Jan Sibelius' music possessed a unique blend of structural discipline and pure sonic atmosphere, and while his symphonies ingeniously emphasized the formal elements, fantasy is given freer rein in the tone poems. This disc offers a neat selection of works from all phases of Sibelius' career, beginning with the romantic, galloping heroics of 'En Saga' and concluding with the impenetrable mysteries of 'Tapiola,' that remarkable invocation of the Finnish forest god which casts its spell with proto-minimalist intensity. In between comes the rarely heard 'Spring Song,' a slight work deserving of its obscurity, 'The Bard,' a cryptic elegy and affirmation for harp and orchestra which seems a calling from an ancient world, and the four excerpts from the incidental music to 'Kuolema,' including the famous 'Valse Triste' and the not-so-famous but ineluctably haunting 'Scene with Cranes.' Neeme Jﾄrvi is an experienced and expert guide in this repertoire, delivering sure-footed, powerful performances at crisp tempos, straight and to the point.
