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Symphony No.6 - Jean Sibelius

Sergio Cánovas
10.6K subscribers
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4.7K views 6 years ago
Minnesota Orchestra conduted by Osmo Vänskä. I - Allegro molto moderato - Poco allargando - Poco tranquillo: 0:00 II - Allegretto moderato - Poco con moto - Poco a poco meno piano - Tempo I : 9:11 III - Poco vivace: 16:11 IV - Allegro molto - Allegro assai - Doppio più lento: 20:03 Sibelius' Symphony No.6 was composed between 1918-23, while he was working on the fifth and the seventh. It was premiered on February 19 of 1923, performed by the Helsinki City Orchestra conducted by the composer himself, being later performed in Stockholm and Gothenburg. The more lyrical and contemplative nature of the work disoriented critics and public alike, making it much less popular than the fifth and the seventh. The Sixth Symphony is quite unlike any of its composer’s other symphonies. Despite many claims it is written in the key of D minor, actually it is in neither a major nor a minor key: it is in D Dorian, signifying an arrangement of notes, centred on …...more
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Symphony No.6 - Jean Sibelius
86Likes
4,732Views
2018Nov 27
Minnesota Orchestra conduted by Osmo Vänskä. I - Allegro molto moderato - Poco allargando - Poco tranquillo: 0:00 II - Allegretto moderato - Poco con moto - Poco a poco meno piano - Tempo I : 9:11 III - Poco vivace: 16:11 IV - Allegro molto - Allegro assai - Doppio più lento: 20:03 Sibelius' Symphony No.6 was composed between 1918-23, while he was working on the fifth and the seventh. It was premiered on February 19 of 1923, performed by the Helsinki City Orchestra conducted by the composer himself, being later performed in Stockholm and Gothenburg. The more lyrical and contemplative nature of the work disoriented critics and public alike, making it much less popular than the fifth and the seventh. The Sixth Symphony is quite unlike any of its composer’s other symphonies. Despite many claims it is written in the key of D minor, actually it is in neither a major nor a minor key: it is in D Dorian, signifying an arrangement of notes, centred on the note D, that is based on an old church mode and prevalent in Finnish folkloric music. Its style is more moderate and clear. In the orchestration this shows itself as translucency, with bright sounds from the flutes and strings. The brass instruments, which played a major role in the fifth symphony, are now restrained, rarely disturbing the lyrical surface. The first movement begins with a slow introduction, with lyrical phrases from strings answered by oboe and flutes. This simple dialogue provides the serene main theme, the basis of the whole piece. A gentle polyphony unfolds on strings, leading us to a crescendo. The main allegro takes the form of a bright and harmonious dance, with no sense of conflict or struggle. The main theme reappears in a varied recapitulation of optimistic tone. The music briefly darkens before reaching a climax, ending the movement abruptly. The second movement opens with a slow waltz theme, emerging gradually from quiet, plaintive woodwind chords. But this dance-like movement is suddenly cut off, and we are transported to a hushed Nordic forest landscape, with whispering strings and snatches of birdsong on woodwind. The music then unfolds in a series of continuous and fluid variations, very characteristic from Sibelius' style. At the end, the waltz is fleetingly recalled, and then the movement ends abruptly. The third movement is a short scherzo. It begins with a relentless "galloping" figure, introduced by the violins in form of a jig theme. The flutes quickly present another motif, then the exciting rhythm of the opening returns but in a richer form. We find no standard trio section, which would offer contrast, instead, melodic motives are deeply interwoven in the texture. The fleet, energetic atmosphere established at the outset continues to the emphatic final bars. The fourth movement opens with a graceful main theme, presented antiphonically between woodwinds and strings, derived from the opening theme of the work. The phrases gradually lose their symmetry, and the music becomes increasingly urgent in the following allegro. This development takes the form of a lively Nordic dance. The music rises in a vigorous climax, before the main theme reappears in a luminous passage of nostalgic feeling. A lyrical theme in form of a chorale is then presented by strings, derived from the main one, which leads us to a contemplative and enigmatic coda. Picture: Colorized photograph of a young Jean Sibelius in 1890. Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: http://tinyurl.com/3vbsf9u9 and http://tinyurl.com/5n83me5r To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/yl7erkqe

Sergio Cánovas

10.6K subscribers