This album features two of Sibelius's contrasting symphonies, with Symphony No. 4 recorded in September 2009 and Symphony No. 5 in October 2008, both at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington, New Zealand.
Performer Biography
Pietari Inkinen, the acclaimed young Finnish conductor on this album, was appointed Music Director of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 2008 and Principal Guest Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in 2009.
Composer Biography
Sibelius initially aimed to be a violinist but his compositional talents outweighed his performing abilities, leading him to study with various teachers in Helsinki, Berlin, and Vienna.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The 'swan-theme' in Sibelius's Symphony No. 5 was inspired by the sight and sound of swans circling above him in the early spring sunshine.
Composer Biography
Jean Sibelius, a Finnish composer, was born in 1865 into a Swedish-speaking family, learning Finnish and developing an interest in Finnish legends at school.
Composer Biography
Sibelius received a government stipend for ten years, later converted into a pension for life, after being passed over for a professorship at the University of Helsinki.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Sibelius described his Symphony No. 4 as a 'psychological symphony', reflecting a change of mood from his previous works.
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