Jean Sibelius - Kullervo, Op. 7 (1/7)

Kullervo, Op. 7 (1892)

I. Introduction: Allegro moderato

Kullervo is an early tone poem of symphonic proportions by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), scored for large orchestra, male choir, mezzo-soprano and baritone. The work deals with the tragic legend of Kullervo, setting portions of the text of the Kalevala, the national epic of Finland. According to the legend, Kullervo is the son of Kalervo and Untamala, the last surviving member of her clan. His uncle Untamo feuded with Kalervo and exterminated the entire clan, save for Untamala. As an infant, Kullervo is heard muttering threats of vengeance against Untamo, so his uncle tries to kill him. Kullervo only survives by virtue of his innate magical powers. Eventually, the young Kullervo is sold as a slave to the shepherd Ilmarinen. After years of servitude, one day Kullervo angrily casts a spell on Ilmarinen's cows, which turns them into bears that kill the shepherd's wife. Kullervo promptly flees the scene and embarks on a quest to find his family. He finds that some members of his tribe survived, but his sister disappeared and probably died. Kullervo then leaves on an errand for his tribe, and on the way he meets a beggar-girl, whom he ravishes. It turns out that this is his long-lost sister, and when they discover this, she commits suicide. Kullervo returns to his tribe with the bad news and decides to redeem himself by exacting revenge on the wicked Untamo. The sky-goddess Ukko supplies him with a magic sword, which he uses to kill Untamo and his entire clan. When he returns from this bloody endeavour, Kullervo finds his own family massacred as well. In anguish, he asks his magic sword to take his life. The sword answers affirmatively and Kullervo falls upon it, ending his own life.

Mezzo-soprano: Lilli Paasikivi
Baritone: Raimo Laukka
Chorus-master: Matti Hyökki
Conductor: Osmo Vänskä
Sinfonia Lahti
YL Male Voice Choir

Category:

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• op. 7
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• kalevala
• finnish
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• suomi
• ilmarinen
• vainamoinen
• legend
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[firsova999]

Eikö se ole Arnold Böcklin ???

[musicanth]

@firsova999 No, it's Rudolf Åkerblom's 1885 painting "Väinämöisen soitto" - you can find it on Wikimedia Commons.

[Sauruslord]

Hm, I now realize that you probably don't speak Finnish. I was asking who has painted that painting?

[musicanth]

@Sauruslord The painting is called "Väinämöinen Playing" (at least in English) and it is by Rudolf Åkerblom.

[Losrandir]

@slimatnight Was it rape? I always took it (Kalevala) she resisted at first but was persuaded by his riches and maybe other charm... maybe even the unrecognized familiarity of him being her brother!

Hey, happy national Sibelius day! I start it off with Kullervo, an easy to approach one I'm familiar with and admire.

[THEMGOROTH75]

EEEEEPIC!!!!!

[franciscolopezus]

Which some one post the Hymn to the Earth is a wonderful piece.

[TheVaughan5]

It's interesting that Sibelius withdrew this composition, I am also of the opinion that despite it's flaws this is probably the finest symphony (?) he ever wrote, there is something very special about it and I'm surprised it is not performed more often, though it was good to see that Paavo Jarvi conducted this work recently at his introduction as chief conductor of the marvellous Orchestre de Paris

[Kurtlane]

Frankly, this is my favorite Sibelius piece. One of my favorite pieces in all music.

I like lots of other Sibelius pieces, but there is nothing like this...

I have no idea why he withdrew it from public performace and what faults are there in it.

[slothropgr]

Just downloaded your posting of "Ilya Murometz" and now I've found "Kullervo"! I LOVE you! Great performances, great sound. Lost most of my CD's awhile back and these 2 fill HUGE holes. Always been a sucker for Lemmenkainen and Vainamoinen and all their cheerful kin. They make Teutonic mythology look like the Marx Bros. by comparison.

[slimatnight]

Bad luck? No, never rape anybody anyway, it could be your sister ;-)) ... by the way one of the best interpretations is with Paavo Berglund and the Bournemouth Symphony from 1971...