A new experience The Karelia Suite and Valse triste are among the most frequently recorded pieces of incidental music Sibelius ever wrote. This CD offers the special opportunity to hear the original and complete versions of these famous tunes. The recording begins with the rarely encountered Karelia Overture which sets the mood for the following eight Tableaux which comprise the original Karelia score. Anyone familiar with the standard 3part suite of Op.11 will have a completely new experience listening to this music. These Karelian gems are treasures indeed for anyone interested in exploring early Sibelius. The musical landscape ranges from intimate vocal parts set inside a Karelian home to rugged and defiant storm-tossed castles. Some of the music has a tenderness that is heartbreaking, echoing a long lost preChristian culture. The final Tableau concludes with a rousing version of the Finnish national anthem, which Sibelius invests with extra fire and spirit. The original and complete music of Kuolema Op.44 follows, and here again are revealed many exquisite rarities of hidden Sibelius treasure. Scene III, Elsa's Song, sung by soprano Kirsi Tiihonen, stands out as having such melancholic beauty that tears well up every time I hear it. It was with this CD that I discovered the amazing work of Osmo Vanska and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and their unrivalled dedication to exploring the utter ends of Sibelius's universe - truly going "where no musician has gone before". Five very bright stars out of five. Submitted by andrewmilesp (Guelph, Ont. Canada.) Was This Jean Sibelius:Karelia-Complete Music Review Helpful? YesNo
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