(Section D)
Led by LAURANCE TURNER
Conducted by Sir GRANVILLE BANTOCK
Ballet Music, The Great God Pan
Bantock
I. Revelry of Pan and the Fauns; 2. Dance of Pan and the Satyrs; 3. Revelry of Fauns and Satyrs; 4. The wounded Faun; 5. Entry and Dance of Maenads
Two Episodes from the Kalevala Sibelius i. The Swan of Tuonela; 2 The Return of Lemminkainen
THE KALEVALA is a great Finnish epic poem, running into fifty cantos, and, like all Finnish legend, magic plays an important part throughout. Sibelius, a true Finn, has been considerably influenced by his country's mythology, and he has described in terms of music several episodes of the Kalevala. ' The Swan of Tuonela ' is prefaced with the following description : ' Tuonela, land of death, a hell of Finnish mythology, is surrounded by a river with black waters and a rapid current, on which the Swan of Tuonela floats majestically, singing '. This work is scored for the unusual combination of cor Anglais solo, one oboe, one bass clarinet, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, harp, timpani, bass drum, and muted strings. The last-mentioned are divided and sub-divided into many parts forming a rich and picturesque texture of string background. The music is full of mystery and not a little gloom.
' The Return of Lemminkainen ' is a direct contrast to ' The Swan of Tuonela ', since the music is scored, with brilliant effect, for full orchestra, and the tempo is extremely rapid. It is intended to describe the return of Lemminkainen from his unsuccessful expedition against Pohjola.