Category Archives: News

Romance in D flat major, Op. 24 No. 9

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Breitkopf & Härtel have made the Urtext of one of Sibelius’s most popular piano pieces, the Romance in D flat major, Op. 24 No. 9, available separately.
The ten pieces that make up Op. 24 were composed between 1895 and 1903 and include some of the finest examples of nationalistic romanticism in Sibelius’s piano œuvre. The Romance in D flat major is the ninth piece in the set and was composed in 1901 as a Christmas gift for Axel Carpelan.
This new publication contains the music text found in volume V/1 of the complete edition of the Jean Sibelius Works’ critical edition, where it appears alongside the rest of Op. 24 and the Opp. 5, 12, 24, 40 and 41 collections.

EB 8178 | €8.45
8 pages | 23 x 30,5 cm | 65 g | ISMN: 979-0-004-18371-7
Edited by Kari Kilpeläinen

More information/purchase: click here

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Elisabeth Järnefelt exhibition in Järvenpää

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An exhibition is being mounted at Järvenpää Art Museum focusing on Elisabeth Järnefelt (1839–1929), ‘the mother of Finnish art and culture’, and Jean Sibelius’s mother-in-law.

Born in St Petersburg, Elisabeth married August Alexander Järnefelt in 1857 and settled with him in Helsinki. Among their children were  the writer Arvid, the painter Erik and the conductor and composer Armas. Their daughter Aino married Jean Sibelius. Elisabeth Järnefelt was also a good friend of the writer Juhani Aho. Elisabeth Järnefelt became a central figure in Finnish culture, hosting a salon in Helsinki, centred around Nordic, Finnish and Russian literature but also discussing politics, religion and equality. She promoted the Finnish language and was a follower of the Tolstoyan movement.

The exhibition runs for most of Finland’s centenary year, from 11 February until 1 October 2017. On display are works of art, photographs and other artefacts relating to the fascinating story of Elisabeth Järnefelt’s life; there  will also be video presentations.

During the exhibition’s run there will be a number of additional lectures and presentations on various topics.

Address: Järvenpään taidemuseo / Järvenpää Art Museum,
Kirjastokatu 8,
FIN-04400 Järvenpää,
Finland
E-mail: taidemuseo@jarvenpaa.fi
Tel.: 00358-40 315 3881
Opening times: February–April: Weds–Sun 10am–5pm
May–September: Tues–Sun 11am–6pm
Entrance: €7/6/4 or with Museum Card

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Sibelius One Magazine (January 2017) published

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Sibelius One’s January 2017 magazine has been sent out to subscribers (despatched on Monday 23 January). Articles in this issue:

  • Jean Sibelius and Finnish Culture –
    the changing significance of Finlandia  Hannu Salmi
  • Greetings from Hämeenlinna  Erkki Korhonen
  • Kullervo goes to Minnesota  Robert Suff 
  • Setting the Record Straight  About Ian Maxwell’s Sibelius discography
  • Playing Sibelius under Paavo Berglund
    (and a few other conductors)  Philip Borg-Wheeler
  • Maestro Sibelius Peter Frankland

To subscribe to the magazine, make sure you select the ‘printed copies’ option when joining Sibelius One (just £5 for two issues).

If you would like to add the magazine to your existing subscription, or to purchase individual copies of this issue or back issues (£5 each plus postage – also available to non-members) please contact info@sibeliusone.com

Click here for a list of articles in all issues of the magazine to date.

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Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra Japan Tour 2017

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Santtu-Matias Rouvali (photo: © Kaapo Kamu)

The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali will be undertaking a concert tour in Japan in May 2017.

The programmes for the five concerts concentrate almost exclusively on Sibelius’s most popular orchestral works. The soloists will be Japanese: Kyoko Tabe, piano and Yuzuko Horigome, violin.

Founded in 1930, the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the foremost symphony orchestras in the Nordic countries, and has previously made international concert tours to Great Britain, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Estonia, Germany, Spain and the United States. Recent chief conductors include following Hannu Lintu, John Storgårds and Eri Klas, and since August 2013 Santtu-Matias Rouvali has been its artistic director.

As well as being chief conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Santtu-Matias Rouvali (b. 1985) is principal guest conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra. He takes up the position of chief conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony from the 2017/18 season. Other orchestars with which he collaborates include the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Bamberger Symphoniker.

The planned venues and programmes are as follows:

Friday 19 May at 7 pm: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Sibelius: Finlandia
Grieg: Piano Concerto (Kyoko Tabe, piano)
Sibelius: Symphony No 2

Saturday 20 May at 3 pm: Fukuyama Read & Rose Concert Hall
Sibelius: Finlandia
Grieg: Piano Concerto (Kyoko Tabe, piano)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2

Tuesday 23 May at 7 pm: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Sibelius: En saga
Sibelius: Violin Concerto (Yuzuko Horigome, violin)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5

Wednesday 24 May at 7 pm: Hamamatsu Act City Concert Hall
Sibelius: Finlandia
Grieg: Piano Concerto (Kyoko Tabe, piano)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5

Thursday 25 May at 7 pm: Osaka Symphony Hall
Sibelius: Finlandia
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2

Further information: click here (The Japan Times)

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Sakari Oramo to conduct a Sibelius cycle in London

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The Barbican Centre, London (Photo: © Romazur / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)

Sakari Oramo will conduct a complete cycle of Sibelius Symphonies and an assoertment of orchestral works with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at London’s Barbican Centre in the 2017–18 season.

