Let me say at the outset that I regard this tone poem as the finest evocation of the sea ever written [La Mer included]

Written for Sibelius's highly succesful American tour in 1914, it is an unusual work in many ways, it is the only one of the tone poems that draws on the Homeric world of Greek mythology. Perhaps the composer wanted to show the Americans that he need not be tied down to the Kalevala when it came to the more discriptive world of the tone poem. Any thoughts on this unique seascape.--kullervopete.

I "knew" this piece before I "studied" it, and was therefore very surprised upon learning that the Finnish title "Aallottaret" has nothing to do with the Kalevala. But to me, the word "Aallottaret" is so incredibly beautiful for its sound alone... it captures the essence of the piece perfectly, however un-Homerically mis-leading it may be.

This was the first "big" Sibelius piece that I had the chance to conduct, I think prior to this I had only conducted Finlandia, the Romance in C for strings and The Swan. It was in 2001 as my farewell piece with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra (

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

), where I was Assistant Conductor for 3 seasons. For that occassion, I dared write a somewhat untraditional program note, which I dare share with you now:

Kurki way-back-when wrote:

Out of the grey Northern mist, delicate figures emerges from the calm ocean. Slowly surfacing from a long submerged slumber, the hazy shapes begin to take on a concrete form, and playfully glance across the Ocean's surface... and disappear. Swallowed by the enormity of the water, sacrificing their singularity in favour of the vast perspective of the liquid plains. The Ocean is now seen in all its terrifying splendour, its myriad streams moving together, creating an unparalleled immensity. The figures emerge again, and then again, always striving for a separate Selfness, that is alas meaningless in the expanses that surround it. They descend slowly to the bottom, seemingly resigned to anonymity. But as they descend, the figures begin to transform: absorbed into the Oneness of the Ocean, and then for the last time thrust to the surface in triumphant unity with the world. A warm sunset lights the horizon, and the figures disappear forever.

In retrospect, this seems rather naive and I blush a little reading it 7 years later, but I was a zealous Sibelian upstart back then. I think with the years that have passed since then, with all humility, I can now rightfully call myself a devoted Sibelian upstart.

A bold choice, Kurki! I hope your, er, separate Selfness did it proud!

Just out of interest, is there any proof whatsoever that Sibelius was also actually thinking of Greek nymphs, Homeric or otherwise? I know he was well read in the Classics, and I also know that Robert Layton (among others) has made a link with Greece, but I believe I am correct in stating that he [Layton] was judging only from the English/Swedish/German translation of the title. Certainly in his diaries (which are in Swedish, remember) Sibelius uses the Finnish title Aallottaret rather than the Swedish Okeaniderna, which would seem to suggest that he had the Finnish ones in mind - maybe having seen Gallen-Kallela's painting (1909, if memory serves) of the same name. The Yale version of the score has only the Finnish name, and at the concert in Norfolk it was also titled in Finnish with an English translation that makes no mention of Greece or Homer ['Aallottaret – Tone Poem (Nymphs of the Ocean). Composed for this Concert. Initial Rendition.'] though it was translated in time for publication by Breitkopf & Härtel.

Luckily for Sibelius, the 'Initial Rendition' was also something of an 'Extraordinary Rendition' - but I suppose we are not allowed to use such terminology any more...?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there definitely isn't a connection with Greece - just that inferring a link from what is only a translation of a title is a risky business.

If Sibelius was indeed referring to the Greek nymphs, I would certainly agree with Kullervopete that the desire to show the Americans that he was not be tied to the Kalevala would be a powerful motivation - after all, this aspect of his work was covered by another item in his programme for America: Pohjola's Daughter. And I would absolutely and totally agree that the work is a masterpiece from beginning to end.

I had no idea that Gallen-Kallela painted this! After a quick internet search, I found no definitive picture... is it one of the following? (the first one seems like a good candidate)

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Babylonialainen nainen

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Ad Astra

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Väinämöisen venematka

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Lake Keitele

No, it's a little bit like the third one but the actual name is Aallottaria (or in Swedish Okeanider).
It is a frustratingly hard picture to find on the net - I'll look as well, and post it if I find it.

EDIT: Found it!

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

The Oceanides were the Nymphs of the Ocean, daughters of Oceanus in Greek myth and legend. Sibelius's tone poem is a kind of song before sunrise, which depicts the Nymphs that inhabited the streams and waters of classical antiquity.
It matters little whether we feel a grey Northern mist [to quote Kurki's excellent programme note] or a Mediterranean glow.
The work has often been cited as impressionistic, indeed Hans Redlich suggested in 1968 the influence of Debussy. Andrew B points out in his admirable sleeve note for Vanska's recording 'Rondo of the waves' Bis Cd 1445, that the earlier 'Yale' version is even more impressionistic than the final version.
When Beecham recorded The Oceanides at the composers request, he described the work as 'very strange'.--kullervopete.

It is lucky for us that Beecham was good with 'strange' music. I wonder what he would have made of the Yale version! (Thanks for the compliment, Kullervopete!) And I wholeheartedly agree: it matters not a bit where the inspiration came from when the end result is such spectacularly good music.

