Five Pieces, Op. 75 (Sibelius)
{{short description|Five piano pieces by Jean Sibelius (1914)}}
{{Infobox musical composition
| name = Five Pieces
| subtitle = The Trees
| type = Piano solos
| composer = {{nowrap|Jean Sibelius}}
| image = JSibelius 1915 (cropped).png
| image_upright = .9
| caption = Sibelius in middle age ({{c.|1915}})
| border = Yes
| opus = 75
| composed = {{start date|1914}}, {{abbr|rev.|revised}} 1919
| publisher = piecemeal by three firms{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|pp=325–329}}
| duration = 11 mins{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|pp=325–329}}
}}
The Five Pieces (in French: {{lang|de|Cinq Morceaux}}),{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=325}} Op. 75, is a collection of compositions for piano written in 1914 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The Five Pieces, however, is more commonly referred to by its informal nickname The Trees due to the fact that the descriptive titles of the five pieces share a thematic link.
{{multiple image
|align=right
|direction=horizontal
|total_width=360
|image1=EJärnefelt 1892sketch Sibelius (cropped, adjusted).jpg
|width1=180|height1=200
|caption1=An 1892 sketch of Sibelius at the piano by his future brother-in-law Eero Järnefelt
|image2=Jean Sibelius 1927 Ainola Steinway piano.jpg
|width2=180|height2=200
|caption2=Sibelius (1927) plays the Steinway grand piano at his home, Ainola.}}
Structure and music
=No. 1: ''When the Rowan Blossoms''=
When the Rowan Blossoms (Swedish: {{lang|sv|När rönnan blommar}}; in Finnish: {{lang|fi|Kun pihlaja kukkii}}) was published in 1921 by the London-based firm of {{nowrap|Augener & Co.}}. Marked Allegretto, it has a duration of about two minutes.{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=325}}
=No. 2: ''The Solitary Fir Tree''=
The Solitary Fir Tree (in Swedish: {{lang|sv|Den ensamma furan}}; in Finnish: {{lang|fi|Yksinainen honka}}) was published in 1921 by London's {{nowrap|J. & W. Chester}}. Marked Grave, it has a duration of about two minutes.{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=326}}
=No. 3: ''The Aspen''=
The Aspen (in Swedish: {{lang|sv|Aspen}}; in Finnish: {{lang|fi|Haapa}}) was published in 1922 by Edition Wilhelm Hansen in Copenhagen. Marked Andantino, it has a duration of about 2.5 minutes.{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=327}}
=No. 4: ''The Birch''=
The Birch (in Swedish: {{lang|sv|Björken}}; in Finnish: {{lang|fi|Koivu}}) was also published in 1922 by Hansen. Marked Allegro{{spaced ndash}}Misterioso, it has a duration of about 1.5 minutes.{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=328}}
=No. 5: ''The Spruce''=
The Spruce (in Swedish: {{lang|sv|Granen}}; in Finnish: {{lang|fi|Kuusi}}) was also published in 1922 by Hansen, after Sibelius had revised the piece in 1919. Marked Stretto{{spaced ndash}}Lento{{spaced ndash}}Risoluto{{spaced ndash}}Lento, it has a duration of about three minutes.{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|p=329}}
Reception
File:Erik-Tawaststjerna-1962 (cropped).jpg, who authored seminal biography on Sibelius, was an early, vocal advocate for many of the composer's piano pieces.]]
