Sibelius: Symphony No.4 / The Wood Nymph / Valse Triste
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JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Symphony No.4 / The Wood Nymph / Valse Triste
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Santtu-Matias Rouvali
[ Alpha / CD ]
Release Date: Friday 25 January 2019
This item is currently out of stock. It may take 6 or more weeks to obtain from when you place your order as this is a specialist product.
The Fourth is Sibelius's most difficult symphony. For some, it is his masterpiece. When the symphony was premiered on 3 April 1911 in Helsinki, one critic compared it to Barkbrod - tree bark eaten by the Finns in times of famine! It is fittingly a Finn, conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, who explores this symphony that lays bare our emotions. With his Goteborg Symphony Orchestra, he continues his cycle of the complete Sibelius symphonies, with the addition of the famous Valse Triste and the symphonic poem inspired by Swedish folklore called The Wood Nymph.
"It's a strong Fourth, worthy of comparison with the best, but the performance of The Wood Nymph is simply the best to appear so far. Symphonic drive and story-telling are balanced magnificently throughout, right up to the opulently grim ending. Early Sibelius it may be, but it's gripping, atmospheric and utterly unique." BBC Music Five Stars
"The music [of The Wood Nymph] catches the spirit of Rydberg's poem rather well and, in turn, Rouvali and the Gothenburgers provide a performance to match, full of sweep to rival Vänskä's premiere recording in Lahti." Gramophone
Tracks:
Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63
The Wood-Nymph (Skogsrået), Op. 15
Valse Triste, Op. 44 No. 1
