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CANTA "Was it a dream?" - JEAN SIBELIUS CONCERT JAPAN

"The Dream" - Francisco de Goya - 1790 - National Gallery (Dublin)

During the early twentieth century, the Finn Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) lived one of its most fertile periods of composition. Among the works to see the light at the time there are several songs ( sangen ) of opus 37, all of which constitutes a good example of overflowing romanticism that characterized the production of these years.

blog Today I wanted to bring to the fourth of these songs from his opus 37, it is "Var det in drom?" (Was it a dream?) , one of the most famous and vocal pieces interpreted Sibelius. It was composed on a text by the poet Josef Julius Wecksell , arguably the most important romantic writer Finnish Swedish language, and the composer dedicated to the Finnish soprano Ida Ekman (1875-1942).

Ekman was a lyric soprano who focused most of his career in the field of oratorio, the Lied sangen and Nordic becoming the leading interpreter of the songs of Finnish composer, who publicly declared a devoted fan of the soprano, whose voice and interpretive quirks he had in mind when writing the score for "Var det in drom?" being the first singer who performed this piece. When Sibelius Ekman gave the manuscript of this composition, said unabashedly: "here's my song most beautiful"

"Var det in drom? "is written Swedish, Finnish bourgeoisie language of those years and mother tongue Sibelius, who used it daily to communicate with people you care. Hence, the Swedish language was also chosen by the composer for those of his works, contains a more intimate, more connected to their own feelings, like the songs. In fact, of the 100 who wrote throughout his career, in only 6 of them with popular or folk overtones, employ Finnish.

Although aware of the existence of this song, the whereabouts of the original score was unknown for many years. In particular until 2003, when original manuscripts were found four songs by the composer, among which was "Var det in drom?" in the safe of a bank of Oulu, a town north of Finland.

In this short but lovely piece, the poet wonders if the memory of a former love was just a dream, while the music of Sibelius undeniable melody weaves a dramatic force, where the tone dream and longing of the text is perfectly reflected. word "memory" insistently repeated throughout the poem, showing how, from the sadness of the moment, the images of the past appear as confusing flashes become an unrealistic dream of lost love.

listening I propose three different versions. The first to bring is played by the legendary and unique American contralto Marian Anderson . A singer who came to know personally Sibelius after a gig in Helsinki and even had the chance to play some songs from it at home, making him cry "the roof of my house is too small for his amazing voice . Sibelius became fascinated with the interpretation of Anderson and stated that it had been able to penetrate the soul of the Nordic people. So much so that the composer would ultimately spend in 1939 "Solitude" , one of his last songs.

But let me roll and go directly to hear Marian Anderson playing "Var det in drom?" accompanied on piano by Kosti Vehanen :

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is now the great Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson who offers his version of "Var det in drom?" , in this case orchestral accompaniment, in particular the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera conducted by Bertil Bokstedt :

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and ended

with another Swedish soprano, Nina Stemme I admired Accompanied on piano by Antonio Pappano , who can see interpret "Var det in drom?" in a concert that took place at the Liceu in 2007. And then, as a bis , also sings "Flicker without älsklings möte Ifran kom" (The girl returned from meeting her lover) , the last of the five songs of Opus 37 by Sibelius composed on a poem by Johan Runeberg :

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"DET VAR in the Drôme?" (Was it a dream?)

Was it a dream that once

I was the true love in your heart?

I remember him as a quiet song

whose sound is still ringing.

I remember a wild rose that you gave me,

look so shy and tender.

remember a bright tears when we parted.

"It was all a dream?

A dream as brief as the life of a flower

in a green meadow in spring,

whose beauty soon fades

before a crowd of new flowers.

But many nights I hear a voice

through my bitter tears stream:

Hide this I remember deep in your heart,

because it was your best dream.