Category Archives: News

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra Sibelius Festival

Jukka-Pekka Saraste (photo: © Felix Broede)

A Sibelius Festival is being organized by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in May 2019, at de Doelen concert hall in Rotterdam.

The event comprises two symphony concerts, a chamber performance and a song recital, and will feature a number of top-rank Finnish musicians.

Jukka-Pekka Saraste will conduct the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in the two orchestral concerts, with soloists Helena Juntunen (soprano) and Pekka Kuusisto (violin). Jukka-Pekka Saraste will also appear as a guest speaker.

Works performed at the orchestral concerts are Symphonies Nos 1, 3 and 4, Finlandia, the Humoresques for violin and orchestra, Luonnotar and Höstkväll.

The song recital is by Helena Juntunen with pianist Eveliina Kytömäki. The chamber performance features Pekka Kuusisto (violin), Heini Kärkkäinen (piano), Ilona Korhonen (vocals) and Pauliina Syrjälä (kantele), and combines music for violin and piano by Sibelius with Finnish folk music.

The chamber performance and first orchestral concert take place on Friday 17 May, at 17.00 and 20.15 respectively.

The song recital and second orchestral concert are on Sunday 19 May, at 13.00 and 14.15 respectively.

Ticket sales commence on 15 May 2018.

For more information click here.

 

Composer of the Week

Jean Sibelius, 1913 (Photo: Daniel Nyblin / Public Domain)

Sibelius is Composer of the Week on BBC Radio 3 in the week beginning Monday 12 February 2018. Donald Macleod will present a series of hour-long programmes exploring Sibelius’s life and work each weekday at 12.00.

Monday: ‘Janne’
Vattendroppar · Violin Concerto · Serenad · Piano Quintet (1st mov.)

Tuesday: ‘From Happiness to Despair’
Kullervo’s Death · Impromptu in B minor · The Swan of Tuonela · Symphony No. 1 (finale) · Malinconia

Wednesday: ‘Drowning Sorrows’
Finlandia Hymn · Symphony No. 2 (finale) · In memoriam · Pohjola’s Daughter · The Maiden with the Roses (Swanwhite)

Thursday: ‘A Mountain to be Climbed’
Valse triste · Symphony No. 4 · The Bells of Kallio Church · Symphony No. 5 (finale)

Friday: ‘A Mystery at the End’
Two Schybergson songs · Symphony No. 6 · Chorus of the Winds; Prospero; Dance Episode (The Tempest) · Andante festivo · Sydämeni laulu

Presenter Donald Macleod was educated in Glasgow and at St Andrew’s University where he studied psychology. He began his career as a presenter in 1982 on BBC Radio 3 and for BBC1’s 60 minutes as a TV reporter and newsreader.

The programmes will be available on BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast.

Further information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09r40xp

Discography updated 8 February 2018

The ongoing Sibelius discography project has received another update. To download the latest version (free) click here: Sibelius_Discography_20180208 . For more information on the discography project and recent releases click here to visit our Discography & Recordings page.

New Year Quiz 2018 (with link to solution)

Our New Year Quiz 2018 is a Sibelius-themed word square.
Hidden in the grid are 34 ‘answers’ – names, work titles, places etc.
Words can run in any direction, also backwards and diagonally.
How many can you find?
Click here to download the wordsquare as a pdf file

Solution now published: click here!

New! JSW Music for String Orchestra Review

 

       

Click here to read our review of the Jean Sibelius Complete Works (JSW) edition of works for string orchestra (Opp. 4, 5/5, 5/6, 14, 42, 98a, 98b, 100, JS 34b).

 

January 2018 Magazine in production

Our January 2018 magazine is being printed and will be sent out to subscribers within a few days.

Click here for more information about this and previous issues of our magazine.

Discography updated 11 December 2017

The ongoing Sibelius discography project has received another update. To download the latest version (free) click here: Sibelius_Discography_2017-12-11. For more information on the discography project and recent releases see our Discography & Recordings page.

Lahti Sibelius Festival 2018

Lahti Symphony Orchestra / Dima Slobodeniouk. Photo: © Lahti SO/Juha Tanhua

Programmes and artists – including a guest orchestra and conductor – have been announced for the 2018 Lahti Sibelius Festival.

For more information about the music and about Sibelius One’s group visit to the festival, click here.

 

Dedicated to Sibelius

At the initiative of Sibelius One members Doug Whittet and Rob Ebbers, a list is being compiled of musical works dedicated to Jean Sibelius.

The current list is shown below. If you know of additions or other relevant information, please contact Doug Whittet by e-mail (click here).

The list will be updated periodically as new information becomes available.

To download the list as an Excel document, click here.

Composer Work Year Recording Comment
Bax, Arnold Symphony No. 5 1932 London Philharmonic Orchestra / Raymond Leppard (Lyrita)
Busoni, Ferruccio Orchestral Suite No. 2, Op. 34a 1905 BBC Philharmonic Orchestra / Neeme Järvi (Chandos) 4 movements each with different dedicatee (1st to JS)
Constant, Marius Hämeenlinna: An Imaginary Landscape 1990 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Sergiu Comissiona (Ondine)
Englund, Einar Ciacona 1990 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Sergiu Comissiona (Ondine)
Josephs, Wilfred In the North 1990 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Sergiu Comissiona (Ondine)
Melartin, Erkki The Melancholy Garden (for piano), Op. 54 1908 Izumi Tateno (Ondine)
Merikanto, Aarre Theme, Variations & Fugue for orchestra 1915 None? No commercial recording?
Musgrave, Thea Song of the Enchanter 1990 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Sergiu Comissiona (Ondine)
Nørgård, Per Aftonland (Songs from Evening Land) 1956 Helene Gjerris et al. (Dacapo)
Picker, Tobias Séance 1990 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Sergiu Comissiona (Ondine)
Rak, Štěpán Elegy for solo guitar 1987 Štěpán Rak (Nimbus)
Ruders, Poul Tundra 1990 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Sergiu Comissiona (Ondine)
Söderlind, Ragnar Symphony No. 8 (Sibelius in memoriam) 2005 Tchaikovsky Grand Symphony Orchestra / Vladimir Fedoseyev (YouTube concert recording) Quotes from Surusoitto; no commercial recording
Stenhammar, Wilhelm String Quartet No. 4 in A minor, Op. 25 1907 Stenhammar Quartet (BIS)
Tüür, Erkki-Sven Searching for Roots 1990 Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra / Paavo Järvi (Virgin)
Vaughan Williams, Ralph Symphony No. 5 in D major 1943 Over 30 available!
Yuasa, Joji The Midnight Sun 1990 Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Sergiu Comissiona (Ondine)