Sibelius-Karelia Suite first page (Breitkopf & Härtel, 1906)

It was a bit of a circuitous route choosing this week’s piece. I’ve enjoyed when it’s possible to theme a piece around a current event or anniversary, and so I set out to find something that would complement my journey to the White Mountains.

I always enjoy the Pemigewasset River up there, and wondered about a river-themed piece (having used Ma Vlast the previous time I headed north), and wondered about a mountainous piece. Somehow I gravitated to Scandinavia, wondering about Nielsen, but soon settled on Sibelius, and this piece, completely unfamiliar to me before this week.

I didn’t have the opportunity to listen right away as I’m staying with my family and it’s a bit like crazy town here. But I did find myself on the porch with my score at one point the other day and started to read the second movement without listening. I read each of the string lines in succession and in time the original lines I had read were still in mind when I looked at the others. Eventually I felt that I knew the first few pages without ever having heard a measure. It actually stuck in my head and I can still visualize those pages in my mind. I so rarely look at a score without listening to it, but I definitely should more often! It was transformative and I hope to remember this practice when I am back in civilization.