Sibelius: Finlandia

This nicely programmed collection of shorter Sibelius scores mixes the familiar and less often heard. Søndergård is particularly good with atmosphere, giving The Oceanides, En saga, and The Swan of Tuonela really strong individual characters, while drawing some fine playing from the woodwinds of his Welsh orchestra. Finlandia has all the gravity and patriotic pomp you’d expect, while the delicate, moving Valse triste unfolds gently. The King Kristian II incidental music has great variety, ranging from charming dance numbers (Musette) to high drama and terrific energy (Ballade). High-quality sound too.