Osmo Vanska & Lahti Symphony Orchestra - Sibelius: Lemminkainen Suite & The Wood Nymph (2014) [Hi-Res]

The two tone poems presented here pre-date Sibelius’ first symphony.

The source of the Lemminkäinen Suite is the Finnish national epic Kalevala, and its four movements – of which ‘The Swan of Tuonela’ is often performed separately - tell of the adventures of the young hero Lamminkäinen.

In comparison, The Wood-Nymph only had its first complete performance in 1996. This was given by the performers on this disc, a team which has become synonymous with top-flight idiomatic Sibelius performances.