Things You'll Need:
- Several hundred dollars
- Passion for classical music
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Step 1
Shop for your CDs online, or at a discount bookstore or music store. If you go to a highbrow record store that specializes in classical music, you might find a better selection but you’ll probably end up paying a premium price.
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Step 2
Sibelius is considered by many to be the greatest symphonic composer of the 20th century. He wrote seven symphonies in all, and you should buy a complete cycle if you can find one for an affordable price. If not, be sure to buy No. 2 in D, No. 3 in C, No. 5 in E-flat, and No. 7 in C.
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Step 3
Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, is probably the greatest contribution to its genre during the 20th century, and is considered by many to be surpassed only by the immortal concertos of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Brahms. It achieves the rare combination of being both technically impressive and deeply moving, and is certainly an essential component of any Sibelius library.
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Step 4
Jean Sibelius also composed many brilliant and renowned tone poems, nearly all of them steeped in Finnish history, mythology and culture. Among these, the ones that are essential to your library are the majestic “Finlandia,” the hauntingly beautiful “Swan of Tuonela,” and the mysterious, quasi-minimalist “Tapiola.”
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Step 5
Also steeped in Finnish culture and oozing with rustic authenticity is the charming, three-movement “Karelia Suite,” another must-have in your collection.
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Step 6
Two final works I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend as part of your collection are the evocative, colorful symphonic poem “Night Ride and Sunrise” Op. 55, and the String Quartet in D Minor Op. 56. Both are significant to the Sibelius oeuvre and highly recommended additions to your collection.
