Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7 [Import]

Raimo Laukka (Performer), Jean Sibelius (Composer), Osmo Vänskä (Conductor), Lilli Paasikivi (Performer), Lahti Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Raimo Laukka, Lilli Paasikivi
• Orchestra: Lahti Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Osmo Vänskä
• Composer: Jean Sibelius
• Audio CD (April 24, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bis
• ASIN: B00005BGWT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,131 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Introduction: Allegro moderato

2. Kullervon nuoruus: Grave

3. Kullervo ja hanen sisarensa: Allegro vivace

4. Kullervon sotaanlahto: Alla marcia

5. Kullervon kuolema: Andante

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale from the Kalevala., October 19, 2005

By 

jean couture (Quebec city - Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7 (Audio CD)

THE PREMIERE of this huge work was given in Helsinki, on April 1892, Sibelius conducting. It was an enormous success for the young composer : "He had created music of great originality and individuality in his very first major effort. True, the influence of Bruckner, Tchaikovsky and others was unmistakable. Though no flawless masterpiece, it has imposing dark roughness full of sparks of genius." The work is at once ancient and contemporary. It has a distinctive, archaic tonal quality comprising elements foreseeing the mature Sibelius---and beyond. Perhaps that is why Kullervo was---and still is---a timeless work, sounding pristine and refreshing for a nation then on a quest for its own identity. The work boldly used the Finnish language as its backbone at a time when Finland's culture and sovereignty were still at risk by the powerful influence of neighboring countries. Glenda Dawn Goss also remarks that "a closer examination shows numerous forces at work, not only in Finland but also across Europe, that formed the essential backdrop to Sibelius's breakthrough composition. [It is interesting] to explore the literary, artistic, social and political circumstances that provided the fertile soil from which the explosive Kullervo sprang." The work (and its imageries) mingles fiction with reality and is acting like a mirror in respect to its time and place. ''Despite its successful premiere, the ever self-critical Sibelius withdrew it from the world and only allowed the third movement to be performed in celebration of the centenary of the publication of the Kalevala in 1935. The work was not performed in its entirety until 1958, and received its first recording only in 1970 under Paavo Berglund''. Whether Sibelius feared that later revisions to the score would alter it too much or simply ruin its mythic nature is unclear. Only at the very end of his life did he consider a revision to the score which, obviously, never took place.

Kullervo is an episode from the Kalevala (which means `Land of Heroes') ; the score was sketched by Sibelius (while in Vienna) in the early 1890's and is based on the poetry and folk legends of his native Finland. According to Kimmo Korhonen and the Finnish Music Information Centre, "although he never used actual folk tunes in his music, Sibelius was influenced by the older Eastern tradition, with which he had become acquainted for instance through the singing of the famous Ingrian runo singer Larin Paraske". This facet of Kullervo is important because it denotes a strong source of inspiration for the composer, also determining many later works to some extent. According to Karl Ekman's pioneering biography, however, Sibelius created the work before being actually in touch with the Karelian runic tunes. So, if we are to believe the composer's testimony, most of the music at that time was sort of intuitive and drawn from his creative genius and, thus, coming from assimilative processes of inspiration. It seems interesting to note that some sources, including the Biographical Centre of the Finnish Literature Society, located in Helsinki, insist that "Jean Sibelius visited the runic singer Larin Paraske in Porvoo at the end of November---or early December---1891 and listened to her dirges." Also mentioned is the fact that "perhaps he also asked Paraske to sing a poem or two about Kullervo, as he was himself just then composing his own stuff about the same subject." Comments vary and there seem to be no clue about the exactness of the time line of events. The interesting notes by Andrew Barnett (for this album) also observe that "numerous themes and motifs in Kullervo show the influence of runic melody, although such melodies are not quoted directly". Is it no coincidence that the work has such evocative powers since it is infused by very old incantations? Identically, it seems interesting to note a curious affinity which connects that early work with the dusky landscape of Nightride and Sunrise and also with the vision of forests found many years later in Tapiola. In some ways Sibelius has gone full circle : The spell is broken. Years ago, i wrote a paper (unpublished) on the subject of magic of words and mystic in poetry and i can assert that most of it would fit with the substance of the Kalevala. Writer David J. Davies sums it up precisely when he writes that "poetry is magic ; its recitation is an incantation born out of paganism and shamanism." Richard Impola's book 'Words of Wisdom and Magic from the Kalevala' (essay and translation) tells us that "a characteristic of much Finnish literature is its emphasis on capturing in words the very feel of life itself. Most epics deal with war and heroic deeds. The Kalevala does include such adventures, but the poem is unique among epics in the range of subject matters it embraces. Despite the exoticism of its setting and the shamanist mysticism of some of its content, a reader often has the feeling of being closely in touch with a life we can all relate to." Those remarks could also apply to Sibelius's masterful music for Kullervo.

