Spring Song (Sibelius)
Spring Song (in Swedish, Vårsång) is a tone poem composed in 1894 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
| Spring Song | |
|---|---|
| Tone poem by Jean Sibelius | |
 The composer in 1913 | |
| Native name | Vårsång |
| Catalogue | Op. 16 |
| Period | Late-Romantic |
| Composed | 1894 (r. 1895, 1902) |
| Duration | 8 minutes |
| Premiere | |
| Date | 21 June 1894 |
| Location | Vaasa, Finland |
| Conductor | Jean Sibelius |
The piece was initially composed as Improvisation for Orchestra, in the key of D major. Sibelius recast it in F major, and retitled the work in 1895, appending the subtitle "The Sadness of Spring" to that (unpublished) version, then made final, pre-publication revisions in 1902.[1]
The piece contains an optimism that is relatively rare among Sibelius' works. It is known for its prominent use of bells at the end of the song.[2]
Structure
The work is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in B♭), 2 bassoons, 4 horns (in F), 4 trumpets (in F), 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, glocken, violins, violas, cellos and double basses.[3] Spring Song takes about 8 minutes to play.
References
- Erik Tawaststjerna (19 April 2012). Sibelius Volume I: 1865-1905. Faber & Faber. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-571-28717-8.
- Barnett, Andrew (2007). Sibelius. Yale University Press. p. 89. ISBN 9780300111590.
- Score, Sibelius: Vårsång (Frühlingslied), Breitkopf und Härtel, Leipzig, 1903
External links
- Spring Song: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Johnston, Blair. Spring Song at AllMusic
