Finnish Orchestral Favourites

There is no doubt that the most famous of all Finnish composers must be Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), a masterly symphonist who captured the spirit and history of his own country in a series of symphonies, tone-poems and other works. Finlandia, in particular, became a symbol of the country’s struggle for independence, a cause in which Sibelius was closely involved. It was written in 1899 as part of the music for the press pensions celebration of that year, an event that was transformed into a patriotic demonstration against Russian power. Valse triste, which won widespread popularity in a variety of arrangements but made little money for the composer, was composed in 1903 to accompany a death scene in a play by Sibelius’ brother-in-law, Arvid Järnefelt.

Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947) was a pupil of Sibelius in Helsinki and later of Vincent d’Indy in Paris and Robert Fuchs in Vienna. He had a career as a conductor, teacher, cr