Symphony No. 4 (Sibelius)

Symphony No. 4
by Jean Sibelius
Sibelius in 1913. Some commentators have felt that the tensions of the Fourth Symphony reflect the atmosphere of Europe in the period leading to the First World War
Key	A minor
Catalogue	Op. 63
Composed	1910 (1910)–11

The Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63, is one of seven completed symphonies composed by Jean Sibelius. Written between 1910 and 1911, it was premiered in Helsinki on 3 April 1911 by the Philharmonia Society, with Sibelius conducting.

It is scored for an orchestra including 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in Bb and A), 2 bassoons, 4 horns (in F and E), 2 trumpets (in F and E), 3 trombones, timpani, glockenspiel or/and tubular bells, and strings.

The work comprises four movements:

For this work Sibelius reversed the traditional classical positions of the second and third movements, placing the slow movement as the third. He also begins the piece with a slow movement instead of the traditional fast opening movement (this is the same order as many baroque orchestral works). A typical performance lasts between 35–40 minutes.

The interval of the tritone dominates the melodic and harmonic material of the piece, but in a completely different way from how it dominates the Third Symphony. It is stated immediately, in a dark phrase for cellos, double basses and bassoons, rising C-D-F♯-E over a hard unison C.