This orchestral epic is a genuine choral symphony (at least in part) and, indeed, it is often associated with tone poems---a good reason this is tagged as a "symphonic poem". It is, as well, in a direct link with works such as Tulen synty ('The Origin of Fire') and the Four Legends. The story of Kullervo is the rather dark adventure of a tragic fate (in a Shakespearian sense). I'll quote an article from the Guardian Unlimited (UK) : ''Sibelius explores the edges of the Wagnerian operatic world that fascinated him as a young composer. The story is profoundly Wagnerian too : Kullervo falls in love with a girl he encounters in the woods and seduces her, only to discover that she is his long-lost sister. She kills herself, and he goes off to war to escape his guilt, only eventually to kill himself too''. The texts behind this music by Jean Sibelius are somber. The "gruesome, bloody battles" between two ancient tribes, the images of guilt, despair and suicide, and the doomed conclusion to Kullervo might seem repulsive at first. However, the music sparkles like a sudden light coming out of a dark room ; the result might sound more like hope than despair. Because the conclusion is so tragic, one can easily forget the translucent beauty of the melodies, the subtleties and contrasts lost and found within such a fascinating score.

The nationalist context linked to this early work is undeniable (the same is true of 'Finlandia', often seen as Sibelius's patriotic hymn). Still, there's more than merely nationalistic visions. Basically, the phenomenon goes beyond. Kullervo is a journey, a journey that portrays the story of a soul, but also a story of survival---a Tale of life and death---where a dire fate comes to an end in a culmination of hate and vengeance. One way or another, the work seems to portray vividly an example of love/hate relationship. In the denouement, it's as if the main character is nearly driven on the verge of a neurosis. The crisis isn't just individual : It is a reflection of the vulnerabilities of mankind. In fact, this chef-d'oeuvre deals with some of humanity's great concerns and ruminations. Many of the themes in Kullervo bring to mind how "current" it might be. There's an Oedipean quality in the tribulations and conflicts which permeate the texts (and the story is also vaguely reminiscent to Hamlet). Thus, the powerful, and eminently universal, nature of the Kalevala was naturally suitable for music. Kullervo contains passages merged with the characteristic Sibelian grandeur we usually find in some of, if not all, the seven symphonies.

The Introduction bears a confidence akin to 'Finlandia', but i still find this gorgeous instrumental theme to Kullervo ''more universal'' in its chant. No wonder the work had such a profound effect and, as a result, a big impact upon the listeners in 1892. Purposefully or not, the composer did transmit to his work the touch of a freshly inherited cultural background further magnified during his student days in Vienna. Those are plausible reasons, besides the Kalevala, as to why the work sounded so unique in its heyday. Throughout this long work (more than 80 minutes on this disc) we can hear the echoes of some Slavic-like themes (more or less analogous to pre-Russian folk music) : Tchaikovsky or Borodin. Still, Kullervo has the epitomic quality of being "authentic" Sibelius. Satoru Kambe tells us a bit more about the Introduction in 'Growth Process with Variable Manipulations - Sonata Form Structure of the Introduction of Kullervo' : "In the first, second, fourth, and fifth movements of Kullervo, Sibelius inventively uses traditional formal schemes such as `sonata,' `rondo,' and `ternary' designs. This procedure partially settles the aesthetic conflict, by reconciling nationalistic ideas with traditional symphonic styles. In the third movement, however, the setting of lines from the myth creates a peculiar form, in which the composer displays a stronger sense of the dramatic. [...] The work clearly demonstrates the young composer's highly symphonic conception of musical form. [...] On a technical level, one of the most significant devices that integrate the formal conception of Kullervo is the principle of variation. The latter is an essential device for constructing both Western art music and the rune melodies of folk music. Sibelius adapts the variation principle in realizing the creative impulse of Kullervo." I perfectly agree with a reviewer for Amazon that "the hallmarks of later, mature Sibelius are already in evidence throughout (runic inspired melody, ostinato rhythms, woodwind melodies in thirds, with a widespread use of triplets)." Vanska goes for a softer sound than is usual, at the very opening, but soon his orchestra floods in full rapture. This movement is hymnic in quality. Bruce Hodges, describing a... Read more ›

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sibelius' Best, March 4, 2006

By 

David L. Waring (Portland, OR, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7 (Audio CD)

I hear Kullervo as orchestrated poetry. It has a tone, rhythm and pace which remind me of what Finland must be like---vast forests, green meadows, sparkling lakes, snow. The mood is somber, even tragic, as was the life of Kullervo, a Finnish warrior. This, combined with the singing in Finnish, gives the work a haunting character-a bit like Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. It has at least five "endings" with the crash of drums and cymbals, etc.-I love that. The work, to me, seems totally Finnish in that it has no similarity to any of the classic European composers--it is refreshingly different.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-have recording of an atmospheric masterpiece, May 3, 2008

By 

MartinP "MartinP" (Nijmegen, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sibelius: Kullervo, Op. 7 (Audio CD)

I know just about every version of Kullervo as yet recorded, and I'd say that this is, by a comfortable margin, the most impressive of them all. Vänskä and his musicians completely inhabit this magnificent music. One can barely believe that Sibelius had serious plans to destroy this work, and we can only thank Providence that he didn't get round to actually doing so. Youthful, at times naïve it may be, but this ambitious choral symphony is one of the most overwhelming things the composer ever wrote, and an undoubted work of genius. It brims with original and instantly memorable melody, rhythm and orchestration - the notorious sextuplets in the first movement may be the bane of oboists the world over, but what a sound, what inspiration! The hallmarks of later, mature Sibelius are already in evidence throughout (runic inspired melody, ostinato rhythms, woodwind melodies in thirds, widespread use of triplets) - yet many listeners will probably find this work more easily accessible than the concentrated spareness of the somewhat esoteric late works. The lure of this particular recording is enhanced by spacious, natural, wide-ranging sound.

