In Hämeenlinna, the town where Jean Sibelius was born, the regional water company (HS-vesi) wanted to join in with the Sibelius 150 communal effort and, literally speaking, ‘leave their mark on the ground’. They had to renew about 150 of the Hämeenlinna town centre’s drain covers, and suggested that instead of the ‘usual’ ornaments, why not have the iron covers cast with something related to 2015? A different silvery grey metal alloy was also chosen that acquires an interesting patina in the long term, instead of regular iron that eventually rusts away. The life expectancy of the covers should take the city up to the 200th Sibelius anniversary festivities!
The approach was a combination of genuine appreciation and tongue-in-cheek humour.
The covers are designed by Markku Piri, who writes: ‘I did a simple editing of the visual symbol for this Sibelius year, of the stylized passion flower emblem with the outward flying swan [Hämeenlinna is the only region in Finland where the passion flower thrives in the wild]. So, when folks now walk about Hämeenlinna and look up, they’ll see hundreds of timely flags, and when they look down, they cannot escape the 150-year Sibelius mark either!’
The Flinders Quartet (Helen Ayres and Shane Chen, violins; Helen Ireland, viola; Zoe Knighton, cello) is presenting a Sibelius Festival at Kew Court House, Melbourne, Australia. The Quartet has already won acclaim for its Sibelius performances in 2015, and this festival continues its ground-breaking traversal of Sibelius’s string quartet music in a project that is introducing Australian audiences to this extensive body of rarely played music. The Flinders Quartet will also be a distinguished guest at the 2015 ‘Sibelius in Korpo’ festival in the Turku archipelago (17th–19th July).
Saturday 4th July, 3 pm
Quartet E flat major, JS 184
Four Themes
Andante festivo, JS 34a
Quartet A minor, JS 183
Saturday 4th July, 7 pm
Quartet in B flat major, Op. 4
Piano Quintet in G minor, JS 159 (with Stefan Cassomenos, piano)
Sunday 5th July, 1 pm: In Conversation: Sibelius Himself
Zoe Knighton, Sibelius expert Geoffrey Hayes and raconteur Barry Jones
Sunday 5th July, 3 pm
Molto moderato – Scherzo, JS 134
Adagio in D minor, JS 12
Fugue for Martin Wegelius, JS 85
Quartet in D minor, ‘Voces intimae’, Op. 56
The first concert organized by Sibelius One featured Fenella Humphreys (violin), Anton Kukkonen (cello) and Sam Armstrong (piano) in a selection of Sibelius’s chamber music for solo instrument, duo and trio. The event, eagerly anticipated, was enthusiastically received by a capacity audience. The programme focused on works with special personal significance for Sibelius and on music written for or inspired by members of his family: his wife Aino, his brother Christian and his daughter Kirsti. Three of the pieces were UK premières (Andante molto in B minor for cello and piano, Polka ‘Aino’ for piano and En glad musikant for solo violin).
The concert took place at the Finnish Ambassador’s Residence in London on 10th June 2015 (Sibelius’s 123rd wedding anniversary), in the presence of Ambassador and Mrs Pekka Huhtaniemi. Also present was Erkki Korhonen, director of the international ‘Sibelius 150’ project.
The Finnish Ambassador’s Residence in London, on one of the most prestigious residential streets in the world, was built in 1850–51, and has been home to the Finnish Ambassador since 1955.
Sibelius One is grateful to Ambassador and Mrs Huhtaniemi, the Finnish Embassy in London and the Sibelius Society of Finland for their generous practical and financial assistance.
——————— Programme ———————
Vattendroppar [Water Drops], JS 216, for violin & cello
Four Pieces, Op. 78, for violin & piano
Andante molto in B minor (1888–89) for cello & piano First UK performance
Sonatina in E major, Op. 80, for violin & piano
Malinconia, Op. 20, for cello & piano
[Polka] ‘Aino’ in C minor (1902–05) for piano First UK performance
Souvenir, Op. 99 No. 3) for piano
Four Pieces, Op. 115 (1929) for violin & piano
En glad musikant [A Happy Musician], JS 70, for violin solo First UK performance
La pompeuse marche d’Asis, JS 116, for piano trio
More detailed information is now released for the fourteenth Sibelius in Korpo Festival, to be held on 17th–19th July 2015. This year’s theme is ‘Intimate Voices’. The festival’s artistic director is Folke Gräsbeck.
