', Op. 29, is a

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

or "improvisation for narrator,

mixed choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

and orchestra" by

Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius ( ; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and 20th-century classical music, early-modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest com ...

. He completed it in 1900 on a text by Viktor Rydberg. It was first performed in Helsinki on 20 October 1900, with the Orchestra of the Helsinki Philharmonic Society, conducted by Robert Kajanus.

History

The poem had previously been set in full by

Wilhelm Stenhammar Carl Wilhelm Eugen Stenhammar (February 7, 1871 – November 20, 1927) was a Swedish composer, conductor and pianist. Biography Stenhammar was born in Stockholm and was the brother of architect Ernst Stenhammar. He received his first musical e ...

(Op. 5) in 1891. Sibelius composed the work in the fall of 1900 on a poem by Viktor Rydberg. He later noted: "I wrote Snöfrid more or less at one sitting after I came home from three days of lively celebrations." The plot on which it is based is inspired by old Scandinavian balladic stories. A female protagonist appeals to her compatriots, in particular a hero, to fight for freedom as a higher goal than fortune, fame and pleasure. Sibelius was inspired by several works by Rydberg, including solo songs and '' Skogsrået'' (The Wood Nymph). He liked Rydberg's free verse, expressing both erotic and political ideas. The heroic element possibly appealed to his own battles "with everybody and everything". Sibelius chose dramatic scenes from the poem, such as Snöfrid's "If you choose me, then you choose the tempest." The instrumental prelude depicts a storm at night, with whining strings, howling brass, thundering percussion, but "dominated by melodic and harmonic elements". The work was first performed in Helsinki on 20 October 1900, with the Orchestra of the Helsinki Philharmonic Society, conducted by Robert Kajanus. The occasion was a lottery to finance a tour of the orchestra to Paris. An unsigned review in the newspaper '' Päivälehti'' noted: Later Sibelius composed the last movement on a different text,

Volter Kilpi Volter Kilpi, born Volter Ericsson, (December 12, 1874 – June 13, 1939) was a Finnish author best known for his two-volume novel '' Alastalon salissa'' (1933), often considered one of the best written in the Finnish language. Kilpi has been co ...

's ''Ylistys taiteelle''. This version was first performed on 9 April 1902.

Recordings

''Snöfrid'' is the title of a 2001 recording of this work along with other music by Sibelius, including the Cantata for the Coronation of Nicholas II, ''

Rakastava ' (''The Lover''), Op. 14, is a suite by Jean Sibelius. He completed it in 1912, scored for string orchestra, percussion and triangle. He based it on his earlier composition of the same title, a song cycle of four movements for men's chorus ...

'' (''The Lover''), ''

Oma maa ''My Own Land'' (Finnish title: '; sometimes translated as ''Our Native Land''), Op. 92, is a single-movement cantata for mixed choir and orchestra written in 1918 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which is a setting of (a p ...

'' (My country) and ''

Andante Festivo ''Andante Festivo'' () is a single-movement composition by Jean Sibelius, originally scored for string quartet in 1922. In 1938, the composer rescored the piece for string orchestra and timpani. On 1 January 1939 Sibelius conducted his compositio ...

''. On volume 54 of a complete Sibelius Edition by BIS, Osmo Vänskä conducts the Jubilate Choir and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, the narrator is

Stina Ekblad Stina Åsa Maria Ekblad (born 26 February 1954 in Solf, Ostrobothnia, Finland) is a Swedish-speaking Finnish actress. Living in Stockholm, she has appeared mostly in Swedish productions. She received a Guldbagge Award for Best Actress in 1987 ...

. A review notes that the "galloping early pages" are reminiscent of the Second Symphony and continues:

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Snofrid, Sibelius Melodramas Compositions by Jean Sibelius 1900 compositions Compositions with a narrator

History

Recordings

References

Further reading

External links