Sibelius Mäkelä

Classical Hour: Sibelius' First Symphony

Oslo Concert Hall Concert has been played

Chief conductor Klaus Mäkelä.

Klaus Mäkelä © Marco Borggreve

Classical Hour: Sibelius' First Symphony

This season we will perform all of Jean Sibelius' symphonies. No. 1 was his international breakthrough.

Jean Sibelius' (1865–1957) had laid a solid foundation for the work when he began his first symphony in 1898. He had studied Finnish folk music thoroughly, became well acquainted with contemporary musical currents through studies in Helsinki, Berlin and Vienna, and found his own symphonic language by writing orchestral works.

Of the composers Sibelius had learned from, Pyotr Tchaikovsky is probably the clearest source of inspiration in this symphony. Tchaikovsky wrote his sixth and final symphony in 1893, shortly before he died. It made a strong impression on Sibelius when he heard it in Helsinki in 1894, and again three years later.

Symphony No. 1 begins with a subdued and melancholy clarinet solo, only accompanied by the timpani. (Nino Rota's famous main theme for the Godfather movies is based on this tune.) The mood changes abruptly as the strings come in, and the listener experiences many mood changes and rich musical landscapes before the symphony ends as melancholy as it began.

This concert is sold out.

What is played

  • Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 1

Duration

Performers

Tickets

Prices

Price groups Price
Adult 150 - 380 NOK
Senior
Student 150 - 190 NOK
Child 150 NOK

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Sibelius Mäkelä

Oslo Concert Hall Concert has been played