A Sibelius treat

Swensen and the SCO perform Sibelius' incidental music, including Suite 2 from The Tempest and Valse Triste

Composer:  Sibelius
Repertoire: Incidental Music
Artists: Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Swensen
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Orchestral
Label: Linn Records CKD 220

Sibelius’s incidental music gets fewer frequent airings (except for the Valse Triste) than his symphonies; and though these pieces may be smaller in scale, they are no less original, masterful or characterful than their big siblings. The slender forces of the Scottish Chamber result here in cool, translucent textures, but also a real sense of emotional involvement with some spine-tingling moments – for instance, the near-supernatural rumblings in the seashore scene of Pelleas.