Sibelius: Complete Symphonies and Tone Poems

This special box set contains the complete symphonies and tone poems of Jean Sibelius, a composer whose works embodied the musical language of his native country. Such was his popularity in his native Finland that from 1897 onwards he was given a yearly state grant, permitting him to focus solely on his creative endeavours. Sibelius was heavily influenced by the Kalevala -- the first real example of a Finnish national literature -- and his music is praised for depicting the rugged form of the Finnish landscape. Among the works in this collection are the Lemminkainen Suite, in which we find the Swan of Tuonela, the Second Symphony and Finlandia, the tale of the struggle and subsequent victory of the Finnish people. The recordings by the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester, directed by Kurt Sanderling, are described by Gramophone's Andrew Achenbach as full of 'strength, integrity and fierce intelligence', and are combined with performances by the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vassily Sinaisky. Other information: - Recordings from 1970--1991. - This 7 CD set celebrates the major orchestral works of Finland's most famous composer, Jean Sibelius: the complete 7 symphonies and the tone poems. Glorious orchestral music, universally loved and frequently performed, opening up a world of vast Scandinavian landscapes, both grandiose and intimate, a world of legends, heroes and romance. - Superb recordings by the legendary Kurt Sanderling and the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester (gems from the Berlin Classics catalogue) and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vassily Sinaisky. - Contains both orchestras' intepretations of Finlandia, En saga and Night Ride and Sunrise. - Contains extensive liner notes on the composer and works. - Great Value-for-money set, highest quality for an affordable price.