Discography
The Finnish-German pianist Ralf Gothoni made the first studio recording of the complete Op. 75 Five Pieces in 1971 for EMI; of these, When the Rowan Blooms, The Solitary Fir Tree, and The Birch (Nos. 1–2 and 4) were world premieres.{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|pp=325–326, 328}} The remaining two pieces, The Aspen and The Spruce (Nos. 3 and 5), had been recorded earlier in 1959 by the Hungarian pianist Ervin László for RCA Victor (RCA LM–9828).{{sfn|Dahlström|2003|pp=327, 329}} The sortable table below lists, in addition to the aforementioned Gothoni traversal, other commercially available recordings of The Trees, as a whole:
class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-right:0; font-size:95%"
!rowspan=2 scope="col"|{{abbr|No.|Chronological number}} !rowspan=2 scope=col|Pianist !colspan=6 scope=col|Runtimes{{efn|All runtimes are official, as printed on CD or LP liner notes.|name=Runtimes}} !rowspan=2 scope=col|{{nowrap|{{abbr|Rec.|Year of recording}}{{efn|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.}}}} !rowspan=2 scope=col|Recording venue !rowspan=2 scope=col|Label !rowspan=2 scope=col class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
scope="col" {{vert header|stp=1|{{abbr|Op. 75/1|When the Rowan Blossoms}}}}
!scope="col" {{vert header|stp=1|{{abbr|Op. 75/2|The Solitary Fir Tree}}}} !scope="col" {{vert header|stp=1|{{abbr|Op. 75/3|The Aspen}}}} !scope="col" {{vert header|stp=1|{{abbr|Op. 75/4|The Birch}}}} !scope="col" {{vert header|stp=1|{{abbr|Op. 75/5|The Spruce}}}} !scope="col" {{vert header|stp=1|Total}} |
---|
scope="row"|1
|{{sort|Gothoni|Ralf Gothoni}} (1) | | | | | | |1971 |[{{em|unknown}}], Helsinki |EMI |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/18442147-Ralf-Gothóni-Finnish-Piano-Composers R. Gothóni–EMI (E063–34283) 1971]}}}} |
scope="row"|2
|{{sort|Tateno|Izumi Tateno}} (1) |1:45 |2:30 |2:30 |1:25 |3:00 |11:10 |1971 | |EMI |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/23789588-Izumi-Tateno-Sibelius-Piano-Pieces I. Tateno–EMI (7491062) 1988]}}}} |
scope="row"|3
|{{sort|Karhilo|Liisa Karhilo}} | | | | | |10:33 | | |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/11056655-Liisa-Karhilo-Twentieth-Century-Finnish-Piano-Music L. Karhilo–Musical Heritage (MHS 3401) 1977]}}}} |
scope="row"|4
|{{sort|Tawaststjerna|Erik T. Tawaststjerna}} |1:52 |2:03 |2:23 |1:25 |2:53 |11:01 |1983 |Studio BIS, Djursholm |BIS |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7937712--sibelius-the-complete-original-piano-music-volume-5 E. Tawaststjerna–BIS (CD–230) 1987]}}}} |
scope="row"|5
|{{sort|Tateno|Izumi Tateno}} (2) | | | | | | |1988 |{{ill|Järvenpää Hall|fi|Järvenpää-talo}} |Canyon Classics |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/28996657-Izumi-Tateno-Finnish-Piano-Pieces-Best-Collection-1 I. Tateno–Canyon Classics (C28L0001) 1988]}}}} |
scope="row"|6
|{{sort|Viitasalo|{{ill|Marita Viitasalo|fi}}}} |1:55 |2:42 |2:50 |1:35 |3:28 |12:30 |1992 |{{ill|Järvenpää Hall|fi|Järvenpää-talo}} |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/master/1311057-Marita-Viitasalo-Jean-Sibelius-Piano-Pieces M. Viitasalo–Finlandia (4509–95874–2) 1993]}}}} |
scope="row"|7
|{{sort|Servadei|{{ill|Annette Servadei|ja|アンネッテ・サーヴァデイ}}}} |2:09 |2:15 |3:39 |1:27 |2:35 |12:05 |1994 |St George's Church, Brandon Hill |Olympia |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/7915922-Sibelius-Annette-Servadei-Complete-Piano-Music-Volume-Four A. Servadei–Olympia (OCD 634) 1997]}}}} |
scope="row"|8
|{{sort|Tateno|Izumi Tateno}} (3) |1:42 |2:18 |2:36 |1:32 |3:00 |11:08 |1994 |Canyon Classics |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/15850919-Izumi-Tateno-Jean-Sibelius-Sibelius-In-Ainola I. Tateno–Canyon Classics (PCCL–00243) 1994]}}}} |
scope="row"|9
|{{sort|Gothoni|Ralf Gothoni}} (2) | | | | | | |1995 |{{ill|Järvenpää Hall|fi|Järvenpää-talo}} |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8017780--sibelius-piano-music R. Gothóni–Ondine (ODE 847–2) 1995]}}}} |
scope="row"|10
