joi, 28 mai 2020

Sibelius - Andante festivo

The “Andante festive” was written for string quartet in 1922 shortly before the Sixth Symphony. The composer later expanded it for string orchestra with 'ad lib' timpani, and on 1 January 1939 he conducted a performance in Helsinki for short-wave radio transmission to the World Exhibition in New York. This performance was preserved on wax as a poignant historical memento. It was the last time Sibelius conducted, and is the only known recorded exemple of his conducting. The noble, seamless melody is as close as he came to a religious statement. There are, in addition, intriguing suggestions of Dvorak's Symphony 'From the New World' (or is it 'God Save the Queen'?) and Sibelius' own later Seventh Symphony, and an unmistakeable final 'Amen' cadence.

“Andante festive” a fost scris pentru un cvartet de coarde in 1922, cu putin timp inainte de Simfonia a VI-a. Compozitorul l-a extins apoi pentru orchestra de coarde cu timpanele facultative si la 1 ianuarie 1939 el a dirijat o interpretare in Helsinki, pentru o transmisie radio pe unde scurte catre Expozitia Mondiala de la New York. Aceasta performanta a fost conservata in ceara ca un moment istoric remarcabil. A fost ultima data cand Sibelius a dirijat si este singura inregistrare cu el dirijand.
Nobila si perfecta melodie este aproape cum el a numit-o ca o declaratie religioasa. Sunt sugestii care intriga, ca ar semana cu simfonia lui Dvorak “Din Noua Lume” (sau e cumva “God Save the Queen”) si chiar mai tarzia Simfonie a VII-a a lui Sibelius si negresita cadenta de final “Amen”.

Sursa -  Robert Dearling, 1993
Peter Paul Rubens -Christ Risen 1616