Having examined his tone-poems in week four, it’s now the turn of two abstract works by Sibelius – the Violin Concerto (1904/1905) and the Third Symphony (1907).
Written in 1904 and revised a year later, the Violin Concerto is the composer’s only example of the genre.
Sibelius was, himself, no mean violinist, so the solo part was written with an intimate knowledge of the instrument and makes no concession to anything other than complete technical mastery.
Sibelius:
Violin Concerto
0:36 Allegro moderato
16:30 Adagio di molto
25:29 Allegro ma non tanto
The third of Sibelius’ symphonies represents a departure from the lush romanticism of his previous two symphonic works and presages the more austere world of the later symphonies. The first movement in particular deals in clear classical architecture and precise melodic content.
Jean Sibelius:
Symphony No. 3 in C
00:00 Allegro moderato
10:50 Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
20:33 Moderato
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The Art of Listening 