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Tapiola
Tone poem by Jean Sibelius
The composer (c. 1927)
CatalogueOp. 112
Composed1926
PublisherBreitkopf & Härtel (1926)
DurationApprox. 20 minutes
Premiere
Date26 December 1926 (1926-12-26)
LocationNew York City, New York
ConductorWalter Damrosch
PerformersNew York Symphony Society

Tapiola (literal English translation as The Realm of Tapio), Op. 112, is a single-movement tone poem for orchestra written in 1926 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which premiered on 26 December 1926 in New York City with Walter Damrosch conducting the New York Symphony Society, depicts the mystery and majesty of the Nordic forest. The name 'tapiola' derives from the Kalevala (e.g., Runos XIV and XLVI),[1] Finland's national epic. According to legend, these "thick, dark forests" were the "eerie dwellings" of the titular spirit-deity Tapio. Nevertheless, Sibelius downplayed the tone poem's connection to literature, explaining: "My inspiration for Tapiola came wholly from nature, or even more accurately from something inexpressible in words". Tapiola thus has a kinship with En saga, The Oceanides, and The Bard in that, in each tone poem, Sibelius endeavored to depict a psychological mood rather than to execute a particular narrative.[2]

The most notable feature of the tone poem, in B minor, is that it is monothematic: the entire piece develops "organically" from a simple, 10-note opening motif.[3] Structurally, Sibelius considered Tapiola to be in sonata form; some commentators, however, have preferred to view the piece as consisting of variations on a theme or set of motivic metamorphoses.[2] A typical performance of the piece lasts about 18–20 minutes.

The initial response to Tapiola was tepid, possibly due to a "lamentably uneven" premiere performance by the orchestra. Yet critics faulted Sibelius, too, describing his opening motif as "commonplace" and "unfertile"; devoted Sibelian Olin Downes, for example, ambivalently rejected the piece as a "work of style and manner rather than inspiration". By the early 1930s, however, opinion had warmed due to the advocacy of Serge Koussevitzky, with one commentator proclaiming Tapiola "the culminating point of [Sibelius's] entire creative activity... a consummate masterpiece". Indeed, today it is considered to be the greatest of Sibelius's many tone poems.

Shortly after composing Tapiola, Sibelius would halt most compositional activity (a promised Eighth Symphony, for example, never materialized), a period of inactivity sometimes referred to as the "Silence of Järvenpää". As such, Tapiola represents not only Sibelius's ultimate contribution to the tone poem genre, but also—though not intended as such—the final major, completed composition of his career.

History

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The View from Koli (1910), by Finnish painter Eero Järnefelt, the composer's brother-in-law

Composition

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Sibelius in 1923, three years before the composition of Tapiola

score In January 1926, Sibelius received a message from the Hungarian-American conductor Walter Damrosch: his orchestra, the New York Symphony Orchestra (then the major rival of the New York Philharmonic Society) wished to commission a new symphonic poem from Sibelius.[4] The piece, not to exceed twenty minutes in length, was to be played in November in New York City.[4] Having recently finished another commission, incidental music to William Shakespeare's tragicomedy The Tempest,[5] Sibelius accepted the Damrosch offer.[6]

Sibelius likely began composing the tone poem in January or February while at Ainola; on 20 March he relocated to Rome, taking his sketches for Tapiola with him.


Wide-spread they stand, the Northland’s dusky forests,
Ancient, mysterious, brooding savage dreams;
Within them dwells the Forest’s mighty God,
And wood-sprites in the gloom weave magic secrets.

— quatrain by Breitkopf & Härtel (1926), a modification of Sibelius's suggested prose[7]

Performances

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American premiere

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Walter Damrosch, Tapiola's dedicatee, commissioned and premiered the piece on 26 December 1926 in New York City

The tone poem premiered on 26 December 1926 at the Mecca Temple in New York City, Damrosch conducting the New York Symphony Orchestra.

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European premiere

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In Finland, Kajanus conducted the work on 25th April 1927. On this occasion the overture to The Tempest and the seventh symphony also received their first performances in Finland.

