Jean Sibelius - Barden - "The Bard", Op. 64

[spurtfather]

I've got a bad back and have been lying on my bedroom floor on lots of very strong painkillers, the Halle orchestra just played this live on radio 3, which i had playing by my head. it was dedicated to some Finnish conductor who died recently. I've basically just had a visionary experience where the soul of what i presume to be the Finnish countryside just engulfed me. I'm close to tears.

[spurtfather]

@Bristlehoth I'll bet! Is there any hairs left on the back of your neck?

[Varese13]

@ itapirkanmaa Sibelius is a Swedish surname, not a Finnish one. Even if his father's family had ancestry in Finland, there have long been ethnic Swedes living within the confines of what is now Finland. Further, his family sent him to a Finnish-language school so that he could learn Finnish. But he was more likely to use Swedish in his everyday speech, as it was his first language.

[kontrapunkti]

@Varese13 Actually Sibelius isn`t Swedish last name, It´s Latinalized Name, rare one. Probably no other family in Finland or Sweden has this name anymore. Anyhow you could also say that Beethoven was Dutch Because his last name was Beethoven. And In Ainola, Finnish was actually the main language, Also Children of Sibelius spoke mainly Finnish. To say "ethnically Swedish" is absurd His family roots were Finnish speaking and Swedish speaking Finnish People. Its bilingual Country!

[kontrapunkti]

@Varese13

I am myself from Swedish Speaking And Finnish Speaking

Family/Background, And my Family name is totally Swedish,

and nevertheless Im totally absolutely and completly Finnish.

This whole talk about ethnicity is so "Långtråkig" "Tylsä" (Boring).

[berrik500]

This is really one of the best performances of this minimal work with great atmosphere and power.

[zparent]

beatiful music!

[Varese52]

A few questions: weren't the people once known as Vikings mostly Danes and Norwegians?Even though Sibelius was ethnically Swedish and hardly spoke Finnish at all, do Finns qualify as true "Scandanavians", as despite their geographical location, they are ethnically, and in terms of language, quite different from their nearest neighbors? Aren't Finnish legends quite distinct from what would be termed "Viking" Eddas and sagas?

[itapirkanmaa]

@Varese52 Sibelius was not "ethnically Swedish". His family from his father's side can be traced to the1500s, to poorer landowners in Uusimaa. His mother's side is more diverse, but basically comes from Swedish-speaking literati. Sibelius began using Finnish in his correspondence with his wife in 1893, and letters written in Finnish constitute the majority of the surviving letters. His radio interview in Dec 6, 1948 shows that he's perfectly fluent in spoken Finnish. The tape is @ yle.fi

[lewars1912]

I love listening to this. Thank you for uploading it. Do you have Sibelius' music

for the Tempest, and also Pelleas and Melisande ? It would be great if you were

able to upload the movements from these

individually though I know a lot of them are quite short. Anyway, best wishes.

[billystewart4]

All too pleased to share my love of Sibelius.

Best,

Billy

[billystewart4]

Glad you've enjoyed...

Best,

Billy

[48squinnav]

Very, very nice. Thank you.

[schlesmail]

Excellent addition to YouTube, billystewart4! You probably know there's another Berglund clip of The Bard on YouTube, a live performance with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra--also a stunning rendition. I also enjoyed reading your thorough commentary. The tone poem that's missing in its entirety is Nightride & Sunrise; all the YouTube clips are merely excerpts. If you have a complete version of it, we'd appreciate your uploading for all of us to enjoy.

[billystewart4]

I do believe, though it has been a while since I've listened, that I do have Nightride and Sunrise. I'll dig through my collection and see if I can find it. I know I've listened to that within the past year, so it has to be somewhere...

I will find it and post it and I'll let you know.

Thanks for the comment.

[billystewart4]

schlesmail,

Ask and you shall receive. I found one of 2 versions of Nightride and Sunrise that I know I had (couldn't find the Berglund) and I have started working on it.

Part 1 should be up shortly and part 2, hopefully, by tomorrow.

Thanks for the comment and the request.

If I can fill a request, I am all too happy to do so, so ask away...

Best,

Billy

[Numboss]

Wonderful gallery of Sibelius portraits. Berglund's masterful interpretation of this magical piece really opens up the delicate nuances between the lines. This is the best Bard I've heard.

[billystewart4]

Many thanks, Numboss

Yes, I believe that Berglund has "the touch" for Sibelius. He and Salonen are unrivaled, in my experience.