Romantic atmosphere fills the concert hall in favourite music by Mendelssohn and Sibelius.
Mendelssohn’s Hebrides overture is the ultimate Romantic miniature, inspired by the gloomy beauty of an island cavern (Fingal’s Cave) and the fierceness of the northern seas – you can taste the salt spray even in the warm comfort of the concert hall.
Possibly only Sibelius – another Romantic at heart – could have captured the atmosphere better. His most popular symphony is brimming with the patriotic feeling of Finlandia, catching the ancient spirit of Finnish melodies even as he pursues his own brand of concentrated originality.
Everything that we love about Sibelius can be heard in the Second Symphony: the pastoral simplicity, the stirring power of the brass, the yearning melodies and the bold spaciousness of his triumphant finale.
MENDELSSOHN The Hebrides
SIBELIUS Symphony No.2
Jahja Ling conductor
AUDIO PLAYER LISTING
Track 1 – MENDELSSOHN The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave
L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by Ernest Ansermet
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 0382
Track 2 – SIBELIUS Symphony No.2: 2nd movement
Track 3 – SIBELIUS Symphony No.2: 3rd movement
Track 4 – SIBELIUS Symphony No.2: 4th movement
L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by Ernest Ansermet
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 0044
Audio kindly supplied by Universal Music.