The roots of En saga, Jean Sibelius's first known tone poem, do not entirely go back to an orchestral concept. We do know that melodies from Sibelius’ 1890–1891 study period in Vienna ended up in En saga. In Spring 1891 he worked on an “Octet,” in September 1892 he thought of a “Septet,” in November of a “Ballet Scene No. 2.” One month later he completed En saga which, by his own admission, was based on the “Octet.”
The arrangement as a septet by Gregory M. Barrett rests on the first version of 1892 and was given its first performance at the Brahms Hall in the Musikverein Vienna on 14 June 2003.
- ISMN: 9790004488300 (M004488300)
