Composer

:

Jean Sibelius

Genre

:

Orchestral

Average_duration

:

1:13

Orchestral Fragment (Harvard University Library MS 1327) is a composition by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The exact date of composition is unknown, but it is believed to have been written in the early 1890s. The piece was never completed, and only a few pages of the manuscript survive. It was first premiered in 1991, over a century after it was written. The surviving pages of the manuscript contain two movements: a slow introduction and a scherzo. The slow introduction is marked "Andante ma non troppo" and begins with a somber, mournful melody in the strings. The music gradually builds in intensity, with the brass and woodwinds joining in, before subsiding back into a quieter section. The scherzo is marked "Allegro molto vivace" and is a lively, energetic piece with a driving rhythm and playful melodies. The two movements are not connected thematically, and it is unclear what Sibelius intended to do with the piece. Despite its incomplete state, Orchestral Fragment displays many of the characteristics that would become hallmarks of Sibelius's style. The use of a somber, introspective introduction followed by a lively scherzo is a structure that he would use in many of his later works, such as his Symphony No. 1. The melodies in both movements are distinctly Finnish in character, with a sense of longing and melancholy that is often associated with Sibelius's music. The orchestration is also typical of Sibelius, with a focus on the brass and woodwinds and a sparing use of strings. Overall, Orchestral Fragment is a fascinating glimpse into the early career of one of the most important composers of the 20th century. While it is unfortunate that the piece was never completed, the surviving pages offer a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been.

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