Tapiola (Sibelius)

Tapiola (Op. 112) is a symphonic poem for orchestra by Jean Sibelius. It was composed in 1926; the playing time is approximately 18 minutes. The premiere was held in New York City on December 26, 1926. The work was commissioned by Walter Damrosch, the former conductor of the New York Symphony Society.

Topic

The name is derived from the Finnish forest god Tapio, as the pieces in total in its subject with the forest, its perception and its mythological meaning busy. Important Sibelius was mainly the rising of one's personality in the perception of the remote and forested infinity. So he wrote for the work is a verse in German, English and French:

Music

The strings are divided in many pieces. The heart of the symphonic poem is a unison phrase in the strings at the beginning of the piece, its few notes are all moving in the context of a fourth and unfolds only in Sekundgängen. This phrase is then developed and repeated in numerous combinations of instruments. The following topics are derived from new and the opening motif continues varied.

At the peak of the braid from flowing and imaginative designs reaches the plant over a 40 cycles ending rising crescendo passage in the strings, and then the whole orchestra begins. After bubbling passages in the woodwinds and strings, the final part, which in turn is based on the basic phrase and ends on a B major chord in the strings follows.