The concert series includes a performance on 6 December to celebrate the centenary of Finland’s independence, featuring the first UK performance of the complete Press Celebrations Music (including Finland Awakes, the original version of Finlandia).

Sakari Oramo has been principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra since 2013, and has recorded a complete Sibelius cycle with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Erato/Warner Classics).

27 September 2017 / 19:30
Richard Strauss Tod und Verklärung
Berg Violin Concerto (Alina Pogotskina violin)
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
Click here for prices & information

27 October 2017 / 19:30
Schmitt Symphony No 2
Franck Symphonic Variations
Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (Jean-Efflam Bavouzet piano)
Sibelius Symphony No. 3
Click here for prices & information

29 November 2017 / 19:30
Sibelius Symphony No. 6
Anders Hillborg Violin Concerto No. 2 (UK première) (Lisa Batiashvili violin)
Sibelius Symphony No. 4
Click here for prices & information

6 December 2017 / 19:30
Finland Awakes! – Celebrating Finnish Independence Day
Sibelius Press Celebrations Music (UK première)
Sibelius Cantique and Devotion (Guy Johnston cello)
Sibelius Symphony No. 1
Click here for prices & information

6 January 2018 / 19:30
Sibelius Symphony No. 7
Sibelius Luonnotar (Anu Komsi soprano)
Aarre Merikanto Ekho (UK première)
Sibelius Symphony No. 2
Click here for prices & information

 

 

 

 

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Lahti Sibelius Festival 2017 – Update

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Lahti Symphony Orchestra in the Sibelius Hall (photo: © Juha Tanhua)
Lahti Symphony Orchestra in the Sibelius Hall (photo: © Juha Tanhua)

Programmes have now been announced for the 2017 Sibelius Festival in Lahti.

The Lahti Symphony Orchestra’s 18th International Sibelius Festival will take place at the Sibelius Hall from 30 August until 3 September 2017, and its artistic director is Dima Slobodeniouk, principal conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. There will also be a guest appearance by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali as well as chamber concerts and other events. This year’s theme is the centenary of Finland’s independence. The festival is also part of the national ‘Finland 100’ programme of events.

Click here to see the programme information and to find out about Sibelius One’s group visit to the festival.

Lahti Symphony Orchestra: www.sinfonialahti.fi

 
Click here to download the official  brochure

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Voces intimae for sale (updated)

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The autograph manuscript of Sibelius’s String Quartet in D minor (‘Voces intimae’), Op. 56, signed twice (‘Jean Sibelius’), was offered for auction at the bi-annual Music and Continental Books and Manuscripts sale by Sotheby’s, London on 29 November 2016. The sale also offered the complete autograph manuscript of Gustav Mahler’s Second Symphony (‘Resurrection’).

This is the autograph manuscript of Sibelius’s most famous chamber work and features the original ending, which differs from the published version. The original ending can be heard on a recording by the Tempera Quartet on BIS-1466 (or BIS-1903/05).

The large number of new recordings of ‘Voces intimae’ (see e.g. our Discography & Recordings page) in recent years have confirmed its status as one of Sibelius’s middle-period masterpieces.

The quartet was completed in 1909 and published by Lienau the same year. Although this manuscript was used by Sibelius’s publisher to set up the first edition in 1909, it contains important differences from it. The final twenty-one bars differ markedly from the printed scores and were evidently completely rewritten on a later manuscript.

This is the sole surviving manuscript of the whole work.

Guide price: £ 200,000-300,000 € 222,000-333,000

Update: The manuscript of ‘Voces intimae’ remained unsold. The manuscript of Mahler’s Second Symphony was the star of the auction, selling for £4,546,250.

Click here for a list of the items sold and the prices fetched.

Click here for further information (pdf) about this and works by other composers that were be auctioned.

Before Sibelius: the first full Kalevala opera

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kalewainen-logo

Sibelius was by no means the only composer to draw inspiration from the Kalevala in the late 19th century. Karl Müller-Berghaus’s (1829–1907) opera Die Kalewainen in Pochjola was composed in Turku more than 120 years ago, to a libretto by Franz Spengler. This recently rediscovered work is the first through-composed opera based on the Kalevala, but it has never before been staged anywhere. In late February/early March 2017 the Turku Music Festival and Turku Philharmonic Orchestra will bring the opera to Turku’s LOGOMO cultural centre.

The composer, conductor and violinist Karl Müller-Berghaus was born in Braunschweig, Germany, and served as conductor of the Turku orchestra from 1886 until 1895.

Karl Müller-Berghaus (detail from a lithography after a photo by A. Dorbritz, Cologne; © CC BY-SA 3.0)
Karl Müller-Berghaus (detail from a lithography after a photo by A. Dorbritz, Cologne; © CC BY-SA 3.0)

The production features leading soloists including Tommi Hakala, Johanna Rusanen-Kartano, Christian Juslin and Susanna Andersson. It will be directed by Tiina Puumalainen and conducted by Leif Segerstam.

The performance lasts approximately 3 hours and the opera is sung in German.

Click here for a pdf brochure about the production and performances.

This major cultural event is also part of the official ‘SuomiFinland100’ programme on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence.

Website for the production (including ticket order link): click here
or
Click here to order tickets.

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