|{{sort|Lauriala|Risto Lauriala}} |1:45 |2:50 |2:18 |1:44 |3:40 |12:17 |1995 |{{ill|Järvenpää Hall|fi|Järvenpää-talo}} |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7952556--sibelius-piano-music-selection R. Lauriala–Naxos (8.553661) 1996]}}}} |
scope="row"|11
|{{sort|Heinonen|{{ill|Eero Heinonen (pianist)|lt=Eero Heinonen|fi|Eero Heinonen (pianisti)}}}} (1) |1:51 |2:43 |2:40 |1:41 |3:32 |12:27 |1996 |YLE M2 Studio, Helsinki |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/16752150-Eero-Heinonen-2-Sibelius-Published-Original-Works-for-Piano-Complete-Edition E. Heinonen–Finlandia (8573–80776–2) 2000]}}}} |
scope="row"|12
|{{sort|Tabe|{{ill|Kyoko Tabe|ja|田部京子}}}} |2:00 |2:44 |2:21 |1:41 |3:20 |12:13 |1999 |New Broadcasting House, Manchester |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7922901--sibelius-piano-works K. Tabe–Chandos (CHAN 9833) 2000]}}}} |
scope="row"|13
|{{sort|Gimse|Håvard Gimse}} |1:51 |2:43 |2:20 |1:41 |3:32 |12:07 |2000 |St Martin's Church, East Woodhay |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7926763--sibelius-piano-works-volume-4 H. Gimse–Naxos (8.555363) 2003]}}}} |
scope="row"|14
|{{sort|Korte|Katriina Korte}} | | | | | | |2001 |{{ill|Järvenpää Hall|fi|Järvenpää-talo}} |{{ill|Alba Records|lt=Alba|fi|Alba Records}} |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8033921--sibelius-piano-pieces-vuori-beyond-night-and-frost K. Korte–Alba (ABCA 159) 2001]}}}} |
scope="row"|15
|{{sort|Hakkila|Tuija Hakkila}} | | | | | | |2008 |{{ill|Alba Records|lt=Alba|fi|Alba Records}} |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8656832--intimate-landscapes T. Hakkila–Alba (ABCD 297) 2010]}}}} |
scope="row"|16
|{{sort|Gräsbeck|{{ill|Folke Gräsbeck|fi}}}} |1:55 |3:05 |2:43 |1:32 |3:17 |12:49 |2009 |{{ill|Kuusankoski Hall|fi|Kuusankoskitalo}} |BIS |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7986343--the-sibelius-edition-volume-10-piano-music-ii F. Gräsbeck–BIS (CD–1927/29) 2010]}}}} |
scope="row"|17
|{{sort|Mertanen|Janne Mertanen}} (1) | | | | | | | | |Presence |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/7995923-Janne-Mertanen-Jean-Sibelius-Piano-Works J. Mertanen–Presence (PRECD–025) 2010]}}}} |
scope="row"|18
|{{sort|Tong|Joseph Tong}} |1:40 |2:14 |2:19 |1:38 |3:01 |10:52 |2014 |Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building |Quartz |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8063430--sibelius-piano-works-vol-1 J. Tong–Quartz (QTZ 2111) 2015]}}}} |
scope="row"|19
|{{sort|Mertanen|Janne Mertanen}} (2) |1:44 |2:29 |2:14 |1:35 |3:07 |11:09 |2015 |[{{em|Unknown}}], Helsinki |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.discogs.com/release/9408827-Janne-Mertanen-Sibelius-Sibelius-Piano-Works J. Mertanen–Sony Classics (888751614222) 2015]}}}} |
scope="row"|20
|{{sort|Heinonen|{{ill|Eero Heinonen (pianist)|lt=Eero Heinonen|fi|Eero Heinonen (pianisti)}}}} (2) |1:46 |2:37 |2:20 |1:39 |4:40 |13:02 |2015 |Sello Hall, Espoo |{{center|{{efn|[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8861061--sibelius-piano-music E. Heinonen–Piano Classics (PCL10220) 2020]}}}} |
Notes, references, and sources
;{{large|Notes}}
{{notelist}}
;{{large|References}}
{{Reflist}}
;{{large|Sources}}
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book|last1=Barnett|first1=Andrew|year=2007|title=Sibelius|location=New Haven|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-11159-0}}
- {{cite book|last=Dahlström|first=Fabian|author-link=:sv:Fabian Dahlström|title=Jean Sibelius: Thematisch-bibliographisches Verzeichnis seiner Werke|trans-title=Jean Sibelius: A Thematic Bibliographic Index of His Works|date=2003|publisher=Breitkopf & Härtel|location=Wiesbaden|language=de|isbn=3-7651-0333-0}}
- {{cite book|last=Layton|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Layton (musicologist)|title=Sibelius|edition=4th|series=(The Master Musicians Series)|date=1993|orig-date=1965|location=New York|publisher=Schirmer Books|isbn=0028713222}}
{{refend}}
External links
- {{IMSLP2|work=5 Pieces for Piano, Op.75 (Sibelius, Jean)|cname=Five Pieces, Op. 75}}
{{Jean Sibelius}}
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