The Oceanides is a single-movement tone poem for orchestra written in 1913–14 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece refers to the nymphs in Greek mythology who inhabited the Mediterranean Sea. It was written in response to a commission from a New England patron of the arts, Carl Stoeckel, for a new symphonic poem to be played at a music festival in the U.S. The composer never intended for the piece to be performed in his lifetime, but it was performed in 2002 by a Finnish symphony orchestra.
About The Oceanides in brief
The Oceanides is a single-movement tone poem for orchestra written in 1913–14 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The piece, which refers to the nymphs in Greek mythology who inhabited the Mediterranean Sea, premiered on 4 June 1914 at the Norfolk Music Festival in Connecticut. Three versions of the work survive, including the original Yale version, which was never performed in the composer’s lifetime. The Oceanides stands alongside En saga, the Lemminkäinen Suite, the Violin Concerto, and the Fifth Symphony as one of the most overhauled works by the composer. It was written in response to a commission from a New England patron of the arts, Carl Stoeckel, for a new symphonic poem to be played at a music festival in the U.S. In April 1914, the composer mailed the score to the Stoeckels, who had invited him to perform the piece at their annual music festival at their estate in Connecticut, dubbed “The Music Shed”. The piece was first performed by Osmo Vänskä and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra on 10 September and 24 October 2002, respectively, in a world premiere by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. It has been described as either an outright example of Impressionism or somehow derivative of that art movement. Others have countered that the piece’s prioritization of action and structure over ephemeral, atmospheric background distinguish the piece from quintessential examples, such as Debussy’s La mer.
The tone poem, in D major, consists of two subjects, said to represent the playful activity of the nmphs and the majesty of the ocean, respectively. It is in three informal stages: first, a placid ocean; second, a gathering storm; and third, a thunderous wave-crash climax. As the tempest subsides, a final chord sounds, symbolizing the mighty power and limitless expanse of the sea. In making the transition from the tone poem to the piano piece trånaden, JS 202, the composer transposed the material from E♭ major to D major. At some point in the work, the material of the Allegro, very much a progress work in progress, becomes the musical content of the Tempo moderato. In some points in the piece, the thematic material of 3 in E and No 2 in E 3 are very much in progress in the progresswork in progress of the poem; the material is then expanded into a piano piece, and expanded in woodwinds and winds. In the end, the piece is in D major, with a chord-like motif in the middle of the piece that represents the rocking of the waves, and a wave-like theme in the background. The composer never intended for the piece to be performed in his lifetime, but it was performed in 2002 by a Finnish symphony orchestra as part of its world premiere.
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This page is based on the article The Oceanides published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 05, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
