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Sibelius: Tapiola

Building a Library sifts through available recordings of Sibelius's Tone Poem Tapiola.

Andrew Mellor for Building a Library sifts through some of the available recordings of Sibelius's Tone Poem Tapiola.

Tapiola is Sibelius's final masterpiece for orchestra and, it has been said that, had he written nothing else, this haunting work alone would rank him among the greats. The head of the score sets the scene: "In Pohjola there are thick, dark forests that dream wild dreams, forever secret. Tapiola's eerie dwellings are there and half-glimpsed spirits, and the voices of twilight."

Recommended recording: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (conductor)
Paired with: Lemminkainen Suite Op. 22
ONDINE ODE8522 (CD)

Other recommended recordings:

Below is a shortlist of other recordings which Andrew Mellor also liked, although we can鈥檛 guarantee the availability of these discs.

Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy (conductor)
EXTON OVCL00292 (Hybrid SACD)

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jukka-Pekka Saraste (conductor)
RCA 88697715212 (CD)

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi (conductor)
BIS BISCD312 (CD)

Release date:

Duration:

45 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Composer Jean Sibelius

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