The Sibelius Edition Vol. 7 – Complete Songs

Contents The Complete Solo Songs, including preliminary and alternative versions. Sibelius: Serenad Sibelius: Medan nordanvinden gnyr (While the North Wind Roars) Sibelius: Necken (The Watersprite, or The Elf-King) Op. 57 No. 8 (Josephson) Sibelius: Da varldar annu skapade ej voro (When Worlds Still Uncreated Were), JS 56 Sibelius: A Song,(En visa) JS 71 Sibelius: Solen slog himlen rod… (The Sun Reddened the Sky) (fragment) Sibelius: Orgier (Orgies), JS 143 Sibelius: Skogsraet (The Wood Nymph), JS 171 Sibelius: Hostkvall (Autumn Evening) (fragment) Sibelius: Flickan gick en vintermogon (The Maiden Went One Winter Morning) (fragment) Sibelius: Jag kysser dig ej (I Kiss You and Weary Not) Sibelius: Lojet var utan hem (Wit Was Without a Home) Sibelius: Likhet (Alikeness), JS 120 Sibelius: Den första kyssen, Op. 37 No. 1 (Text: J.L. Runeberg) Sibelius: Tule, tule kultani Sibelius: Seven Runeberg Songs, Op. 13 No. 1. Under strandens granar (Under the Fir-Trees) No. 2. Kyssens hopp (The Kiss’s Hope) No. 3. Hjartats morgon (The Heart’s Morning) Sibelius: Seven Songs, Op. 17 No. 1. Se’n har jag ej fragat mera (Since Then I Have Questioned No Further) No. 2. Sov in (Go to Sleep) No. 3. Fagellek (Play of the Birds) Sibelius: Koskenlaskijan morsiamet (The Rapid-Rider’s Brides), Op. 33 (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: Kung Kristian II (King Christian II), Op. 27: No. 4. Sangen om korsspindeln (Fool’s Song of the Spider) (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: Segelfahrt (Sailing), JS 166 Sibelius: Souda, souda, sinisorsa (Swim, duck, swim) (A.V. Forsman-Koskimies) Sibelius: Andantino in E flat major, JS 42 (preliminary version of Sav, sav, susa, Op.36, No. 4) Sibelius: Six Songs, Op. 36 No. 1. Svarta rosor (Black Roses) No. 2. Men min fagel marks dock icke (But My Bird is Long in Homing) No. 3. Bollspelet vid Trianon (Tennis at Trianon) No. 4. Sav, sav, susa (Reed, reed, rustle) No. 5. Marssnon (The March Snow) No. 6. Demanten pa marssnon (The Diamond on the March Snow) Sibelius: Five Songs, Op. 37 No. 1. Den forsta kyssen (The First Kiss) No. 2. Lasse liten (Little Lasse) No. 3. Soluppgang (Sunrise) No. 4. Var det en drom? (Was It a Dream?) No. 5. Flickan kom ifran sin alsklings mote (The girl returned from meeting her lover) Sibelius: Jag ville, jag vore i Indialand (I wish I were in India) (alternative version) Sibelius: Five Songs, Op. 38 No. 1. Hostkvall (Autumn Evening) No. 2. Pa verandan vid havet (On a Balcony by the Sea) No. 3. I natten (In the Night) No. 4. Harpolekaren och hans son (The Harper and his Son) No. 5. Jag ville, jag vore i Indialand (I wish I were in India) Sibelius: Pelleas and Melisande. JS 147: No. 6. The 3 Blind Sisters (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: Six Songs, Op. 50 No. 1. Lenzgesang (Spring Song) No. 2. Sehnsucht (Longing) No. 3. Im Feld ein Madchen singt (In the Field a Maid Sings) No. 4. Aus banger Brust (From Anxious Heart) No. 5. Die stille Stadt (The Silent City) No. 6. Rosenlied (Song of the Roses) Sibelius: Erloschen (Extinguished), JS 73 Sibelius: 2 Songs, Op. 35 No. 1. Jubal No. 2. Teodora Sibelius: Vanskapens blomma (The Flower of Friendship), JS 215 (preliminary version) Sibelius: 8 Songs, Op. 57 (version for voice and piano) No. 1. Alven och snigeln (The River and the Snail) No. 2. En blomma stod vid vagen (A Flower in the Path) No. 3. Kvarhjulet (The Millwheel) Sibelius: Twelfth Night, Op. 60 (version for voice and piano) No. 1. Kom nu hit, Dod (Come away, Death) No. 2. Hallila, uti storm och i regn (Hey, ho, the Wind and the Rain) Sibelius: 8 Songs, Op. 61 (version for voice and piano) No. 1. Langsamt som kvallskyn (Slowly as the Evening Sky) No. 2. Vattenplask (Lapping Waters) No. 3. Nar jag drommer (When I dream) Sibelius: Arioso, Op. 3 (Text: J.L. Runeberg) (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: Five Christmas Songs, Op. 1 No. 1. Nu star jul vid snoig port (Now Christmas stands at the snowy gate) No. 2. Nu sa kommer julen (Now Christmas is coming) No. 3. Det morknar ute (Outside it is getting dark) No. 4. Giv mig ej glans, ej guld, ej prakt (Give me no splendour, gold or pomp) No. 5. On hanget korkeat, nietokset (High are the snowdrifts) Sibelius: Luonnotar, Op. 70 (Text: Kalevala) Sibelius: 6 Songs, Op. 72 (version for voice and piano) No. 3. Kyssen (The Kiss) No. 4. Kaiutar (The Echo Nymph) No. 5. Der Wanderer und der Bach No. 6. Hundra vagar har min tanke (A Hundred Ways) Sibelius: Tanken Sibelius: Six Songs, Op. 86 No. 1. Varfornimmelser (The Coming of Spring) No. 2. Langtan heter min arvedel (Vain longings are my heritage) No. 3. Dold Forening (Hidden Union) No. 4. Och finns det en tanke? (And is there a thought?) No. 5. Sangarlon (The Singer’s Reward) No. 6. I systrar, I broder, I alskande par (Ye sisters,ye brothers,ye loving couples!) Sibelius: Six Songs, Op. 88 ‘Flower Songs’ No. 1. Blasippan (The Anemone) No. 2. De bagge rosorna (The Two Roses) No. 3. Vitsippan (The Wood Anemone) No. 4. Sippan (The Anemone) No. 5. Tornet (The Thorn) No. 6. Blommans ode (The Flower’s Destiny) Sibelius: Six Songs, Op. 90 No. 1. Norden (The North) No. 2. Hennes budskap (Her Message) No. 3. Morgonen (The Morning) No. 4. Fagelfangaren (The Bird-Catcher) No. 5. Sommarnatten (Summer Night) No. 6. Vem styrde hit din vag? (Who brought you here?) Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7: Kullervon valitus (Kullervo’s Lament) (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: Mummon syntymäpäivänä Sibelius: Autrefois, Op. 96b (version for 2 voices and piano) Sibelius: Sma flickorna (Little Girls), JS 174 Sibelius: Narciss (Narcissus) (B. Gripenberg) Sibelius: Siltavahti [The Guardian of the Bridge], JS170b Sibelius: Belshazzar’s Feast, JS 48: No. 2b. The Jewish Girl’s Song (version for voice and piano, “Solitude”) Sibelius: Hymn to Thaïs (Text: Arthur H. Borgström) Sibelius: Serenad Sibelius: 7 Songs, Op. 13 (preliminary versions) (excerpts) No. 2. Kyssens hopp (The Kiss’s Hope) No. 3. Hjartats morgon (The Heart’s Morning) No. 5. Drommen (The Dream) Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7: Kullervon Wehruf (Kullervo’s Lament) (first version) (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: 7 Songs, Op. 17 (early draft copies) (excerpts) No. 1. Se’n har jag ej fragat mera (Since Then I Questioned No Further) No. 6. Illalle (To Evening) Sibelius: Soluppgang (Sunrise), JS 87 (preliminary version) Sibelius: Belshazzar’s Feast, JS 48: No. 2b. The Jewish Girl’s Song (first version) (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: 6 Songs, Op. 72: No. 6. Hundra vagar (100 Ways) (preliminary version) (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: 2 Songs, Op. 35: No. 2. Teodora (preliminary version) Sibelius: Hymn to Thais, the Unforgettable, JS 97 (first version) Sibelius: Twelfth Night, Op. 60 (original version for voice and guitar) No. 1. Kom nu hit, dod! (Come Away, Death!) No. 2. Hallila, uti storm och i regn (Hey, ho, the Wind and the Rain) Sibelius: 8 Songs, Op. 61 (preliminary version) (version for voice and piano) No. 6. Dolce far niente (preliminary version) (version for voice and piano) Sibelius: 5 Christmas Songs, Op. 1: No. 5. On hanget korkeat (High are the snowdrifts) (version for 2 voices and piano) Sibelius: Autrefois, Op. 96b: Pastorale (preliminary version) (arr. for 2 voices and piano)

