King Kristian II Suite

Composer: SIBELIUS, Jean
  • While typically not among his best-known works, Sibelius wrote incidental music for theatrical productions during his compositional career. King Kristian II is one such work.
    • King Kristian II is a historical play by the Swedish writer Adolf Paul produced in Helsinki in February 1898. Almost immediately, Sibelius extracted numbers from the play’s score for a concert suite in five movements:
      • Nocturne
      • Elegy
      • Musette
      • Serenade
      • Ballade
    • Fun fact – Sibelius’s King Kristian II Suite became the composer’s first published orchestral music.
  • The play covers the life of the 16th-century Scandinavian king, Kristian II, who fell in love with a commoner ultimately resulting in his political turmoil.1

Sources

  1. “King Kristian II Suite,” L. A. Phil, accessed December 19, 2024, https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/2146/king-kristian-ii-suite.

Cut IDs

42083 49102