Friday 17.7.2015 at 8 pm at Korpo gård: Pre-Concert Talk
by Andrew Barnett (General Manager of Sibelius One)
Friday 17.7.2015 at 9 pm at Korpo gård: Evening Concert Flinders Quartet / Folke Gräsbeck, piano JEAN SIBELIUS:
Molto moderato – Scherzo in E major for string quartet, JS 134 (1885)
String Quartet in E flat major, JS 184
Four Themes for string quartet
Adagio in D minor for string quartet, JS 12
Piano Quintet in G minor, JS 159
Saturday 18.7.2015 at 1 pm at the Sibelius Statue, Korpo village
Welcome speeches by Petri Kirkkomäki (festival director) and Geoffrey Hayes Vocal ensemble from the Brahe Djäknar choir JEAN SIBELIUS:
Venematka, Op. 18 No. 3
Ej med klagan, JS 69 (arr. Nils-Eric Fougstedt)
Saturday 18.7.2015 at 2 pm at Korpo Church: ‘Voces intimae’ Flinders Quartet JEAN SIBELIUS:
String Quartet in A minor, JS 183
Fugue for Martin Wegelius, JS 85
String Quartet in D minor, ‘Voces intimae’, Op. 56
Saturday 18.7.2015 at 6 pm at Kommunalgården i Korpo: ‘The Maiden in the Tower’ Hedvig Paulig, soprano / Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano Dan Karlström, tenor / Jussi Merikanto, baritone Florakören and Brahe Djäknar choirs, cond. Ulf Långbacka Folke Gräsbeck, piano JEAN SIBELIUS:
Six Songs, Op. 50 Merikanto/Gräsbeck
Längtan heter min arvedel, Op. 86 No. 2 Paulig/Gräsbeck I systrar, I bröder, I älskande par! Op. 86 No. 6 Paulig/Gräsbeck
Sångarlön, Op. 86 No. 5 Karlström/Gräsbeck
Törnet , Op. 88 No. 5 Karlström/Gräsbeck
Siltavahti, JS 170b Karlström/Gräsbeck
Svarta rosor, Op. 36 No. 1 (1899) Karlström/Gräsbeck
Vänskapens blomma, JS 215 Groop/Gräsbeck Hertig Magnus, Op. 57 No. 6 Groop/Gräsbeck
Songs, Op. 72 Nos 3–6 Groop/Gräsbeck
Tanken, duet, JS 192 Paulig/Groop/Gräsbeck
Jungfrun i tornet (The Maiden in the Tower), JS 101 (1896), opera in one act (arr. for soloists, mixed choir and piano by the composer)
Sunday 19.7.2015 at 9.45 am at Kommunalgården i Korpo
Douglas Sivén᾿s documentary film ‘Sibelius in Korpo’ (in English)
Sunday 19.7.2015 at 11 am at Kommunalgården i Korpo
Douglas Sivéns dokumentärfilm ‘Sibelius i Korpo’ (på svenska)
Sunday 19.7.2015 at 2 pm at Korpo gård: Pre-Concert Talk
‘Sibelius in Australasia᾽ by Geoffrey Hayes
Sunday 19.7.2015 at 4 pm at Korpo gård: Gala Concert Flinders Quartet Hedvig Paulig, soprano / Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano Folke Gräsbeck, piano JEAN SIBELIUS:
String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 4 (1889–90)
Five Songs, Op. 37 Paulig/Gräsbeck
Serenad, JS 167 Groop/Gräsbeck Den första kyssen, JS 57 (preliminary version) Groop/Gräsbeck
Jag ville, jag vore i Indialand (preliminary version) *World Première Performance* Groop/Gräsbeck
Im Feld ein Mädchen singt, Op. 50 No. 3 Groop/Gräsbeck
Små flickorna, JS 174 Groop/Gräsbeck
Autrefois, duet, Op. 96b Paulig/Groop/Gräsbeck
Andante festivo for string quartet, JS 34a
The programme for the song recital at this year’s Sibelius Festival in Lahti (on Sunday 6th September at 11 am) has been announced.
The recital will be given by the mezzo-soprano Erica Back, second prize winner at this year’s International Sibelius Singing Competition, with the pianist Kristian Attila.