This box contains a large number of previously unreleased recordings, as well as many world premières on disc. The 236 page booklet contains all song texts in the original language, with English translations.

Sibelius’s earliest music was instrumental and it wasn’t until he was in his twenties that he turned to the solo song genre. From that time on, however, he wrote songs at regular intervals – more than a hundred in total. They form a substantial part of his output and are treasured highly by admirers of the composer, although only a handful have gained a regular place in the international repertoire. Undoubtedly his choice of predominantly Nordic poetry has contributed to this neglect – in his solo songs he turned overwhelmingly to poetry written in Swedish, his own first language. Given that it is his orchestral music which has earned Sibelius his greatest fame, it is natural that the songs as a whole give an incomplete picture of the composer’s mastery. Nevertheless, as Andrew Barnett remarks in his informative liner notes, ’listening to them in their entirety reveals considerable lightness of touch and many a flash of genuine humour. The finest of them certainly reveal his gift for melody and his acute response to nature imagery, especially when setting poems featuring pantheistic imagery.’ Many of the songs were written for or premièred by leading Finnish singers. Sibelius’s own favourite was the soprano Ida Ekman; another distinguished early interpreter was Aino Ackté, the dedicatee of Luonnotar. It is a fine cast of Finnish singers who perform their compatriot’s music on this collection, which also includes the highly acclaimed recordings by the Swedish mezzo Anne Sofie von Otter of some of the best-known songs, including Black Roses, The Diamond on the March Snow and But My Bird is Long in Homing. As for the accompaniments, the lion’s share is in the hands of Folke Gräsbeck, an undisputed authority on Sibelius’s piano scores and a key contributor to this edition.