Sibelius 6

 
I spoke of 20th-century Finnish composer Jean Sibelius in this blog post.  I don't consider him to be an innovator in the way I think of Schoenberg or Shostakovich, among others, but I completely enjoy his work.  While not someone I consider an innovator, he did have his own compositional voice.

Over the past three weeks, I've returned to his sixth symphony.  In that period, I've listened to it daily.  In fact, I'm listening to it now as I write this.

Of late, I am hearing more deeply into in the sixth than in previous listenings.  The melodic structures, his thematic materials; both the expositions and developments, the narrative, and his singular orchestrations.  It is introducing new linear concepts to me that I've not previously analyzed or internalized.  Many of these feelings and observations apply to all his symphonies, but they seem to be more concentrated in the sixth.  Or, perhaps that's just how I'm currently hearing it.  

I listen to different conductors and recordings to get more of a full picture of the score.  I hear elements in one performance that are hidden in another.  Not surprising in a piece that is this complex.

The opening of the second movement is simultaneously delicate and haunting.  Not only in its melodic and harmonic properties, but also within its orchestration.

I suspect that the new elements and deeper concepts that I'm learning from the Sibelius symphonies will no doubt find their way into some of my compositions and improvisations.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue to learn as much as I can from Mr. Sibelius.

-kk