But still, ever eager to split hairs (possibly in the hope that they will regrow with renewed vigour), I am eager to know: what exactly is the evidence that Sibelius meant Greek Oceanides rather than Finnish Aallottaret? (The Finnish title specifically does not imply anything Greek, merely 'nymphs of the waves'.) Is there any solid factual reason why we should not believe that the 'Greek' title is nothing more than a poetic approximation that was added after the première?

FYI: A letter from JS to Breitkopf & Härtel, July 1914, accompanying the fair copy of the score, titles the work Aallottaret (die Okeaniden). The first published edition kept these titles but - understandably from a German publisher - put the German name first.

I am somewhat relieved at the idea that Sibelius seems to have intended the Finnish title to be the "true" title. As far as I recall, popular accounts (of which I have forgotten the source) tell that Sibelius added the Finnish title later to make the work more approachable for Finnish audiences.

...which just shows how wrong popular accounts can be!

There is always a risk that one critic/listener/musicologist/musician has an idea and everybody else starts to trot it out, parrot-fashion. This is most dangerous when the idea is in itself appealing or attractive, like a soundbite or a catchy headline in a tabloid newspaper. The idea itself may be good or bad, true or false, plausible or ludicrous. A poor scholar will merely repeat it; a good scholar will investigate it and see if withstands examination. And if it does: well, that's a win-win situation.

That's why I'm keen to discover what evidence there may be to support the Homeric inspiration for Aallottaret.

I noticed in a recent programme note for a performance of The Oceanides by the National Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy, Richard Freed claims that Sibelius himself pointed out that the tone poem 'derives from the mythology of Homer and not the Kalevala'. I dont know his source.
It seems that Carl Stoeckel who commisioned the work did not specify its subject. Sibelius said that his recent ocean crossing to America had given him 'a new sense of the sea and its power' and he made some final changes to the score before conducting the premiere.
We do know that Greco-Roman lore was one of Sibs lifelong loves. I have also noted that in a paper presented at the 4th International Sibelius conference in 2005, Frederick Key Smith claimed that The Oceanides was more closely related to Greek mythology than that of the Finnish Kalevala. Interestingly, Smith also touched briefly on other orchestral works by Sibelius that may be said to have a connection with Greek mythology.--kullervopete.

Good stuff. Does anybody have contact with Richard Freed to find out his source?

Frederick Key Smith's point about other works by JS having a Greek connection is a valid one - immediately Athenarnes sång (text: Rydberg, Dexippos) and the Op. 19 Impromptu (text: the same author's Livslust och livsleda) come to mind. Here the Greeks are seen as a symbol of the Finns during the political wrangles with Russia. Then of course there is the more pastoral Pan and Echo.

I wonder whether JS would have taken so kindly to Greek culture if he had encountered the music of Nikos Skalkottas (1904–49)! Personally I find most of it heavy going but then I've never really seen the point of these Second Viennese guys.

I can concur with that!
The manuscript of the Yale version does have the name Aallottaret in the composers hand. The eminent Sibelius scholar Nils-Eric Ringbom has in fact pointed out that the master stresses that 'the title alludes to Homeric mythology, not to any creatures from the Kalevala'. I think that this would seem to clinch it.
Sibelius's tone poem may well relate to this passage from Hesiod's Theogony:
For there are three thousand graceful-ankled Oceanids; widely scattered they haunt the earth and the depths of the waters every-where alike, shining Goddess-children.
kullervopete.

If Ringbom did indeed get his information from Sibelius, yes it would be rather strong evidence!

3,000 of them, eh.... haunting the earth too... that's a nice image

At the start of this thread I made the claim that 'The Oceanides' was the greatest evocation of the sea ever written. This is a pretty strong statement considering the competition!
The sea in its various moods has inspired a number of great works. Debussy's 'La Mer' is undoubtedly a masterpiece. Mendelssohn's 'Fingals Cave' is an early love of mine that remains as powerful to this day. Wagner's 'The Flying Dutchman' overture portrays the stormy sea with powerful force. Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade gives us an oriental slant. Smetana's great series of Symphonic Poems 'Ma Vlast' contains a thrilling picture of the river Vltava. British composers of the early 20th century have exceled in sea scapes, I would mention Brittens 'Sea Interludes', Bax's 'Tintagel' and Frank Bridges 'The Sea'.

I ask myself just what is it about J. S's 'The Oceanides that makes me place it on a pedestal. Is it Sibelius's unmatched ability to suggest worlds using a minimum of characteristic ingredients, eg the passages in thirds, the cross-hatching in the strings and the long pedal points, to name a few. The sound of the Sibelian orchestra is unmistakable and yet as is the case with the symphonies, Sibs tone poems are completely unlike one to the other.

The orchestration in 'The Oceanides' is fairly lavish by his standards, but then he did have at his disposal some of America's finest musicians.
Two flutes and piccolo, two oboes and cor anglais, two clarinets and bass clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, two sets of timpani, glockenspiel, triangle [for three notes] two harps and strings.

Impressionistic or perhaps Pointilliste to quote Cecil Gray, Sibelius had the facility to conjure up the dark primeval forces that time forgot, he was unmatched as a nature poet in sound. I think also that it was his capacity for understatement that enables him to unleash a climax in The Oceanides, unsurpassed in music with the possible exception of Tapiola. To quote Harriet Cohen 'he more than any composer during the last century, understood the elimination of unessentials'. --kullervopete.