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Orchestration

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Tapiola is scored for the following instruments:

Structure

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The opening melodic gesture, initially heard from the first violins, from which the whole piece develops:

{ \new StaffGroup << \new Staff \with { instrumentName = #"VlnI" } \relative c'' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"violin" \clef treble \key b \minor \numericTimeSignature \time 2/2 \tempo "Largamente" 4=80 r4 b2\f ais8--\< b-- | cis\!-- b-- b4 b\> ais\! | \slashedGrace { gis,8( } gis'4)-. } \new Staff \with { instrumentName = #"VlnII" } \relative c'' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"violin" \clef treble \key b \minor \numericTimeSignature \time 2/2 r4 gis2\f gis8--\< gis-- | gis\!-- gis-- gis4 gis\> gis\! | \slashedGrace { gis,8( } gis'4)-. } \new Staff \with { instrumentName = #"Vla" } \relative c' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"viola" \clef alto \key b \minor \numericTimeSignature \time 2/2 r4 e2\f e8--\< e-- | e\!-- e-- e4 e\> e\! | \slashedGrace { gis,8( } gis'4)-. } \new Staff \with { instrumentName = #"Vcl" } \relative c' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"cello" \clef bass \key b \minor \numericTimeSignature \time 2/2 r4 d2\f cis8--\< d-- | e\!-- d-- d4 d\> cis\! | s4 } >> }

Karl Ekman wrote in the Hufvudstadsbladet: "Indeed, Tapiola is a monothematic whole – although there has been disagreement as to whether the core motif can actually be considered a theme. Erkki Salmenhaara argues that it is not. In his view, the "core" motif gives rise to at least four central, interconnected basic motifs. These, in their turn, produce "around thirty highly characteristic, original and inimitably Sibelian musical motifs".[8]

Reception

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Serge Koussevitzky, the longtime conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, become one of Tapiola's key advocates in the 1930s
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Discography

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The following sortable table includes commercially available recordings of Tapiola. (Updated: May 2020)


Conductor Orchestra Year [a] Runtime [b] Recording venue Label Ref.
Robert Kajanus London Symphony Orchestra 1932 18:04 Abbey Road Studio No. 1 Naxos Historical [9]
Serge Koussevitzky Boston Symphony Orchestra 1939 17:19 Boston Symphony Hall Naxos Historical [10]
Thomas Beecham (1) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 1946 17:44 Abbey Road Studio No. 1 Biddulph [11]
Thomas Beecham (2) Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra 1954 17:26 University of Helsinki Great Hall Ondine [12]
Thomas Beecham (3) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 1955 17:25 Royal Festival Hall L BBC Music [13]
Thomas Beecham (4) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 1955 18:00 Abbey Road Studio No. 1 EMI Classics, Warner Classics [14]
Carl von Garaguly Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra ???? 18:28 ???? ETERNA, Berlin Classics [15]
Jukka-Pekka Saraste Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 1988 16:30 Kulttuuritalo RCA Red Seal [16]
Herbert Blomstedt San Francisco Symphony 1991 19:28 Davies Symphony Hall Decca [17]
Leif Segerstam (1) Danish National Symphony Orchestra 1992 21:08 Danish Radio Concert Hall Chandos [18]
Leif Segerstam (2) Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra 1994 19:20 Finlandia Hall Ondine [19]
Neeme Järvi (2) Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra 1995 20:09 Gothenburg Concert Hall Deutsche Grammophon [20]
Osmo Vänskä Lahti Symphony Orchestra 1997 17:22 Ristinkirkko BIS [21]
Petri Sakari Iceland Symphony Orchestra 2000 18:43 Háskólabíó (?) Naxos [22]
Sakari Oramo (1) City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 2003 15:42 Symphony Hall Erato, Warner Classics [23]
Okko Kamu Lahti Symphony Orchestra 2011 17:36 Sibelius Hall BIS [24]
Robert Spano Atlanta Symphony Orchestra 2013 19:45 Woodruff Arts Center ASO Media [25]
Sakari Oramo (2) BBC Symphony Orchestra 2015 18:03 Royal Albert Hall L BBC Music Magazine [26]
Hannu Lintu Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 2016 18:14 Helsinki Music Centre Ondine [27]
Edward Gardner Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra 2021 18:02 Grieg Hall Chandos [28]
Herbert von Karajan (1) Philharmonia Orchestra 1953 20:06 Kingsway Hall EMI Classics, Warner [29]
Herbert von Karajan (2) Berlin Philharmonic ???? 20:11 ???? Deutsche Grammophon [30]
Herbert von Karajan (3) Berlin Philharmonic
Herbert von Karajan (4) Berlin Philharmonic

