Sibelius & Grieg: In the Land of the Mountain King

The Philharmonia’s series Nordic Soundscapes takes in Sibelius’ and Grieg’s most popular works in this concert. Finnish conductor Emilia Hoving begins her concert with Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No.1. Originally written for Ibsen’s play about the adventures of a globetrotting Norwegian antihero, Grieg’s music has become inextricably linked with his homeland. For this suite, Grieg picked out his listeners’ favourite moments, including the dreamy ‘Morning’ and ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’, in which Peer Gynt is chased by angry trolls. Ever since its 1902 premiere, Sibelius’ beloved Second Symphony has been claimed as the sound of an independent Finland. Whether or not that was his intention, Sibelius certainly conjured up in sound the contrast between icy winds and gentle sunshine, frantic fear and triumphant hope, in music of enduring emotional power. Between these two classics comes a new piece by Outi Tarkiainen, a composer from Finnish Lapland. Her percussion-rich score accompanies Joakim Odelberg’s breathtaking film of the wildlife of the Nordic coastline.