| Symphony No. 3 | |
|---|---|
| by Jean Sibelius | |
 The composer (c. 1907) | |
| Key | C major |
| Catalogue | Op. 52 |
| Composed | 1904–1907 |
| Publisher | Robert Lienau (1907) |
| Duration | Approx. 30 mins. |
| Movements | 3 |
| Premiere | |
| Date | 25 September 1907 |
| Location | Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland |
| Conductor | Jean Sibelius |
| Performers | Helsinki Philharmonic Society |
The Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52, is a three-movement work for orchestra written from 1904 to 1907 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
It was the first symphony Sibelius composed at Ainola, the villa in which he would reside with his wife Aino beginning in September 1904 until his death in 1957.
Neoclassical in style, the Third Symphony represented a new phase for Sibelius, a radical departure from the romanticism of his first two symphonies and the Violin Concerto, as well as the national romanticism of his early tone poems, such as En saga, The Wood Nymph, Finlandia, and the Lemminkäinen Suite.
The second movement of the Third Symphony contains material from 1905's abandoned oratorio Marjatta.[1]
History
edit
Composition
editPremiere
editInstrumentation
editThe Third Symphony is scored for the following instruments:
- Woodwinds: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in A and B♭), and 2 bassoons
- Brass: 4 horns (in F), 2 trumpets (in B♭), 3 trombones
- Percussion: timpani
- Strings: violins, violas, cellos, and double basses
It is the only of Sibelius's symphonies to be published by Robert Lineau.
Music
editThe Third Symphony is in three movements. They are as follows:
- Allegro moderato
- Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
- Moderato—Allegro (ma non tanto)
Movement I
editMovement II
editMovement III
editContext and analysis
editModern reception
editRelation to Sibelius's other symphonies
editIt is, along with the Sixth, one of the least popular and recorded or Sibelius's symphonies.
Discography
editThe sortable table below lists commercially available recordings of the Symphony No. 3 that are not part of a Sibelius cycle:
| No. | Conductor | Ensemble | Rec.[a] | Time | Recording venue | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Kajanus | London Symphony Orchestra | 1932 | Abbey Road Studio | HMV, EMI Classics, Warner Classics | ||
| 1 | Paul Kletzki | Philharmonia Orchestra | 1955 | 27:24 | Kingsway Hall | EMI Classics, Warner Classics | |
| 1 | Mariss Jansons | Oslo Philharmonic | 1994 | 28:08 | Oslo Konserthus | EMI Classics, Warner Classics | |
| 1 | [[]] | [[]] | |||||
| 1 | [[]] | [[]] | |||||
| 1 | [[]] | [[]] | |||||
| 1 | [[]] | [[]] | |||||
| 1 | [[]] | [[]] | |||||
| 1 | Santtu-Matias Rouvali | Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra | 2019 | 31:28 | Gothenburg Concert Hall | Alpha Classics | |
| 1 | Yannick Nézet-Séguin | Orchestre Métropolitain | 2021 | 30:29 | Montreal Symphony House | ATMA Classique |
Notes, references, and sources
edit- Notes
- ^ Refers to the year in which the performers recorded the work; this may not be the same as the year in which the recording was first released to the general public.
- ^ [ R. Kajanus–Warner Classics () yyyy]
- ^ [ P. Kletzki–Warner Classics () yyyy]
- ^ [ M. Jansons–Warner Classics () yyyy]
- ^ [ X. Xxxxxx–Zzzzzz () yyyy]
- ^ [ X. Xxxxxx–Zzzzzz () yyyy]
- ^ [ X. Xxxxxx–Zzzzzz () yyyy]
- ^ [ X. Xxxxxx–Zzzzzz () yyyy]
- ^ [ X. Xxxxxx–Zzzzzz () yyyy]
- ^ [ S. Rouvali–Alpha (ALPHA 574) 2020]
- References
- ^ Barnett 2007, pp. 169–174, 182–185.
- ^ [ Y. Nézet-Séguin–ATMA (ACD2 4033) 2021].
- Sources