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University orchestra to perform rare work by Sibelius

Press release issued: 11 November 2004

A piece of music by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) will be performed for the first time in Britain by Bristol University Symphony Orchestra this November.

- UK PREMIERE FOR ORIGINAL VERSION OF FINLANDIA -

A piece of music by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) will be performed for the first time in Britain by Bristol University Symphony Orchestra this November.

Music for the Press Celebration Days had its premiere in Helsinki in 1899 but has rarely been performed since.  It was written at a time when Finland was under Russian control and the Tsar had closed down the Finnish language press.  A three-day festival was held to raise funds for press workers and  Sibelius composed the piece to accompany six tableaux of events from Finnish history.

After the first performance, Sibelius revised sections of the piece and the last movement, an appeal to national identity entitled ‘Finland Awakes’, was reworked into the tone-poem Finlandia, now one of the composer’s most celebrated works.  Other sections were revised into Scènes Historiques but the rest languished in manuscript in Helsinki University Library.

The inspiration to revive the work came from Dr John Pickard, Senior Lecturer in Music and Conductor of Bristol University Symphony Orchestra.  He acquired a copy of Sibelius’s original score from the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, who included the piece in their recording of Sibelius’s complete works.  

Dr Pickard said: “The score is in a decidedly mixed state.  Some sections are printed but many are still in Sibelius’s hand complete with crossings-out and other amendments – not always easy to read!

“At around forty minutes long, this is a significant work which provides a fascinating insight into Sibelius’s methods as a composer and we’re delighted to be able to offer concert-goers this rare opportunity to hear it.”

Music for the Press Celebration Days begins with a prelude for wind instruments.  The second movement describes a mythical scene from the Finnish national epic, The Kalevala and the third describes the coming of Christianity to Finland in the thirteenth century.

The fourth movement depicts a scene of revelry from the court of Duke Johan, a sixteenth century Swedish nobleman, and the fifth is a dramatic battle scene representing the Finns in the Thirty Years War (1618-1648).

The sixth movement describes the period of war in eighteenth century Finland known as The Great Hostility and the final movement,  ‘Finland Awakes’ is an appeal to Finnish national identity that caused a political stir in Russian-controlled Finland when it was first performed.

The concert takes place on Saturday 27 November from 7.30pm in the Victoria Rooms, Queen’s Road, Bristol.  It will also include a performance of Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony.  Tickets: £8.00 (concessions £5.00), credit card bookings on 0117 954 5032

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