大象传媒

Sibelius's popular second symphony, with its grandiose finale, was connected by some with the struggle for Finnish independence, even being dubbed the "Symphony of Independence," as it was written at a time of Russian sanctions on Finnish language and culture. Sibelius's reaction to this has been widely debated; some claim that he had not intended any patriotic message and was purely identified as a nationalist composer, while others believe that he wrote the piece with an independent Finland in mind. Stephen Johnson explores Sibelius's Symphony No. 2 in D ahead of a live performance by the 大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra.