July 17, 2015

  • Early Sibelius Incidental Music

     Sibelius: Kuolema/King Christian II
    Pia Pajala, soprano. Waltteri Torikka, baritone. Turku Philharmonic Orchestra/Leif Segerstam
    Naxos 8.573299
    Total Time:  71:16
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    This is the 150th anniversary year of Jean Sibelius’ birth and a host of recordings of the Finnish composer’s works have appeared in a steady stream.  For those more adventurous, there is this rather unique collection of the composer’s incidental music recorded with a regional Finnish orchestra last February (2014).  These are all turn of the century works with hints of some of the style that one finds firmly appearing in the first two symphonies.  But they also have a somewhat intimate side and allow those who appreciate the composer’s work a chance to hear him working in smaller forms.  Those who know his music intimately will also hear the way these pieces are petri dishes of ideas that will come to greater fruition in his symphonies and shorter orchestral works.

    Perhaps the rarest work on the album, is also the one which opens it.  Composed for a March concert in 1902, the Overture in a was premiered along with Sibelius’ Second Symphony.  It has a bit of mythmaking attached to it in that it was supposedly written “last minute” and certainly sounds a bit poorly constructed.  Some of this music would end up in Voces Intimae.  The brass writing at the beginning certainly portends greater things to come.  The music takes a lighter left turn as it jumps into a more innocuous section with little swells from the orchestra.  It seems to end prematurely before anything really happens returning to the darker brass opening.  The result is a trifling little piece of fluff.

    Written the following year to accompany a symbolist play by Arvid Jarnefelt, the incidental music for Kuolema has some interesting things going for it.  The first is the notable melancholy waltz theme from the first movement that would be repurposed as Valse Triste and features a more intense ending.  “Paavali’s Song” is a beautiful piece as well with wonderful dramatic touches performed here by baritone Waltteri Torikka.  This is contrasted by the more poignant “Elsa’s Song” featuring Pia Pajala.  The ending string writing here is stunningly performed.  Some may also hear hints of the Fifth Symphony in the third and fourth movements of the present work.  The build up in the penultimate is certainly quite engaging and dramatically realized here.  As it is mostly “background” music for the play, the pieces work as intended and it makes sense that Sibelius would extract “highlights” for suites or individual pieces as they make less sense as a concert standalone work.

    At the center of the disc are the Two Songs from Twelfth Night, Op. 60.  Composed for smaller forces and reorchestrated later, these settings for baritone and orchestra explore both the dark and comedic sides of the composer’s sensibilities.  Texts are provided.  They are also one of the few works set in Swedish, which Sibelius also spoke.  These are some really fascinating musical settings, almost expressionistic in their somewhat operatic approach.

    The final collection of incidental music comes from music written for a historical drama by Adolf Paul.  A suite of the King Christian II music was the first of his works to appear in print.  It is of interest to Sibelius lovers for the way the orchestral writing bears some resemblance to what would come in the First Symphony.  Originally just four little movements, he would add a nocturne, serenade, and ballade to round it off.  The opening “Elegie” is certainly a powerful work with great emotional energy and touching music.  The “Musette” is an opportunity for the wind section of the Turku players to shine.  Torikka returns for the “Fool’s Song”, a somewhat waltz-like aria.  The “Nocturne” is the longest work of this incidental music allowing for more dramatic unfolding and a relaxed feel.  It is great to hear little Sibelius thumbprints in this movement especially that interesting slow build up at the end.  The payoffs may not be as dramatic as in the symphonies but these Wagnerian ideas are still somewhat fun to hear.  “Ballade” has a style that will recur many times as a significant Sibelius technique so it is great to hear it is a more compact form.

    Leif Segerstam likes to let this music unfold slowly creating beautifully lyric lines in the process and giving the music the sort of loving attention that it needs to be engaging.  The music’s may not always be at the top drawer, but there is still plenty here to enjoy.  The Turku players also provide committed performances and the singers work well here too.  This is a great little disc of rarer Sibelius that will fill in the esoteric gaps of those who love Sibelius’ music.