大象传媒

Donald Macleod explores Sibelius鈥檚 battles with his Fifth Symphony, which reflected his precarious mental state.

The 1910s were a crucial decade in Sibelius鈥檚 life. He would write some of his greatest works during these ten years, including his fourth and fifth symphonies and the beginnings of his sixth. Sibelius鈥檚 meditations on the symphony and its role in his creative life are a recurring theme in the week鈥檚 programmes. This period also reflects Sibelius鈥檚 life in microcosm, including his battles with alcohol and indebtedness; his need for the stimulus of foreign travel, and the periods of creative inertia, which would decisively return during his later years. We travel around the world with Sibelius, returning to Finland at the outbreak of the First World War, which would have a major impact on his life and work, not least with the Finnish Civil War of 1918 and Finland鈥檚 subsequent independence: these were formative events for Sibelius.

In this programme, Donald Macleod hears Sibelius鈥檚 meditations on what the symphony meant to him, 鈥渕ore of an inner confession at a given stage of one鈥檚 life鈥�. The symphonic form was the very core of his compositional world, always in the back of his mind, even when he was working on non-orchestral works.

Here we explore the genesis of Sibelius鈥檚 mighty Fifth Symphony, including its many aborted starts, which came to him in such quantity and quality that they spawned the later Symphonies No 6 and No 7, in addition to Tapiola. All the while, the natural world surrounding Sibelius鈥檚 home continued to inspire his work, not least the play of the seasons, and the sight and sound of sixteen swans in flight which he described as, 鈥淥ne of my greatest experiences! Lord God, that beauty!鈥� This experience stayed with him for the rest of his life, and gave his symphony鈥檚 finale its theme.

Sonatina Op. 80 for violin and piano
Nils-Erik Sparf, violin
Bengt Forsberg, piano

Jokamies (Everyman), Op. 83
IV. Tanssilaulu (Dance Song)
X. Allegro molto
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Leif Segerstam, conductor

Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82
London Symphony Orchestra
Colin Davis, conductor