Sibelius!

https://www.oslo-filharmonien.no/pages/sibelius1

This year has been the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jean Sibelius. There have been exhibitions, concerts and other festivities. Our Finnish church choir arranged a concert in the spring with the choir singing some compositions  of Sibelius and other Finnish songs, a pianist  playing some of his piano pieces and a soprano singing some songs of his. The Town Hall in Helsinki had an extensive exhibition of photos and videos in addition to textual information about him.

This week there is a mini-festival, on Thursday and on Friday there's a concert each day with a different program. In the aula of the concert hall there is also an exhibition of Sibelius's life and work,  photos and text in Norwegian and English, arranged by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.

The conductor is Jukka-Pekka Saraste, former conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, now of the WDR Symphony Orchestra,  Cologne. Yesterday was concert number 1, main features the 7th symphony and the violin concerto played by Jennifer Pike. The auditorium was almost full.

The soloist had a beautiful, metal coloured gown. She was very good, getting a standing ovation from the audience, with three calls. Unfortunately I had a seat on the right side and with problems of hearing with my left ear, did not hear very well the ending where the orchestra is playing strongly with the soloist. There are 34 recordings at least of the concerto, and though the performance was spirited and masterful, I remember listening to Norwegian Henning Kraggerud, and being more moved.

It was probably the first time I have heard Suite Nr. 1 from "the Tempest", where there was a section depicting each character, ending with the storm itself. Wow! I was hoping that there was no-one in the audience who had been close to a typhoon, as the performance would have frightened them no end. Even Vivaldi has not imitated storm like that.

Tonight I go to listen to concert nr. 2, with Karita Mattila as soloist. Last Sunday I had a sore throat and fearing getting a cold, has stayed in bed most of the days, but a cold will have its time, you can only lessen the symptoms. I only fear coughing, yesterday I had a period of an itchy throat but was able to prevent a cough.