Sibelius: Valse triste
Chief Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali and the GSO launches its latest recording of works by Jean Sibelius. The previous editions have been hailed by the international press and nominated the GSO as Orchestra of the Year for the Gramophone Classical Music Awards. The recordings are issued by Alpha Classics. Valse Triste is now released on volume 4 amongst other works. Enjoy a concert version from February 2020 here at GSOplay!
Gramophone, the world’s best classical music reviews, writes in a review in 2020:
“Santtu-Matias Rouvali’s recording of Sibelius’s First Symphony and En saga (3/19) received a string of accolades following its release last year, including a nomination for best recording in the Orchestral category of the Gramophone Awards. This second release in his Sibelius cycle featuring the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is equally impressive. As before, Rouvali’s performance is distinguished by an arresting vividness and clarity, allowing the listener to perceive details normally lost in the overall sound picture while presenting a compellingly structured and unmannered view of the symphonic journey” – Author: Edward Seckerson.
The anonymous theatre piece that became Sibelius biggest success.
The Valse triste was part of the incidental music to Sibelius’ brother-in-law Arvid Järnefelt’s 1903 play Kuolema (“Death”) which had a few performances in a Helsinki theatre. When his German publisher printed it, the piece became a world wide hit. The publisher got rich, but not Sibelius.