Liner notes

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  • Orchestral Spectaculars From Handel To Bartók: Karajan, 1949–1960 (CD booklet). Herbert von Karajan & Philharmonia Orchestra. Warner [EMI Classics]. 2014. 0825646336210.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 908656037
  • Symphonien Nos. 4–7 / Der Schwan von Tuonela / Tapiola (CD booklet). Herbert von Karajan & Berlin Philharmonic. Deutsche Grammophon. 1999. 457 748-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 42387951

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  • Kajanus conducts Sibelius, Vol. 1 (CD booklet). Robert Kajanus & London Symphony Orchestra [& "Royal Philharmonic Orchestra"]. Naxos Historical. 2012. 8.111393.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 867581760
  • Sibelius: Symphony No. 7 / Tapiola (CD booklet). Sergey Koussevitzky & Boston Symphony Orchestra. Naxos Historical. 2004. 8.110168.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 69659199
  • Sibelius: Symphonies 1–7 / Karelia Suite / Valse triste (CD booklet). Jukka-Pekka Saraste & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. RCA Red Seal. 2020. 19439704812.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 1240345371
  • Sibelius: Symphony No. 3 / Tapiola / Scene with Cranes (CD booklet). Leif Segerstam & Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Chandos. 1992. CHAN 9083.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 28386704
  • Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Legends / Tapiola (CD booklet). Leif Segerstam & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Ondine. 1996. ODE852-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 36677202
  • Sibelius: The Symphonies & Tone Poems (CD booklet). Neeme Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon. 2007. 4776654.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 302357737
  • Sibelius: Tone poems – Tapiola / En saga / The Oceanides (CD booklet). Petri Sakari & Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. 2002. 8.555299.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 52184357
  • Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1-7 / Finlandia / Karelia Suite / Tone Poems (CD booklet). Sakari Oramo & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Erato [Warner]. 2003. 2564 60294-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 783181636
  • Sibelius: The Tempest, Overture & Suites / The Bard / Tapiola (CD booklet). Okko Kamuu & Lahti Symphony Orchestra. BIS. 2011. SACD-1945.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 748453221
  • Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7 / Tapiola (CD booklet). Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. ASO Media. 2013. ASO1004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 864102684
  • Sibelius: En Saga / The Oceanides / Tapiola (CD booklet). Saraki Oramo & BBC Symphony Orchestra. BBC Music Magazine. 2019. BBCMM441.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC 1127312326
  • Sibelius: Luonnotar / Tapiola / Spring Song / Others (CD booklet). Edward Gardner & Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Chandos. 2021. CHSA 5217.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) OCLC ?????

Old table

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Conductor Orchestra Recorded Venue Duration Label
Eduard van Beinum Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan (1) Philharmonia Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult London Philharmonic Orchestra 1956 Walthamstow Town Hall 18:05 SOMM Records (SOMMCD093)
Hans Rosbaud Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra 1957 # Jesus Christ Church # 18:26 # Deutsche Grammophon (DG 447 453-2)
Ernest Ansermet L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Herbert von Karajan (2) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Lorin Maazel Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Paavo Berglund (1) Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Paavo Berglund (2) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy Philadelphia Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis (1) Boston Symphony Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan (3) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Alexander Gibson Royal Scottish National Orchestra 1977 * Glasgow City Halls * 15:34 * Chandos (CHAN8395)
Vladimir Ashkenazy Philharmonia Orchestra
Paavo Berglund (3) Philharmonia Orchestra
Paavo Berglund (4) Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Herbert von Karajan (4) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Neeme Järvi (1) Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra 1985 * Gothenburg Concert Hall * 18:48 * BIS (CD-312)
Paavo Berglund (5) Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Vassily Sinaisky Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra 1991 Mosfilm Studios 18:41 Brilliant Classics (BC9212)
Sir Colin Davis (2) London Symphony Orchestra