Våren flyktar hastigt [Spring Flies Speedily], Op. 13 No. 4
Se’n har jag ej frågat mera [Since Then I Have Questioned No Further], Op. 17 No. 1
Sov in! [Go to Sleep!], Op. 17 No. 2
Vilse [Astray], Op. 17 No. 4
Lastu lainehilla [Driftwood], Op. 17 No. 7
Im Feld ein Mädchen singt [In the Field a Maid Sings], Op. 50 No. 3
Rosenlied [Song of the Roses], Op. 50 No. 6
Die stille Stadt [The Silent City], Op. 50 No. 5
Aus banger Brust [From Anxious Heart], Op. 50 No. 4
Hertig Magnus [Duke Magnus], Op. 57 No. 6
Soluppgång [Sunrise], Op. 37 No. 3
Lasse Liten [Little Lasse], Op. 37 No. 2
Den första kyssen [The First Kiss], Op. 37 No. 1
Kyssen [The Kiss], Op. 72 No. 3
Bollspelet vid Trianon [Tennis at Trianon], Op. 36 No. 3
Men min fågel märks dock icke [But My Bird is Long in Homing], Op. 36 No. 2
Demanten på marssnön [The Diamond on the March Snow], Op. 36 No. 6
Säv, säv, susa [Sigh, Sigh, Sedges], Op. 36 No. 4
Narciss [Narcissus], JS 140
The programme will also include two piano solo pieces:
Björken [The Birch], Op. 75 No. 4
Granen [The Spruce], Op. 75 No. 5
Six simultaneous photo exhibitions by Aho & Soldan and Claire Aho: Sibelius & Images of Finland will open at the Academic Bookstore, Keskuskatu 1, Helsinki, in June 2015.
The exhibition will be opened at a private ceremony on on 3rd June 2015 by the wife of the President of the Republic of Finland, Mrs Jenni Haukio.
The exhibition is a sister exhibition to the five photo exhibitions also named Claire Aho: Sibelius & Images of Finland which opened at the Helsinki AIrport, Terminal 2, gate 37 on 15th January. It will run until 31st December 2015.
The Golfo del Tigullio Sibelius Festival in Italy in October 2015 now has its own website – click here.
The site contains information about concert programmes, the musicians who will be performing and the concert venues as well as general information about the festival’s aims and press information.
The festival’s artistic director is the composer, conductor and musicologist Federico Ermirio and the programmes include lesser-known music by Sibelius (including his compositions for kantele) as well as more familiar works (e.g. Rakastava, Romance in C major) and pieces by other, predominantly Nordic composers (e.g. Edvard Grieg, Aulis Sallinen, Jukka Tiensuu).
Programmes have been announced for the two piano concerts in this year’s International Sibelius Festival in Lahti.
Folke Gräsbeck / Tuesday 1st September / 4.30 pm / Kalevi Aho Hall
[Aubade] in A flat major, JS 46
Largo in A major, JS 117 (Kesälahti version)
Andantino in D major ‘Till Emma Kristina Marie-Louise Berndtson. Lulu’
Lento in E major, JS 119
[Polka] ‘Aino’ in C minor
Adagio in E major, JS 13
Thirteen Pieces, Op. 76
Souvenir, Op. 99/3
Moment de valse, Op. 99/7
Five Romantic Compositions, Op. 101
Morceau romantique sur un motif de M. Jacob de Julin, JS 135b
Landscape II (1928–29)
Paavali Jumppanen / Thursday 3rd September / 3 pm / Kalevi Aho Hall
Kyllikki, Op. 41
Five Pieces ‘The Flowers’, Op. 85
Sonatina No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 67/1
Five Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103
Sonatina No. 3 in B flat minor, Op. 67/3
The Finnish baritone Aarne Pelkonen has won the Third International Sibelius Singing Competition in Järvenpää, Finland. The Finnish mezzo-soprano Erica Back won the second prize and the Finnish soprano Hanna Rantala the third prize.
First prize is worth €12,000, second prize €6,000 and third prize €3,000. The winner will be invited to appear with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2015–16 season, and the special prize – a Lied recital at the Lahti Sibelius Festival on 6th September 2015 – was awarded to Erica Back.
The Classical Music Department of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) awarded the Yle Prize, an invitation to make a recording for Yle, to Aarne Pelkonen. The Sibelius family gave a special prize for the best non-Finnish interpretation: the volumes of solo songs in the ‘Jean Sibelius Works’ critical edition. This was awarded to the Estonian mezzo-soprano Tuuri Dede.
The Jury has selected six competitors for the finals in the Third International Sibelius Singing Competition in Järvenpää, Finland. The singers continuing in the competition are
The finals will be held at the Järvenpää Hall at 7 pm on Saturday 25th April.
First prize is worth €12,000, second prize €6,000 and third prize €3,000. The winner will be invited to appear with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2015–16 season, and a special prize will be awarded in the form of a Lied recital at the Lahti Sibelius Festival on 6th September 2015.
Yle Radio 1 will be broadcasting the finals of the competition live. The finals will also be streamed live at www.yle.fi/klassinen. Video recordings of the preliminary round and semi-finals are posted on the competition website during the competition week.