In five tableaux, Kullervo tells the tragic story of the eponymous hero from Kalevala, the Finnish national epic compiled from folk poetry in the mid-nineteenth century by Elias Lönnrot. The introductory first movement sets the scene. Over undulating string figuration clarinets and horns intone the lofty, wide-ranging main theme of the symphony; there is an instant sense of vast, windswept landscapes and dark, autumnal woods. The mystery is enhanced by Vänskä's observance of the mezzoforte marking. After the strings have given their impassioned rendering of this melody, woodwinds introduce a more folk-like second idea. A solo horn adds a mournful motif starting with a falling second that will return in the final movement. The strings elaborate this idea in a passage carrying the seeds of the funeral march that appears towards the end of the movement, which will return in the finale.

The second movement, "Kullervo's Youth", is taken more slowly by Vänskä than by any of his competition. Rightly so - it is marked Grave, and as much as a lullaby it is a dirge. (Being the son of a mother who repeteadly tried to kill him, and eventually sold him as a slave to a couple who delighted in tormenting him, Kullervo's youth can hardly be called a happy affair.) This is a movement of profound beauty, its brooding main theme offset by heartrending harmonies. The sweet-natured second theme has again a more folks-songlike character, and is shot through with rapid descending scales from a solo violin, like flashes of light. Vänskä's feeling for atmosphere is as unerring as the response from the Lahti players - unapologetically, he adds over 4 minutes to the reading by, say, Colin Davis, whose march-like, foursquare approach leads much of this piece straight into ruin.

The dramatic core of the work is reached in the extended third movement, "Kullervo and his sister". Folk-influence is strong here, as exemplified by the vigorous 5/4 time. After an exuberant orchestral introduction, the male chorus enters to recount the story of Kullervo's fateful meeting with a girl who turns out to be his supposedly dead sister. Many conductors cannot resist the temptation to go for a spectacular, all-out choral entry, but Vänskä sticks to Sibelius's mezzoforte marking - it is part of his meticulous long-term planning, with the culmination of the symphony projected towards its very end. Which is not to say that the singing of the Helsinki University Chorus lacks anything in energy, on the contrary. Eventually, Kullervo and his sister themselves appear on the stage and the choral cantata mutates into an operatic scena. Some listeners may be taken aback by the semi-sprechgesang entry of the singers (the soprano at the premiere complained that some musicians at the first rehearsal doubled up with laughter after she had uttered her opening phrase), but soon enough the solo singing blends in magically with orchestral backgrounds full of subtle beauties. The dialogue between baritone and soprano leads up to the catastrophic, incestuous love-scene: here Sibelius has written passionate music that makes the spine tingle, full of dissonant beauty and underpinned by an insistent pounding rhythm - clear foreshadowings of Bartok's Bluebeard. Now Kullervo tells the girl who he is, and in an extended passage carried forward by an obsessive galloping motif the sister then recounts her own history. The tender nature imagery that is evoked in the orchestra is handled with exquisite sensitivity, and the emotional shadings of the vocal part are no less perfectly judged by Lilli Paasikivi. At the end of her monologue a hollow, fff wind chord leads into a four-bar silence - exactly observed, unlike in any other recording. The movement concludes with Kullervo's lament, underpinned by fierce chords on the full orchestra - Raimo Laukka is extremely impressive here, sounding completely sincere.

The fourth movement, "Kullervo goes to war", is the most conventional of the five. The singers are silent while the orchestra engages itself with a catchy march-tune that is restated in ever more complex, ever more exhilarating variations. Midway, the great main theme puts in an appearance disguised as a heroic fanfare. Thus we arrive at Kullervo's death, the final movement, where the brutal end of the tragedy is conjured up from shady beginnings. The first movement's horn call is heard, adding to the sense of foreboding. The gradual, inexorable crescendo of the chorus is riveting, and reaches an almost unbearable intensity when Kullervo drops himself on his sword, overcome by the shameful memory of his sin. The funeral march now returns, and the symphony concludes with a darkly majestic restatement of the main theme, surrounded by stormy strings. It is the culmination of the well-graded, perfectly controlled crescendo that Vänskä has built up over the symphony as a whole, and his finale has greater emotional impact than any other I've heard. It has the power to haunt you for days. This simply demands to be heard.