Sibelius: Finlandia, Op. 26

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was Finland’s greatest composer and the most powerful symphonist to have come from Scandinavia. Eight years before his first of the seven numbered symphonies was written he composed the five movement work entitled Kullervo based on the Finnish national literary epic, from which he took so much inspiration, the Kalevala. Scored for two soloists, male chorus and orchestra it established him overnight as a leading musical figure. Paavo Berglund made a detailed study of the score and his recording in November 1970 made with Finnish singers but with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, of which he was musical director, was revelatory inspiring many other conductors to perform and record this major work. The set is completed by three tone poems – the ever popular Finlandia, The Oceanides and his final completed work, Tapiola – the first suite of Scènes historiques, two movements from the Karelia Suite and the two Serenades for Violin and Orchestra in which Ida Haendel is the soloist.