Sibelius: The Lizard - incidental music; Suite in D minor, Op. 117; Rakastava

While Sibelius always writes idiomatically for string orchestra, it would be idle to pretend that much of the music on this disc reaches the compositional heights of the symphonies and tone poems. Among the noteworthy exceptions are the wonderfully atmospheric Rakastava and the strangely withdrawn incidental music to the play Ödlan (The Lizard). Both works receive sympathetic treatment from this fine chamber orchestra, and the recording is excellent. Erik Levi

Erik Levi

Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:09 pm

COMPOSERS: Sibelius
LABELS: Finlandia
WORKS: The Lizard – incidental music; Suite in D minor, Op. 117; Rakastava
PERFORMER: Jari Valo (violin); Ostrobothnian CO/Juha Kangas
CATALOGUE NO: 4509-98995-2 DDD

While Sibelius always writes idiomatically for string orchestra, it would be idle to pretend that much of the music on this disc reaches the compositional heights of the symphonies and tone poems. Among the noteworthy exceptions are the wonderfully atmospheric Rakastava and the strangely withdrawn incidental music to the play Ödlan (The Lizard). Both works receive sympathetic treatment from this fine chamber orchestra, and the recording is excellent. Erik Levi

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