feats of revision ever, he crafted from the comparatively rough material the masterwork we know today. When you hear this original version, you will marvel at the composer’s clarity of purpose, his remarkable objectivity, and just how hard he worked. It’s almost like a completely different piece, one that uses the same recognizable themes, but completely rethinks the structure and, at times, the orchestration. Listening to certain passages is like strolling across familiar terrain. Then the ground shifts, and you find yourself walking down a strange path. If you haven’t heard it, definitely make a point to check it out.

If, like me, you find yourself watching the Academy Awards at 10:00 tomorrow night even as you wonder why, “The Lost Chord” will be rebroadcast Wednesday evening at 6; or you can listen to it later as a webcast at http://www.wwfm.org.

PHOTO: Finnish music takes wing, on “Snow Birds”

February 21, 2015

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