Notes, references, and sources

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Anderson 2002, pp. 4.
  2. ^ a b Häyrynen 2017, pp. 4–5.
  3. ^ Barnett 1986, pp. 4.
  4. ^ a b Kilpeläinen 2017, p. ii.
  5. ^ Barnett 2007, pp. 233–234, 236.
  6. ^ Kilpeläinen 2017, p. Ii.
  7. ^ Rännäli (2000), p. 6–7
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sibelius was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ R. Kajanus–Naxos Historical (8.111393) 2012.
  10. ^ S. Koussevitzky–Naxos Historical (8.110168) 2004.
  11. ^ T. Beecham–Biddulph (WHL 055) 1998.
  12. ^ T. Beecham–Ondine (ODE 809-2) 1993.
  13. ^ T. Beecham–BBC Music (BBCL 4041-2) 1990.
  14. ^ T. Beecham–EMI DRM (5096922) 2008.
  15. ^ C. Garaguly–Berlin Classics (0030962BC) 1995.
  16. ^ J. Saraste–RCA (19439704812) 2020.
  17. ^ H. Blomstedt–Decca (475 7677) 2006.
  18. ^ L. Segerstam–Chandos (CHAN 9083) 1992.
  19. ^ L. Segerstam–Ondine (ODE852-2) 1996.
  20. ^ N. Järvi–DG (4776654) 2007.
  21. ^ Vänskä BIS (CD-864) 1997.
  22. ^ P. Sakari–Naxos (8.555299) 2002.
  23. ^ S. Oramo–Erato (2564 60294-2) 2003.
  24. ^ O. Kamu–BIS (SACD-1945) 2011.
  25. ^ R. Spano–ASO Media (ASO1004) 2013.
  26. ^ S. Oramo–BBC Music Mag (BBCMM441) 2019.
  27. ^ H. Lintu–Ondine (ODE 1289-5) 2017.
  28. ^ E. Gardner–Chandos (CHSA 5217) 2021.
  29. ^ H. Karajan–Warner (0825646336210) 2014.
  30. ^ H. Karajan–DG (457 748-2) 1999.

Sources

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Books

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  • Barnett, Andrew (2007). Sibelius. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300111590.
  • Gray, Cecil (1931). Sibelius. London: Oxford University Press.
  • Grimley, Daniel (2004). "The Tone Poems: Genre, Landscape and Structural Perspective". In Grimley, Daniel (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to Sibelius. Cambridge Companions to Music. London: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521894609.
  • Johnson, Harold (1959). Jean Sibelius. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. OCLC 603128.
  • Layton, Robert (1965). Sibelius: The Masters Musicians Series. New York: Schirmer Books. ASIN B0000CMRUD.
  • Tawaststjerna, Erik (1997). Sibelius: Volume 3, 1914–1957. (Robert Layton, English translation). London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 9780571247745.

Liner notes

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  • Anderson, Ketih (2002). Sibelius: Tone poems—Tapiola; En saga; The Oceanides (booklet). Petri Sakari & Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Naxos. p. 2–4. 8.555299.
  • Barnett, Andrew (1986). Jean Sibelius: Pohjola's Daughter; Tapiola; Rakastava; Impromptu for strings (booklet). Neemi Järvi & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. BIS. p. 3–4. CD-312.
  • Barnett, Andrew (1997). Sibelius: Symphonies 6 & 7; Tapiola (booklet). Osmo Vänskä & Lahti Symphony Orchestra. BIS. p. 4–9. CD-864.
  • Häyrynen, Antti (2017). Sibelius: Tapiola; En saga; 8 Songs (booklet). Hannu Lintu & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Ondine. p. 4–8. ODE1289-5.

Journal articles

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Websites

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  • Sirén, Vesa (2005). "Tapiola". Sibelius.fi. Retrieved June 5, 2020.


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