The performers' research into Sibelius's correspondence with his wife, Aino, revealed that many song texts coincide with the family's joys, sorrows, and tensions, suggesting Sibelius chose poems to reflect his personal feelings.
Composition History
The total number of Lieder by Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer, is generally accepted as 109, including two duets.
Composition History
The seven Runeberg Songs opus 13 are considered a masterly stroke of the young Sibelius, with one song, "Kyssens hopp" (The Kiss's Hope), composed during his honeymoon.
Composer Biography
Sibelius's song output is predominantly in Swedish, though he composed a few in German and one in English (not featured on this disc), and 11 in Finnish.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Nearly a quarter (26) of Sibelius's solo songs, including the title song "Norden" on this album, use texts by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, a prominent Finnish poet.
Composition History
"En visa" (A Song) is notable for its exceptional, relaxed, and jovial character despite a serious message, and it was the first Lied Sibelius allowed to be published, dating from 1888.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The most common subject in Sibelius's Lieder is love in its various forms, with seventeen of the texts on this disc exploring this theme.
