Kullervo represents not only the confident first step in Sibelius’s symphonic odyssey, it is also a viscerally exciting experience on its own terms. A symphony with vocal soloists and choir, it was the first of Sibelius’s works to draw on the Kalevala, the Finnish national myth, which was a source of inspiration throughout his life. This recording from Thomas Dausgaard and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is an unmissable acquisition for anyone who knows only the numbered symphonies.
Sibelius: Kullervo – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard
