Jan Sibelius: Songs

Editor's Info:
Randi Stene sings Sibelius lieder
Of course most known for his fantastic symphonic production, Jean Sibelius developed many compositional methods in his songs. In the works of his favourite poets, among them Runeberg and Wecksell, Sibelius found themes which he developed further in his music. For this release Randi Stene has picked songs ranging from the very early ending with some of the last works Sibelius ever wrote.
It is no exaggeration to say one of the most beautiful voices in the Nordic countries today belongs to Randi Stene. Born in Trondheim, Norway, but based at the Royal Theatre (Det Kongelige Danske Teater) in Copenhagen she has built her international career with opera parts and concerts all over the world. Randi Stene's international breakthrough came in 1993 when she did Octavian at the Bastille Opera in Paris. Following she has been in on the stage in Stockholm, Covent Garden and Metropolitan as well as concerts in Edinburgh, Helsinki, Brussels, Berlin and Istanbul, to mention just a few things.
Sibelius songs - miniatures on a large scale
When Randi Stene and Havard Gimse interpret Sibelius you hear how the great potential in his songs is realized by their way of making music. As is the case with the symphonies, the songs of Sibelius demand a command and understanding of form on the part of the performers. In a pure technical sense everything is needed - every possible facet of the human voice belongs in these songs. Stene's amazing ability to move between the absolute lowest whisper and the most powerful outbursts - always with a touching presence in her voice - is one of the features that make her interpretations unique.
Strong emotions
But perhaps more important is the vulnerability that Randi Stene dares to expose in her art, something very few artists these days do - and the way this feature opens up for aspects of Sibelius' music we may not have been that aware of. Stene herself says: 'Opera allows me to get in touch with the big emotions - and has taught me that big emotions are not dangerous'. Is this what she brings into her work in the lieder? Whatever the reason: Randi Stene and Havard Gimse bring Sibelius-interpretations that will not fail to move you.