Composer

:

Jean Sibelius

Genre

:

Orchestral

Average_duration

:

1:14

Orchestral Fragment (Harvard University Library MS 1325) 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 mood gradually becomes more intense as the brass and woodwinds enter, building to a climax before subsiding back into the original melody. The scherzo is marked "Allegro molto vivace" and is a lively, energetic dance. The main theme is introduced by the strings and is then taken up by the woodwinds and brass. The music is characterized by its rhythmic drive and playful, syncopated rhythms. Despite its incomplete state, Orchestral Fragment displays many of the hallmarks of Sibelius's mature style. The use of modal harmonies and folk-like melodies is reminiscent of his later works, such as the Karelia Suite and the Symphony No. 2. The orchestration is also typical of Sibelius, with a focus on the brass and woodwinds and a sparing use of percussion. Overall, Orchestral Fragment is a fascinating glimpse into the early development of one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. Despite its unfinished state, the surviving pages contain some of Sibelius's most beautiful and evocative music.

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