Page 141 - GTMF 2024 Season Program
P. 141
August 2 & 3
PROGRAM NOTES
We should keep in mind that in the service of passion, affirmation
1902 Finns were still Czarist and ultimate triumph.
subjects, consigned to the Duchy
of Finland and positively seething
with resentment over their
subjugation. Thus we can hear © 2024 Scott Fogelsong
the Sibelius Second as a fervent
statement of resistance—much
as many heard it back in the
day, and as is likely to resonate
strongly for today’s listeners vis à
vis Ukraine. But we can also bask
in the symphony’s late Romantic
sweep, its epic conception and
meticulous craftsmanship that
binds the four movements into a
single compelling arc. Happily,
we needn’t choose one approach
over the other; we can hold
both. The Sibelius Second is a
symphony of both heart and
mind, dedicating superb craft to
Summer 2024 gtmf.org 139
