Sibelius · Jean Sibelius
Sibelius Symphony No. 1 in E minor
The first symphony, opened by a solo clarinet
- Key
- E minor
- Composed
- 1899
- Premiere
- 1899 Helsinki
- Duration
- About 38 min
- Movements
- 4 movements
- Instrumentation
- Woodwinds 2·2·2·2 (flute doubling piccolo) · Brass 4·3·3·1 · Timpani · Percussion (bass drum, cymbals, triangle) · Harp · Strings
The story behind this piece
He began planning it in Berlin in the spring of 1898 and finished it in 1899. Sibelius conducted the premiere himself in Helsinki on April 26.
After the premiere he revised the piece in 1900, and that same year the Helsinki orchestra under Robert Kajanus played this revised version on European stages, including Berlin. The opening is very striking, with a clarinet playing a long solo alone over the timpani.
What to listen for
- Opening of movement 1: A single clarinet plays a long solo while the timpani rumble low. It's the clarinetist's moment in the spotlight.
- Opening of movement 4: The clarinet theme from movement 1 returns, this time as fortissimo strings.
Listen · Score
- Hear the full piece on YouTube · hr-Sinfonieorchester · Tarmo Peltokoski
- Free scores on IMSLP (full score and parts)
Credits