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Jean Sibelius and Finnish folk music

Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto plays Sibelius鈥檚 powerful Violin Concerto and the traditional tunes that may have inspired it.

91热爆 Prom concert exploring the inspiration behind one of Sibelius鈥檚 best-loved works. Sibelius's relationship with Finnish folk music was rewarding but complicated: he rarely quoted actual folk melodies yet many of his works are permeated by the spirit of Nordic traditional music. To highlight the connection, acclaimed Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto prefaces his Prom performance of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with a new Prelude that places traditional Scandinavian tunes and themes from the Concerto side by side.

Programme:
Thomas Dausgaard/Timo Akakotila: Prelude to Sibelius鈥檚 Violin Concerto in D minor
(world premiere)
followed without a break by:
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor

Taito Hoffren, Ilona Korhonen, Minna-Liisa Tammela, singers
Vilma Timonen, kantele
Timo Alakotila, harmonium
Pekka Kuusisto, violin
91热爆 Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard, conductor

To introduce the concert, Georgia Mann is joined at the Royal Albert Hall by the Director of the Finnish Institute in London, Emilie Gardberg.

(Photo: Pekka Kuusisto performs at the 2019 91热爆 Proms. Credit: 91热爆/Chris Christodoulou)

53 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Sat 17 Aug 2019 18:06GMT
  • Sun 18 Aug 2019 11:06GMT