Sibelius: Piano Music Vol. 5 (Incls 5 Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103 )

Sibelius: Piano Music Vol. 5 (Incls 5 Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103 ) cover $25.00 Out of Stock
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JEAN SIBELIUS
Sibelius: Piano Music Vol. 5 (Incls 5 Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103 )
Havard Gimse (piano)

[ Naxos / CD ]

Release Date: Thursday 12 August 2004

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"All the pieces recorded here come from the 1920s, the period of the Sixth and Seventh Symphonies, and are rarities. Among the finest are the Five Sketches, which come from the very end of the decade and more among Sibelius's last published works. They may be slight but they are highly individual and hive great finesse. The Village Church from Op. 103 has overtones of the Andante festivo for strings, and The Oarsman seems to ruminate on ideas in the Seventh Symphony. Sibelius's piano-writing may have evoked little enthusiasm during his lifetime and it is true that, by the exalted standards he set elsewhere, it is limited in resource and scale. But pieces like In Mournful Mood and Landscape from Op. 114 are curiously haunting. So is the rest of the Op. 114 set, and its neglect has been our loss." Penguin Guide Key recording

"In the earlier issues in this series that I have heard, Norwegian pianist Havard Gimse has proved a sensitive and imaginative advocate of this repertoire and here he is at his distinguished best. A highly recommendable and rewarding issue."
--Review by Robert Layton, BBC Music Magzine, December 2004

Sibelius grew to maturity at a time of fervent Finnish nationalism, as the country broke away from its earlier Swedish and later Russian overlords. Brought up in a Swedish-speaking family, Sibelius acquired a knowledge of Finnish language and traditional literature at school and the early Finnish sagas proved a strong influence on his subsequent work as a composer. After early training in Helsinki and later in Berlin, Sibelius made his career in Finland, where he was awarded a state pension. Although he lived until 1957, he wrote little after 1926, feeling out of sympathy with current trends in music.

Tracks:

6 Bagatelles, Op. 97

8 Little Pieces, Op. 99

5 Romantic Pieces, Op. 101

5 Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103

5 Esquisses, Op. 114